Katmandu Gold comes as the fifth instalment in ELK Studios Gold Series. We see the adventurer Kane taking on a new challenge. Nepal hasn’t been a highly covered theme in the casino world, but we for one are glad to see this, as new locations bring a fresh dose of entertainment. We love Ancient Egypt, but sometimes it’s just a bit too much. Join Kane in the journey to the wonderful Himalayas.
ELK Studios has been a highly impressive slot provider. They have been releasing some high-quality slots, praising quality over quantity. We are super excited to see how has Katmandu Gold panned out, as this slot is loaded with bonus features and solid payouts. Katmandu Gold is also the first slot in Gold Series that introduces the Bonus Buy option. This is heavenly news for all you bonus junkies, including us. With 10,000x up for grabs, this slot will surely attract a couple of fortune seekers that will join Kane.
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Katmandu Gold Slot Review
Game Layout: 6 Reels x 9 Rows Release date: 1 December 2020 Gameplay and Design
Katmandu Gold comes with a simple but beautiful presentation. The Himalayas, in general, are gorgeous and it is definitely a place worth exploring, so naturally the adventurer Kane was keen on having a look around these parts. Katmandu Gold comes with a fairly larger 6x9 layout, which is placed between two traditional pillars. In the background we can see the snow-covered hills and in the distance, behind it all stands a massive door, covering the entrance of the secluded temple. The extended play area provides 4096 different ways to win which can reach up to 531,441 paylines. Katmandu Gold comes with traditional oriental type music, that includes different traditional music instruments and elements of Tuvan throat singing.
On Katmandu Gold we are introduced to Avalanche which is essentially a tumble mechanism, meaning that all winning symbols explode and are replaced by new ones from up above. As long as you keep winning, the rows will keep expanding, up to 8. In general, wins are made up of 3 or more symbols. Visually, these Katmandu Gold symbols are okay looking, they aren’t too complicated or elaborate, just simple low royals, emblems of elements, such as water, air, fire and earth and golden high paying symbols like the tiger, dragon, turtle and Kane. Besides the obvious bonus symbol, we have the Wild, that is the substitute for any other symbols and the Big Symbols, which are regular symbols in a size of 2x2, 3x3 or 4x4.
Just like on most of the Gold Series games, also Katmandu Gold packs a strong punch. It’s a fairly volatile slot, being rated 7/10 on that department. We already clarified that the extended layout provides a hefty amount of paylines. You can link up some serious wins and if lucky, these wins could reach up to a 10,000x mark, although this multiplier will be more realistic during the bonus game phase. Katmandu Gold RTP slightly shifts, depending on the activate game mode, but on average it is a pretty decent 96.30%. The slot can be enjoyed on bets from 0.20 to 100.
Bonus Features
Not only the location of Katmandu Gold is a unique one, but also the bonus features that come with it. This is almost a trademark thing for Gold Series, as all previous games are quite distinctive. We already mentioned the Avalanches and Big Symbols, which are not necessarily bonus features but more like game mechanisms. You, of course, may see it differently, but nonetheless, 3 more features will keep the Katmandu Gold slot exciting.
There is a chance that some regular symbols or wilds can come with a golden arrow attached to them. If these symbols are included in a winning combination then this type of symbol will then expand in the direction of arrows. These arrows could be facing horizontally, vertically or both ways. These are also known as Expanding Wilds.
Before we engage the main bonus feature, Ice Climber will help to break the ice. This Katmandu Gold feature is triggered by 2 or more Ice Climber symbols. Once in effect, this feature replaces symbols which are up above into wilds or high paying symbols. If the Ice Climber is activated on the 8th row, then an additional 9th row of symbols will be added.
Multiplier Free Drops is the name of the bonus and it is triggered by 3 or more bonus symbols. Award for 3,4, 5 or 6 bonus symbols are 10,15, 20 or 25 spins/drops respectively. The bonus game starts with a 1x multiplier. This win multiplier increases by every bonus symbol you land. As you see, the main Katmandu Gold bonus feature is pretty straight forward. You can also buy this bonus feature for 100x, or just get a super bonus version for 500x. Super bonus starts with persistent 10x multiplier, but of course, the price is not the lowest.
Conclusion
Katmandu Gold is another solid addition to the Gold Series. The pilling and tumbling rows of symbols bring such satisfying excitement. Also, the slot is filled with additional features and bonuses, so it shouldn’t get boring fast. The textbook 10,000x payout by ELK Studios is as pleasant as ever. Although the hit rate is on the low side, so you can find yourself having a streak of empty spins, but this greatly balanced by the additional content and the decent return.
