Avalon Gold

Avalon Gold Slot Review

Slot Provider: ELK Studios

RTP: 94% | Variance: High | Maximum Win: 25,000x

Our Score: 8.6

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About Avalon Gold

Reviewed by:

Published Date: 23rd September 2022

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We test and rate all slot games across 5 criteria, assigning a score out of 10 for each and an overall score that is an average of the 5. To build an accurate assessment of each game we gather information from the supplier and play in real play or demo mode. Find out more.

Avalon Gold by ELK Studios is a 6-reel slot with cascading wins and expanding rows bringing up to 262,144 paylines per spin. At the center of all the action is hero Kane, searching out treasures in the mythical Kingdom of Arthur. There are expanding wilds, super-sized blocks, free spins and some supernaturally charged Mystery Boxes that reveal all kinds of bonuses. Notoriously a game that knows how to go off, Avalon Gold weighs in with high variance and a 25,000x maximum win for all the glory hunters out there.

Avalon Gold Game Information

  • RTP: 94%
  • Variance: High
  • Maximum Win: 25,000x
  • Progressive Jackpot: No
  • Reels: 6
  • Rows: Up to 8
  • Paylines: Up to 262,144
  • Minimum Stake: £0.20
  • Theme: Arthurian Legends
  • Features: Avalanche Wins, Free Drops, Multipliers, Expanding Reels, Mystery Boxes

What We Liked

  • Mystery boxes with multiple features
  • Super-size wilds and mystery boxes
  • Safety levels maintain expanded reels
  • Fantastic ethereal atmosphere and design
  • Expanding wilds fill rows above

What We Didn't like

  • RTP is low at 94%

Avalon Gold Review Scores

  • Theme and Design 10
  • RTP and Variance 7
  • Maximum Win 8
  • Symbols and Paytable 9
  • Features and Gameplay 9

What Our Reviewer Says ...

"A thrilling Kane slot from ELK with captivating atmosphere, a thrilling mystery box feature, and huge potential!"

Overall Score: 8.6

Theme & Design

Our Score 10

Following his intrepid adventures in Katmandu and Louisiana it’s fair to say that the last place we expected to find traveller Kane next was the mythical kingdom of Avalon! But here he is, searching out the gold left there by King Arthur’s foster brother, Kay (so the story goes). Turns out the narrative was a great choice by creators, ELK Studios.

The atmosphere is ethereal, with turquoise mists drifting through crumbling stone temples in front of which sits are 6×4 grid. Symbols drop into place with satisfying thuds as each round starts and classic celtic pipes, drums and strings play in the background. It’s stirring stuff and thankfully matched by the drama on the reels. Once into the game there are some particularly spectacular moments to look out for including the mystery boxes that appear to glow as they reveal their bonuses and hidden wilds that expand upwards, glowing gold.

All in, a first class production from ELK.

RTP and Variance

Our Score 7

What is RTP?

RTP (Return to Player) refers to the amount a game will pay out in cash prizes expressed as a percentage of all the money wagered on that game. For example, a 96% RTP means a game will pay out £96 for every £100 wagered. This is an average number and will vary from one session to the next.  Read more here.

What is Variance?

Variance refers to how far a game will deviate from its RTP over time. High variance games deviate a lot and produce uneven win distributions and unexpected windfalls. Low variance games provide a more stable and even distribution of wins. Read more here.

The RTP of Avalon Gold slot is 94%. This is lower than average for a slot game – most sit at around 96% – however it is not that unusual for ELK Studios who have noticeably tweaked the RTP of their games down in recent years. For comparison, others in the Gold series include Ecuador Gold (96.1%), Tahiti Gold (96.1%) or Katmandu Gold (96.2%).

Avalon Gold is also a high variance slot whose complex mix of features must align in rare patterns for you to get the very best from the game.

Maximum Win

Our Score 8

What Is Maximum Win?

Maximum win refers to the maximum amount a player can win from one spin. It is expressed as a multiple of the stake. For example, where the maximum win is 100,000x, from a £1 stake, the maximum win would be £100,000.  

Avalon Gold maximum win is 25,000x. This puts it at the top of the tree for the Gold series, far outreaching the maximum wins of Katmandu Gold (10,000x), Tahiti Gold (5,000x) and Ecuador Gold (a lowly 2,500x).

Explore Games With Similar RTP, Variance and Maximum Win

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Symbols and Paytable

Our Score 9

Avalon Gold starts out as a 6 reel and 4 row slot but depending on what happens on each spin it can grow to as high as 8 rows per reel.

It also utilises a pay ways model rather than paylines so wins are triggered by landing identical symbols on adjacent reels from left to right regardless of their position on the reels.  From a 6×4 start that gives you the classic 4,096 win ways set-up first seen in games like Raging Rhino (WMS) and Pink Elephants (Thunderkick). However, the game kicks on with consecutive Cascading Wins to climb up to as high as 8 rows per reel and 262,144 paylines.

Avalon Gold Paytable
The paytable from Avalon Gold with 12 different pay symbols

The paytable is stacked with 12 paying symbols. They range from the low value cards, Jack through to Ace, valued at up to 0.3x for 6 on a line, through to the four premium pictures including the highest value Kane who is worth 5x for 6 on a line.

There is also a Golden Wild which subs in for any other symbol bar the bonus or Mystery Box to complete paylines.

All symbols, including the important Mystery Boxes explained below, can also land in 2×2, 3×3 or 4×4 super-sizes which gives you more chance of landing wins. We’ve even been known to land a super-sized Kane himself on occasion.

Features and Gameplay

Our Score 9

Avalon Gold packs a lot in and despite its high variance it feels like there is rarely a spell where things slow down. This is helped in part by the fact that the game is using Cascading Wins so every winning spin is followed by explosions as winning symbols are removed and new ones drop in. And in this case, as in other ELK slots, another row is added to the reels.

Avalon Gold 7 Rows Hiigh
Reel set expanded to 7 rows high

Wilds and Expanding Wilds

All the while, wilds may drop on the grid to help you complete Win Lines. In a clever and innovative twist, they sometimes appear behind a standard symbol. In this instance you know they are there because you see a gold frame around the covering symbol. If the symbol they sit behind forms part of a win then they expand upwards to fill any space created in the latest Cascade. This can lead to wilds expanding 3 or 4 rows upwards to help form wins.

Mystery Boxes With Supernatural Powers

Fun stuff, but without doubt our favourite feature of Avalon Gold is the Mystery Boxes. ELK have produced a really special symbol here, one that looks like it has supernatural qualities thanks to the pentagram on its exterior and the way it animates when it activates.

Things you need to know about these boxes are that initially they simply drop onto the reels and sit there. They won’t move until either the game round ends or at least five are visible anywhere on the grid. Once five or more are in sight, they activate. Worst case scenario here is that they all reveal an identical symbol from the paytable or a wild.

5 extra wilds?  No problem! But best case is one of the following features. You’ll know if it’s coming because the pentagon glows and spins before revealing your bonuses. Each box will open in order to reveal a different bonus:

  • if it’s a coin like a 5x then it’s a standard win;
  • if it’s a multiplier, then that multiplier is applied to the total value of coins so far;
  • if it’s a swiper, then 10 is added to the value of the last coin to be revealed by adding a ‘1’ in front of it. So, if it was a 5, it becomes a 15.
  • if it’s a Collector is revealed, then it collects the value of ALL the coins revealed so far and reactivates them;
  • if it’s a re-drop then it triggers another drop in which the Mystery Boxes are guaranteed to re-open.

It might not sound like much but picture a grid with 10 or 15 of these boxes on it, each revealing coin wins, multipliers and swipers. Then after a big win, they all re-activate and the feature starts up again. That’s where Avalon Gold can really deliver!

Up to 25 Free Spins

Something like this is possible in the free spins round, triggered by landing 3, 4, 5 or 6 scatters to get you 10, 15, 20 or 25 free spins. You can see highlights from our free spins round with 15 free spins below.

Avalon Gold Free Spins Round
15 Free spins from 4 scatters

To give you a better chance of winning, mystery boxes stick between free spins until they are activated. And a ‘Safety Level’ is active. This effectively locks the number of rows in play at the level set in the last avalanche sequence. So, if you had 5 active rows from your first spin, your second spin starts at five active rows again.

Avalon Gold Free Spins and Mystery Boxes
Mystery boxes opening up in the free spins round

Incredibly, the game also allows re-triggers. So you can land another 6 scatters for another 25 free spins.

And that’s your lot – Avalon Gold packs a real punch. It’s kind of relentless, but never boring.

The Final Verdict

Avalon Gold is perhaps the best in the Kane series so far, keeping the cool features from the previous games and adding in a thrilling new-comer with Mystery Boxes. These are deadly as proved a few times over in our sessions. How far they take you will depend on the mix of bonuses you get and when you get them. A good sequence will see some high value coins revealed, multiplied then swiped before they are collected up and the whole thing repeats. And of course, in the free spins round your expectations of the kind of result you can get will increase as boxes stick on the reels until they can be used, whilst the safety levels mean more rows in play and more chances to land more boxes. What’s not to love there?!

Aside from that, Avalon Gold is also a hit for its excellent atmosphere, not missing a beat with the graphics and soundtrack, and its whopping 25,000x top win. The only area it falls short is the 94% RTP, something you’ll have to endure if you want to spend more time with Kane.

Who Made Avalon Gold?

  • Name: ELK Studios
  • Established: 2013
  • UK License: 40844
  • Total Games: 60 +
  • Known For: Amazing artwork, wide choice of themes and styles
  • Popular Slots: Avalon Gold, Dropz, Nitropolis, Wild Toro
Find More ELK Studios slots

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