Emerald Gold

Emerald Gold Slot Review

Slot Provider: Just For The Win

RTP: 96.12% | Variance: High | Maximum Win: 25,000x

Our Score: 8.2

Play at Casumo Casino
QUICK LINKS: Game Information | Where To Play | Full Review | Compare Slots | About The Developer

About Emerald Gold

Reviewed by:

Published Date: 5th March 2021

How We Review Slot Games

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.

Welcome to Emerald Gold, a quintessential Irish slot experience! As you might expect, you are ushered in by a jolly leprechaun who sits above the reelset with the serene landscapes of Ireland laid out behind to create a relaxing atmosphere. For JFTW fans, this game is very similar to the format of other games like Western Gold Double Barrel, with almost identical gameplay and features. And as you would expect from this innovative Swedish studio, the visuals are sharp and vibrant and the animations are upbeat and fun.

Emerald Gold Game Information

  • RTP: 96.12%
  • Variance: High
  • Maximum Win: 25,000x
  • Progressive Jackpot: No
  • Reels: 5
  • Rows: 4
  • Paylines: 40
  • Minimum Stake: £0.20
  • Theme: Irish
  • Features: Scatter Pays, Free Spins

Emerald Gold Review Scores

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

What Our Reviewer Says ...

"A simplistic high variance slot with a classic slot theme that entertains but rarely surprises!"

Our Score: 8.2

Emerald Gold Pros and Cons

What We Liked

  • Super slick graphics
  • High top payout for a JFTW game
  • Super high variance
  • Big free spins round
  • Simple gameplay

What We Didn't like

  • A bit light on features

RTP and Variance

Our Score 8

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.

Emerald Gold has a Return to Player setting of 96.04%.  We verified this against the information screen at Casumo. This is about average for Just For The Win slots. For comparison, from the same studio, Wolf Howl runs at 96.2%, Book of King Arthur runs at 96.1% and Odin’s Riches runs at 96.1%.

This is also a high variance slot so it is likely to be tough to beat. That puts it in the same category as games like The Bandit and the Baron which is highly volatile as well and shares the same enticing top payout of 25,000x.

 

Symbols and Paytable

Our Score 8

Emerald Gold plays out on a 5 reel by 4 row reel set with 40 active paylines in play at all times. To trigger wins you’ll need to land 3 or more identical symbols in adjacent positions across a payline from left to right.

Low payers are represented by the Shamrock, Guiness Glass, Emerald Ring and the Horeshoe. These are valued at between 0.04x for three clovers up to 0.3x for five Horsehoes. The premiums are all traditional Bar symbols – singles, doubles, triples or a mix of all three. The latter pays 0.1x for three on a line whilst five triple bars scores you a 3.5x win. There is also a Triple Seven symbol valued at 0.06x up to 6x and a Wild that is valued the same but also substitutes in for all other symbols except Scatters and Free Spins icons to create wins.

There are two specials as well – Free Spins and Scatters symbols that trigger the features in Emerald Gold.

Here is a snapshot of the paytable shown taken from the game.

Features and Gameplay

Our Score 8

Whilst the overall potential in Emerald Gold is excellent the base game is a little simplistic – you are just looking for wild substitutions and a Scatter Pays mechanic to make things work. However, things pick up in the free spins round which is where the features become more interesting … and potentially more rewarding.

Here is how it all works:

Clover Scatters Get You Wins of Up To 5,000x!

Scatters are the added ingredient here that enriches your gameplay. They trigger payouts when AT LEAST four land on the same spin. They don’t have to land on a payline, they can land ANYWHERE. The payouts start at 0.2x for four and go right up to 5,000x if five land simultaneously.

Scatters Are Collected in Free Spins To Pay Out At The End

Things change a little in the free spins round as Clover Scatters do NOT trigger instant pay outs but instead are collected to pay out a total at the end of the round. To trigger the round you’ll need to land at least THREE Free Spins symbols on reels 2, 3 or 4. Now, every time a scatter lands it is collected AND provided the total collected is less than 12 then the free spins count re-sets to 3.  When you hit zero spins, the round ends and the win is calculated based on how many scatters you have – maximum 12.

 

If You Enjoy Emerald Gold Then You Might Like …

Western Gold 2 Double Barrel –  Many have pointed to the similarities between Emerald Gold and Western Gold, the original. But I prefer this follow up, which laced equally liberally with scatters. A combination of scatters and free spins drives the wins in this game with crazy 10,000x prizes available in the Cash Barrel round. Just For The Win cranked the variance right up in this slot and delivered it with an equally impressive 25,000x top win.

Serengeti Gold – If you enjoy the Gold motif from JFTW but want to change the backdrop then you could always have a spin on Serengeti Gold. This African-themed game is in the same series and also runs on a high variance. However, its notable for a far lower top payout of just 2,500x. So keep that in mind before you load up the game. The highlight is the Hyper Hold Re-Spins feature that MAY unlock the 2,500x Mega Jackpot if ALL reels are filled with bonus icons.

 

Where To Play Emerald Gold  – More Recommendations

Play OJO – OJO is one of our favourite casinos to feature the JFTW collection. The offer regular free spins deals with no wagering requirements and no win limits and also have an unrivalled slots catalogue of more than 4,000 games! OJO is on the Skill on Net label, accepts deposits via Paypal, and rewards regular spinners with plenty of level-ups, ‘kickers’ like free spins, and slots races on the biggest games.

Dream Vegas – If OJO is not your thing then you could try this site on the White Hat Gaming label instead. Dream Vegas has over 2,500 slots to play, including the JFTW Gold series. You can also play slots from names like Big Time Gaming, Nolimit City and Relax Gaming here.  Deposits start at £20 and promotions are designed to reward those making big deposits. Find out more in our review.

The Final Verdict

Our Score 8.2

Emerald Gold is a worthy successor to Western Gold from Just For The Win and anyone who enjoyed the first in this series will most likely love this game. The action may have switched to a lilting Irish setting but don’t let the serene country setting fool you, this is still a big, bad high variance slot with the potential to thrill and frustrate in equal measure. It is typically straight forward in nature with not much in the way of features but a  very decent top payout designed to attract the high risk gamblers out there.

So, tread with care and set your stake accordingly when loading up Emerald Gold.

 

Who Made Emerald Gold?

  • Name: Just For The Win
  • Established: 2016
  • UK License: Via Microgaming
  • Total Games: 45 +
  • Known For: Partnerships with Microgaming, high variance games
  • Popular Slots: Western Gold, Bandit and the Baron, Diamond Sands, Wolf Howl
Find More Just For The Win

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