Fortune Cats Golden Stacks

Fortune Cats Golden Stacks Slot Review

Slot Provider: Thunderkick

RTP: 96.14% | Variance: Medium | Maximum Win: 2,500x

Our Score: 7.8

Play at Casumo Casino
QUICK LINKS: Game Information | Where To Play | Full Review | Testing Notes | Tips For Players | About The Developer

WHY YOU CAN TRUST THIS REVIEW: The information and opinions on this page are the result of an comprehensive process of information gathering and live game testing by the gambling experts who work at allslotsites.com. Find out more here.

About Fortune Cats Golden Stacks

Reviewed by:

Published Date: 3rd November 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.

Fortune Cats Golden Stacks is a cute, 5-reel slot filled from Thunderkick filled with lucky Japanese charms. It comes with 40 paylines and a medium variance. Mystery Symbols in the base game transform into identical pay symbols to boost your wins. In the free spins round up to 3 reel sets come into play and symbol stacks replicate across them all. With spins starting at just 10p and a 2,500x max win potential, this is an exciting slot for those looking for a fun, simple gaming experience.

Fortune Cats Golden Stacks Game Information

  • Release Date: December 2021
  • RTP: 96.14% | 94.14% | 92.14% | 90.14%
  • Variance: Medium
  • Maximum Win: 2,500x
  • Progressive Jackpot: No
  • Reels: 5
  • Rows: 4
  • Paylines: Up to 120
  • Minimum Stake: £0.10
  • Theme: Oriental
  • Features: Mystery Symbols, Free Spins, Cloning Reels, Wilds, Symbol Stacks

Testing Notes: Here’s What Happened When We Played Fortune Cats Golden Stacks

IMPORTANT: To give you an accurate assessment of the games we review our writers play 200 spins. Whilst this is a useful tool to help us review games and to give an example of what might happen when you play, keep in mind that 200 spins is only a very small sample and cannot be used to accurately predict what might happen over another 200 spins. The outcome of all slots play is always random.

Boom Or Bust? Our Session By The Numbers

I played 200 spins on Fortune Cats Golden Stacks for free at Casumo Casino to test the game and this is what happened.

  • Stake Size: £1
  • Start balance: £5,000
  • End balance: £4,866.90
  • Biggest Win: 10.4x
  • Free Spins Round: 0
  • Session Time: 19 minutes 48 seconds

A word of warning here. Despite its medium variance billing Fortune Cats Golden Stacks felt tighter than that. Over 200 spins I was unable to trigger the free spins round at all. In fact I extended this session to 250 spins to see if I could unlock it but still no joy. The only base game feature to look out for is the Mystery Symbols. This triggered 10 times (5%) over the first 200 spins. That isn’t too bad, but considering there are no other features it didn’t feel generous. The biggest win produced was 10.4x which you can see in the screenshot.

A Win From Mystery Symbols
A 10.4x win from mystery symbols in testing

There is no question this game has a fun vibe to it but overall this session ran the balance down quicker than I expected for a mid-variance slot.

What We Liked

  • Play on 3 reel sets in the free spins round
  • Cute, bright and fun production
  • High value premiums land in stacks on the reels
  • Mystery symbols all convert into same symbol when they land
  • 40 paylines to win on

What We Didn't like

  • More volatile than expected in testing
  • 2,500x max win is underwhelming

Fortune Cats Golden Stacks Review Scores

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

What Our Reviewer Says ...

"A super-cute slot with lots of lucky charms to help you score those wins but perhaps more volatile than you would expect!"

Overall Score: 7.8

Theme & Design

Our Score 8

An Overload Of Cute Cats and Lucky Charms!

In Fortune Cats Golden Stacks Thunderkick have turned the dial up on the cuteness factor way beyond 10! The theme is luck and with the Japanese writing on some of the symbols, the koi carp, and happy, waving cats the production comes with Asian styling. As you would expect from this studio, the artwork is top quality, though the cartoonish feel and over-the-top fluffiness might not appeal to everyone. Overall, the pastel colors, soft blues and bright pinks are fairly inoffensive, and the synth-y soundtrack is pleasant enough as you wait for those lucky spins to drop.

Fortune Cats Golden Stacks by Thunderkick
Fortune Cats Golden Stacks – filled with cute lucky charms!

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.

Fortune Cats Golden Stacks has 4 RTP settings – 96.14%, 94.14%, 92.14% or 90.14%. Which you play at will be as the discretion of your casino. I recommend checking the RTP once you have loaded up the game. You can do that by hitting the ‘I’ button in the top right of the screen. For this review I verified the RTP at a few sites we use for testing. MrQ was the only one to be running the game at the optimum level of 96.14%.

This is one of Thunderkick’s less volatile slots with a medium variance rating. So it should provide a more balanced payout distribution than games like Shifting Seas from the same provider for example.

Maximum Win

Our Score 7

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.  

The top payout in this game is a little underwhelming at 2,500x. However, for a medium variance game it is not that unusual. If you want to play for higher jackpots I recommend reading our article on slots with the highest maximum wins.

Symbols and Paytable

Our Score 8

Fortune Cats Golden Stacks has a simple 5 reel and 4 row set up with 40 paylines giving plenty of ways to win. Wins are triggered by landing 3 or more identical symbols from left to right across a payline, starting at the left most reel.

Fortune Cats Golden Stacks Paytable
The paytable with 7.5x for 5 cats

There are just 8 symbols in the paytable. Each of the four low value symbols – clubs, spades, hearts and diamonds – is valued at 0.3x, 0.5x and 1x for 3, 4 or 5 on a line. The premiums are the calabash – the plump vegetable wrapped in a gold ribbon – koi fish, Japanese lantern and golden cat. These are valued at from 0.5x for 3 fish up to 7.5x for 5 cats.

There is also a Wild that substitutes for all other pay symbols to complete paylines. It has no value of its own and appears on reels 2 to 5.

Features and Gameplay

Our Score 8

This game is all about unlocking the free spins round where extra reel sets come into play which can be exciting and lead to bigger wins. This is how it works:

Mystery Symbols Transform Into a Randomly Chosen Symbol

Mystery symbols can appear on any spin in both the base game and free spins round and in any positions on the reels. These symbols are represented by a fan image. When they land they ALL turn into the SAME pay symbol, chosen at random, and at best can transform into the high-paying golden cat. 

A Mystery Symbol in Fortune Cats Golden Stacks
A mystery symbol on reel 5 in testing

Free Spins With Up To THREE Reel Sets And Replicating Golden Stacks

So, to unlock the free spins round you will need to land 3 or more bonus symbols. You get the following configurations dependent on how many bonus symbols land:

  • 3 Symbols – 10 spins on the standard reel set
  • 4 Symbols – 10 spins and TWO reel sets
  • 5 Symbols – 10 spins and THREE reel sets

Once you are into the free spins round you can collect bonus symbols to unlock further reel sets if they are available. So, if you collect 3 bonus symbols then the 2nd reel set opens up. If you collect 5 then the 3rd reel set opens up.

Bonus Symbols in Fortune Cats Golden Stacks
2 Bonus Symbols land in testing

By collecting bonus symbols you will also add to your free spins total. Each 1 gets you 1 more spin, and each time a new reel set opens up, you get 2 more spins too!

This clever progressive gameplay feature means that with all 3 reel sets open, you get 120 paylines active in total, giving you better odds of winning on each spin.

Golden Stacks Activates When 2 Or More Reel Sets Are Active

Finally, to add further excitement, when more than 1 reel set is active, the Golden Stacks feature is activated. This means whenever ONE whole reel is filled with a stack of the golden cat symbol, then this is replicated across the other reel sets. This will also increase your odds of hitting high value wins with the top paying premium symbol.

The Final Verdict

Fortune Cats Golden Stacks is a really fun, cheerful slot with a playful vibe and lots of bright colors and lucky charms that create an upbeat atmosphere. The Mystery Symbols feature is basic but the free spins round looks exciting and could produce some great payouts when all 3 reels are in play. The game has a mid-variance rating but in truth it felt tighter. Of course, the 10p minimum bet means you can go in at a low stake to off-set the risk level if you choose and I would advise that when playing for the first time. Overall, a fun game that will appeal to fans of lucky charm and Asian slots.

Useful Tips When Playing Fortune Cats Golden Stacks

Remember, online slots are games of chance, there is NO strategy that can improve your odds of winning. However, reading our review and following these tips will help you get the most out of your time playing this slot game.

1. Watch Out For The Lower RTP Settings

Not all slot sites will run this game at its optimum RTP settings. In fact, I only found one that did when researching this review. So be sure to check the RTP before you spin to be sure you are getting value for money.

2. Pick A Low Stake To Make Your Balance Last

As testing showed, this can be a tight game, so choose a reasonable stake to ensure you don’t burn down your balance too quickly whilst waiting for the free spins round to trigger.

3. Watch For Bonus Symbols On Every Spin

You need at least 3 bonus symbols to trigger the free spins. When 2 land you’ll see them displayed down the left side of the reels whilst you wait for a third or fourth to drop. Check the remaining reels as they land to see if you get lucky.

 

 

4. Only Play At Licensed UK Slot Sites

We have chosen the sites on this page because they are licensed by the UK Gambling Commission which means they offer safe, fair and secure gambling. You should never play at unlicensed sites.

Who Made Fortune Cats Golden Stacks?

  • Name: Thunderkick
  • Established: 2012
  • UK License: 40165
  • Total Games: 55
  • Known For: Quirky, eccentric slots with fun features and distinctive designs
  • Popular Slots: Pink Elephants 1 and 2, Flame Busters, Birds on a Wire
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