Fortune Cats Golden Stacks

Fortune Cats Golden Stacks Slot Review

Slot Provider: Thunderkick

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

Our Score: 6.6

Play at Casumo Casino

About Fortune Cats Golden Stacks

Reviewed by:

Published Date: 3rd November 2021

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As Xmas rolls around in 2021 we can expect a flurry of festive-style games landing in our inbox but the mighty Thunderkick are eschewing that trend right now for something completely different. Instead of snowy scenes and Santa’s sacks we are whisked off to something with a more Asian feel to it, where lucky cats are the order of the day. It’s not the first time that felines have played a big part in a Thunderick slot – there was a game called Not Enough Kittens back in the day that featured a mad scientist and a hord of cats.

For those who don’t know, this Swedish developer is well known for their creative edge, mixing high class themes and graphics with super-cool gameplay, often with a high-risk maths model involved. This time however, the maths is decidedly more modest – medium variance by Thunderkick’s own ratings – and the top prize is a little underwhelming by modern standards at just over 2,000x. However, what Fortune Cats does offer is something a bit different in the gameplay – namely a bonus round in which the paylines can increase to 120 when the Bonus round opens up two extra reel sets. It’s a novel way to expand the reel set, and an intriguing element to what is otherwise a pretty run of the mill game, available at new slots sites from December 2021.

Fortune Cats Golden Stacks Game Information

  • RTP: 96.14%
  • 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

Fortune Cats Golden Stacks Review Scores

  • Gameplay and Features 7
  • Maximum Win 5
  • Theme and Design 7
  • Paytable 7
  • RTP and Variance 7

Fortune Cats Golden Stacks Pros and Cons

What We Liked

  • Cool 3 reel game area
  • Nice graphics and animations
  • Medium variance not too risky
  • Mystery symbols drive up wins
  • Up to 120 paylines

What We Didn't like

  • Features are a bit light
  • Top prize is lower than many games

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.

Fortune Cats Golden Stacks will have a broader appeal than many of the online slots we review thanks to its less intimidating volatility. The dial is set to medium, and with a minimum bet of just 10p its open to those looking for a fun casual slots session without the high risk factor of other games by this developer. Meanwhile, the RTP of this slot is 96.14%, which is pretty standard for Thunderkick games.

The maximum payout here is just 2,500x stake which is achievable if you can activate the Free Spins round and Golden Stacks Feature. It’s not in the realms of some of the bigger prizes offered by developers like No Limit City right now, but for a medium variance game its OK.

Symbols and Paytable

Our Score 7

As you would expect from a. Thunderkick game, the artwork here is top quality, though it has a slightly cartoonish feel that won’t appeal to everyone. The 5 reels contain 4 rows of symbols and the 40 fixed paylines give plenty of ways to win on each spin. Ovearll it’s playful in tone with cute, cartoon-style graphics. The pastel colours are restful with soft blues, pinks and yellows lighting up the screen.

The symbols in Fortune Cats Golden Stacks include a golden cat, Chinese lantern, koi fish and calabash – the plump vegetable wrapped in a gold ribbon. There are also some card suit symbols to award lower payouts, along with Bonus symbols and Wild symbols to award special features.

The best-paying symbol is the golden cat, which can award 7.5x your bet for 5 matches on the reels. The koi fish, lantern and calabash all award 2x your bet for 5 of a kind, while the card suits award 1x your bet for 5 matches.

Wild symbols can appear on all the reels except the first reel – these can substitute for the other symbols in the game to create more potential wins. There are also Bonus symbols, which have the power to launch the Free Spins round – this is where the magic happens!

Features and Gameplay

Our Score 7

Features here are relatively limited – the base game is simply about Mystery Symbols – and it’s really all about that expanding reel set that comes in the free spins and feels quite innovative. Here is how it all works.

Mystery Symbols

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. They turn into a random pay symbol and at best can transform into the high-paying golden cat.

Free Spins

Landing 3 or more Bonus symbols will trigger 10 Free Spins. The more Bonus symbols that trigger the round, the more reel sets you’ll play with. 3 scatters gets you 1 game area, 4 gets you 2, and landing 5 scatters will open up all 3 game areas. Then, during the bonus round, collecting 3 more scatters gets you the second game area, and 5 more gets you the third. Furthermore, any additional individual scatters get you 1 extra free spin whilst, and each time a new game area opens up you get 2 more free spins as well.

With all 3 reel sets open, you get 120 paylines active in total, giving you better odds of winning.

Golden Stacks

When more than 1 reel set is active, the Golden Stacks feature is activated. This means whenever a whole reel is filled with the golden cat symbol, this is replicated across the other reel sets.

The Final Verdict

Our Score 6.6

Fortune Cats Golden Stacks is a cheerful slot with a playful Asian theme. This is all about light-hearted gaming and the soft colour palette and cute imagery create a pleasant atmosphere. It’s not a highly volatile slot, so this is playable for everyone from low to high rollers with its 10p minimum bet and average RTP. The golden cat is the symbol to watch for and when the Golden Stacks Feature is activated during Free Spins with multiple reel sets engaged, this is where the higher payouts can hit. Although the best award is only 2,500x your bet, which isn’t that high compared with other slots, this is still a decent jackpot. It’s not going to blow you away with its gameplay and there aren’t that many Bonus features, but Fortune Cats Golden Stacks is ideal for gamers looking for medium volatility and a playful Asian theme.

 

Useful Resources

Thunderkick Company Page

Free Slots Games Guide

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
Find More Thunderkick

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