Gonzo’s Gold

Gonzo’s Gold Slot Review

Slot Provider: NetEnt

RTP: 96.1% | Variance: Medium | Maximum Win: 5,000x

Our Score: 7.2

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 Gonzo’s Gold

Reviewed by:

Published Date: 3rd December 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.

Gonzo’s Gold is the fourth in the conquistador series from NetEnt which began with their famous Gonzo’s Quest slot which mixed cascading wins and progressive multipliers with huge success. Gonzo’s Quest Megaways and Gonzita’s Quest followed.

Gonzo’s Gold, from October 2021, differentiates itself by being a cluster pays game where wins are triggered by landing 3 or more symbols in clusters. It also has a free spins round where one symbol is chosen as an expander, automatically creating full reel or row clusters when 2 drop on adjacent positions anywhere.

This simple game has a medium variance and top payout of 5,000x. Spins start at 10p.

Gonzo’s Gold Game Information

  • Release Date: October 2021
  • RTP: 96.1%
  • Variance: Medium
  • Maximum Win: 5,000x
  • Progressive Jackpot: No
  • Reels: 5
  • Rows: 5
  • Paylines: Cluster Pays
  • Minimum Stake: £0.10
  • Theme: AdventureAztec
  • Features: Cascading Wins, Free Spins, Expanding Symbols
  • Format: 5-ReelCluster Pays
  • Series: Gonzo's Quest

Testing Notes: Here’s What Happened When We Played Gonzo’s Gold

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 Gonzo’s Gold for free at Casumo Casino to test the game and this is what happened.

  • Stake Size: £1
  • Start balance: £1,000
  • End balance: £908.50
  • Biggest Win: 15x
  • Free Spins Round: 0
  • Session Time: 20 minutes 56 seconds

This was not a hugely exciting test session. The game is really short on features so it’s just about waiting to see if you can unlock that free spins round, which I was unable to do. That is somewhat surprising for a medium variance game over 200 spins. In fact, I rarely saw that elusive Temple Scatter symbol. The highlight was a 15x win from a cluster of 13 blue masks which you can see in this screenshot below. In short, I was not impressed!

A 15x win in Gonzo's Gold
A 15x win in testing

What We Liked

  • Part of a classic popular slots series
  • Build clusters of up to 25 symbols for big payouts
  • Expander symbols guarantee clusters in free spins round
  • Re-trigger free spins by landing more scatters
  • Slick graphics and animations

What We Didn't like

  • Very simple gameplay
  • Tough to unlock free spins in our test session

Gonzo’s Gold Review Scores

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

What Our Reviewer Says ...

"A very simple addition to the Gonzo series but one that lacks the innovation or potential to stand shoulder to shoulder with the original"

Overall Score: 7.2

Theme & Design

Our Score 7

New Temple Setting Lacks The Style Of The Original 

Gonzo’s Gold production is not as impressive as the original Gonzo’s Quest or the Megaways follow-up. We are taken out of the jungle setting and into a temple with a basic backdrop of stone walls imprinted with a kind of Aztec-pattern motif. The grid is a simple 5×5 one with the Gonzo’s Gold logo displayed at the top. There is quite a pleasing jungle drum soundtrack and the animations are slick, but overall this game is not on a par with the original.

Gonzo's Gold by NetEnt
Gonzo’s Gold – Aztec temple setting

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.

Gonzo’s Gold has an RTP of 96.1% which is average for a video slot and a bit over the original game’s RTP of 95.97%. Meanwhile, the medium volatility and 10p minimum bet makes this easy to play for everyone. You can expect a reasonable number of payouts of a decent size in relation to your bets.

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 Gonzo’s Gold is 5,000x which is good for a medium variance slot though it falls well short of the 37,500x max win available in the original Gonzo’s Quest, admittedly a more volatile game in comparison.

Symbols and Paytable

Our Score 7

Gonzo’s Gold plays out on a 5×5 grid. The objective is to build clusters of symbols on each spin. A symbol is part of a cluster when it sits vertically or horizontally adjacent to another identical symbol. Interestingly, the paytable here is divided into high pays and low pays and you need just 3 or more high pays to form a cluster, or 4 or more low pays.

Gonzo's Gold Paytable
Paytable with 5,000x for 25 premiums

The fun part about games like this is that you can build super-sized clusters of up to 25 symbols in size for absolutely huge payouts!

The low pay symbols are the 10, Jack, Queen, King and Ace. These are valued at from 0.5x for 4 10s up to 300x for 25 Aces. Premiums are the 3 masks and Gonzo himself. They are valued at from 1x for 3 green masks up to the maximum 5,000x for 25 of Gonzo.

There is also a Temple Scatter symbol, which acts as a Wild to substitute for others to complete clusters, AND triggers the Free Spins bonus round when 3 or more land on the grid on the same spin.

Features and Gameplay

Our Score 7

Gonzo’s Gold is surprisingly light on features.

The best part about the game is the Free Spins round. You’ll need to land 3 or more of those Temple Scatters to trigger the Free Spins round. You get 10 free plays, along with a payout of 2x, 20x or 200x your bet for 3, 4 or 5 scatters.

A cluster in Gonzo's Gold
A cluster of 13 blue masks in Gonzo’s Gold

And, if you hit 3 more Scatters during the Free Spins, you’ll trigger another 10 Free Spins.

Before you start the Free Spins round, you need to play a mini game where you select 1 of 9 Question Mark symbols. This will reveal which symbol will have the power to become an Expanding Symbol. When 2 or more of these symbols appear in adjacent positions on any of your free spins then they expand to cover the entire reel or row they appear on, automatically creating a new cluster.

The Final Verdict

This is a surprisingly low-key addition to the Gonzo series from NetEnt. In comparison to the spectacular success of the original built on gameplay innovation and 3-d production, Gonzo’s Gold falls well short. It is disappointing not to see Gonzo himself at any point, and whilst the game is nicely designed and the animations are slickly done, it’s far from memorable. The base game ticks along nicely but could do with some modifiers to make things more interesting. And whilst the configuration of the free spins round redeems Gonzo’s Gold somewhat, as expanders can produce some nice wins, overall it felt like it needed more features and potential to make it worth coming back to.

Useful Tips When Playing Gonzo’s Gold

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. High Value Expanders Are Powerful

When it comes to your expander symbol in the free spins round you want a high value one from your pick. It’s down to luck but look out for a premium expander because that will get you bigger payouts.

2. Play With A Sensible Stake

In 200 spins I didn’t unlock the free spins round once. That is unusual for a medium variance slot but it shows it can be a tough game to break down. So choose a low stake to make your balance last.

3. Find A Slots Bonus To Play On This Game

Some of the slots bonuses on our site will be valid to play Gonzo’s Gold. If you want to play this game with some bonus funds pick a site like Grand Ivy, currently offering 100% up to £300.

4. Choose A Licensed UK Slot Site To Play At

All the sites on this page are licensed by the UK Gambling Commission and offer fair, safe and secure gambling with responsible gambling tools to help manage your spend.

Who Made Gonzo’s Gold?

  • Name: NetEnt
  • Established: 1996
  • UK License: 39861 (Under Evolution Gaming)
  • Total Games: 500 +
  • Known For: Massive range of games, branded slots, big progressives, low to high variance
  • Popular Slots: Starburst, Dead or Alive, Gonzo's Quest, Aloha! Cluster Pays
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