Himalayan Wild

Himalayan Wild Slot Review

Slot Provider: Pragmatic Play

RTP: 96.51% | Variance: High | Maximum Win: 10,000x

Our Score: 7.6

Play at Midnite
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 Himalayan Wild

Reviewed by:

Published Date: 10th October 2024

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.

Himalayan Wild is an epic animal-themed slot from Pragmatic Play with a mountainous setting, high volatility and just 5 paylines. In the Free Spins Re-Spins round a special BONUS symbol takes on the value of the payout from the triggering spin, re-producing the same payout each time it lands, as well as re-setting the spin counter to 3. There are also 3 jackpots in the feature, including a 1,000x Mega JP. Spins start at 10p.

Himalayan Wild Game Information

  • Release Date: 11.11.24
  • RTP: 96.51% | 95.48% | 94.51%
  • Variance: High
  • Maximum Win: 10,000x
  • Progressive Jackpot: No
  • Reels: 5
  • Rows: 3
  • Paylines: 5
  • Minimum Stake: £0.10
  • Theme: Animals
  • Features: Free SpinsInstant PrizesRe-SpinsWilds
  • Format: 5-Reel

Testing Notes: Here’s What Happened When We Played Himalayan Wild

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 250 spins on Himalayan Wild on Pragamatic Play’s test servers prior to release to test the game. This is what happened.

  • Stake Size: 1
  • Start balance: 100,000
  • End balance: 99,890.20
  • Win Rate: 23.6% (59 winning spins in 250)
  • Biggest Win: 4x
  • Free Spins Round: 0

Himalayan Wild certainly lived up to its high volatility billing. Although the win rate came in at a very solid 23.6% (nearly 1 in 4 spins a winner), that figure swung wildly. In the first 50 spins I saw wins on over 30% of spins. That was also the only period when the Free Spins Re-Spins feature dropped. After that, the wins slowed dramatically and I saw a 12 spin losing stream at one time. The volatility is also reflected in the balance which took a big hit, losing close to 110 credits in just 250 spins (at 1 credit per spin).

I didn’t see any significant wins either. The best was a 4x from the Free Spins Re-Spins feature. That was triggered by a win of 1x so the BONUS symbol carried a 1x payout whenever it landed. Sadly that only happened 3 times!! Basically, you need to trigger the round with a big win to stand any chance of walking away with a decent payout. That is, if the BONUS symbols keep landing of course.

A 4x Win in Himalayan Wild
A 4x win from Free Spins Re-Spins

Overall, this is a game built for high volatility purists. The atmosphere and visuals are good but there is not much going on whilst you wait for the re-spins. It takes longer than you might expect to hit the feature and even then you can draw a blank. On the flipside, if it lands your way, things could go pop too, but that will be a rare treat.

What We Liked

  • Really simple gameplay is easy to follow
  • High values in paytable including 300x for bear symbols
  • Fixed JPs of up to 1,000x in re-spins feature
  • Re-spins feature can re-start multiple times
  • Epic mountain visuals and soundtrack

What We Didn't like

  • Might be too simplistic for some
  • High volatility makes it a tough play

Himalayan Wild Review Scores

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

What Our Reviewer Says ...

"A pure high volatility experience with a super-tight game engine and epic production!"

Overall Score: 7.6

Theme & Design

Our Score 7

Pragmatic Play enjoy an epic wildlife slot. In this case they’ve taken us to a rugged Himalayan-mountain setting where bears, bison, eagles and wolves roam. There is an icy cold feel to the visuals, offset a little by a pink sunset sky. It’s not a bad-looking game, where the atmosphere is helped somewhat by a sweeping orchestral soundtrack.

Himalayan Wild by Pragmatic Play
Himalayan Wild Game Screen

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.

Himalayan Wild has three available RTP rates for casino operators to choose from – 96.51%, 95.48% or 94.51%. There is not much difference between these but it is always advisable to play at the optimum RTP rate where you can. In this case that is 96.51% which is very reasonable.

Wherever you play you can check the RTP for yourself by hitting the ‘I’ button under the reels then scrolling through the game rules pages until you find the Return to Player printed. We recommend playing at MrQ from Lindar Media who always runs Pragmatic slots at the top RTP rates.

In terms of volatility, Himalayan Wild is most definitely a high variance game. So expect a streaky payout distribution. This slot can swing wildly from periods of little return to a big win out of nowhere.

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.  

The top payout from one spin in Himalayan Wild is 10,000x. That is about average for a high variance slot from Pragmatic Play. It means a 10p spin can win you £1,000 if you are VERY lucky. If you want to play for bigger wins check out our list of Pragmatic Play slots with the highest max wins.

Symbols and Paytable

Our Score 9

Himalayan Wild has 5 reels, 3 rows and just FIVE paylines! That’s far fewer than most slots. You’ll need to land 3 or more identical symbols across a line to trigger a win.

What is perhaps more interesting is the high symbol values in the table which makes up for that low number of lines. There are 9 symbols in all. The low value ones are the cards, 10 to Ace, valued at from 1x for 3 10s up to 15x for 5 Aces. The premiums are the four animals – eagles, wolves, bison and bears. These are valued at from 1.8x for 3 eagles up to a whopping 300x for 5 bears.

Himalayan Wild Paytable
The paytable with a massive 300x for 5 bear symbols

There is a wild too, represented by the snow leopard. That symbol only appears on reels 3, 4 and 5, and substitutes for any standard pay symbol to complete a payline.

And finally there is a BONUS symbol, represented by the snowy mountains. It has a value of 0.08x, 0.16x, 0.48x or 4x for 2, 3, 4 or 5 on a line. And it also performs other functions laid out in the next section.

Features and Gameplay

Our Score 7

Himalayan Wild is really simple. The base game is just the hunt for wins on the 5 paylines whilst hoping to land the correct combination to unlock the re-spins feature. Here is how it works.

Free Spins Re-Spins Round

Any win that combines pay symbols (except the BONUS symbol) and a wild will trigger the free spins re-spins round. Importantly, if you land more than one win from a win with pay symbols and a wild, then the round plays out more than once. One time for each win.

For each round you get THREE spins.

BONUS Symbol Takes On New Value

Now, the BONUS symbol becomes a money symbol and it takes on the value of the win from the line that triggered the Free Spins Re-Spins feature. So, if the win that triggered the round is a 10x, your BONUS symbol is now worth 10x. Every time it lands it pays out that much.

And on top of that, each time the BONUS symbol lands it re-sets your spins counter to 3.

Himalayan Wild Free Spins Re-Spins
You start the round with 3 re-spins

Special Jackpots Of Up To 1,000x

As well as the BONUS symbol you also now have 3 jackpot symbols in play – Minor (30x), Major (100x) or Mega (1,000x). To trigger one of these you need to land the Jackpot symbol on reel 1 at the same time as the Minor, Major or Mega symbols on reel 5.

And once your counter hits zero, the round ends.

The Final Verdict

Himalayan Wild is a gambling machine more than a feature-packed entertainment experience. It’s one where the goal is just to unlock that re-spins feature so just put your head down and keep going. It will frustrate for long periods too I’m sure. So only play it if you’re ready for that, and if you have the balance to take on the challenge!

Useful Tips When Playing Himalayan Wild

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. Keep Your Eye Out For Wins With Wilds

Landing a winning line containing a wild triggers the re-spins feature. It’s as simple as that!

2. Look For BONUS Symbols Landing In The Re-Spins Feature

Once the re-spins are in play, always look for the BONUS symbol which will re-set the counter to 3 and trigger an instant payout.

3. Play At Low Stakes

This may be a simple slot but it’s VERY volatile. Use bankroll management and play at low stakes to avoid burning though your balance too quickly.

4. Play At Our Recommended Slot Sites

We have chosen the sites on this page because they all scored high in our reviews and they are licensed by the UK Gambling Commission. That makes them fair and safe places to play slots.

Who Made Himalayan Wild?

  • Name: Pragmatic Play
  • Established: 2015
  • UK License: Remote 046683-R-325951-014
  • Total Games: 500 +
  • Known For: Wide range of themes and styles, live casino including gameshow formats, and bingo
  • Popular Slots: Fruit Party, Dog House Megaways, Big Bass Bonanza, Release the Kraken
Find More Pragmatic Play slots

Like The Sound of Himalayan Wild? Here are 4 more games chosen for you...

Nolimit City

Buffalo Hunter

Variance: High | RTP: 96.01%

Max Win: 12,647x

Our Score 8.0

Play Now Read Review
Hacksaw Gaming

Buffalo Stack n Sync

Variance: High | RTP: 96.36%

Max Win: 10,000x

Our Score 8.0

Play Now Read Review
Hacksaw Gaming

Alpha Eagle

Variance: High | RTP: 96.26%

Max Win: 10,000x

Our Score 8.0

Play Now Read Review
Just For The Win

Wolf Howl

Variance: | RTP: 96.15%

Max Win: 25,000x

Our Score 8.2

Play Now Read Review

Allslotsites.com - Trusted and Independent Online Slot Reviews

Allslotsites.com has been publishing online slot reviews since 2018. It’s fair to say we know a thing or two about what makes a good game – that magic mix of theme, style, gameplay and payout potential. For each slot we review we take you on the full journey through its narrative and design, reel configuration, key numbers including RTP and max win, volatility level, gameplay, and finally an expert verdict. You can also check our comparison tables to see how each slot matches up against others handpicked by our reviewers and check our tips on hitting that winning streak.

We are not paid by the developers whose games we cover. We are independent and our views of each game are honest. That is why you can trust us!

Learn, explore and find your next slots adventure with us!!