Jin Chan’s Pond of Riches

Jin Chan’s Pond of Riches Slot Review

Slot Provider: Thunderkick

RTP: 94.27% | Variance: High | Maximum Win: 10,000x

Our Score: 8.0

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 Jin Chan’s Pond of Riches

Reviewed by:

Published Date: 30th September 2020

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.

Jin Chan’s Pond of Riches is an Oriental slot from Thunderkick with 5 reels and 15 paylines. It has a sumptuous design and very simple gameplay. Every Wild that lands carries a multiplier equivalent to the number of the reel it lands on from 1x to 5x. In the free spins round, all wins cause winning symbols to lock for a re-spin, whilst landing 3 scatters adds another wild to the reels and more spins to your total.

This is a highly volatile game with a 10,000x maximum win. Spins start from 10p.

Jin Chan’s Pond of Riches Game Information

  • Release Date: September 2020
  • RTP: 94.27%
  • Variance: High
  • Maximum Win: 10,000x
  • Progressive Jackpot: No
  • Reels: 5
  • Rows: 3
  • Paylines: 15
  • Minimum Stake: £0.10
  • Theme: Oriental
  • Features: Multiplier Wilds, Free Spins, Sticky Re-Spins

Testing Notes: Here’s What Happened When We Played Jin Chan’s Pond of Riches

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 Jin Chan’s Pond of Riches for free at Casumo Casino to test the game and this is what happened.

  • Stake Size: £1
  • Start balance: £5,000
  • End balance: £4,947.90
  • Biggest Win:32x
  • Free Spins: 0
  • Session Time: 11 minutes 05 seconds

Jin Chan’s Pond of Riches plays like a pure gamblers slot. By that I mean the features are scarce and the volatility felt sky high. No time for messing with intricate features here. It was just a case of put your head down and keep spinning for glory. For that reason I was able to rip through 200 spins in a record 11 minutes. Which is crazy. Most sessions take close to double that time. That is because most spins were dead ones. The free spins round didn’t trigger, though I came close with 2 scatters twice. That’s a shame because with its extra wilds and sticky wins, it looks big. I did score 4 Wild wins with multipliers in the base game however, which weren’t bad at all: 32x, 30x, 27x and 16x. You can see the best of those in the screenshot below.

A win with 2 Wilds in Pond of Riches
Wilds on reels 2 and 3 combine for a win in testing
A 32x Win in Pond of Riches
A 32x win from the 2 wilds with a 6x multiplier combination in testing

To conclude, aside from the all-important payouts, Pond of Riches has the same quality feel that is the hallmark of all Thunderkick games. It looks and feels great to play and on another day it might have given me a different story.

What We Liked

  • Peaceful Asian theme, beautiful design
  • Lots of Multiplier Wilds
  • Sticky Re-spins in Free Spins
  • Super volatile for high risk gamers
  • 10,000x stake max payout

What We Didn't like

  • Below average RTP of 94.27%

Jin Chan’s Pond of Riches Review Scores

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

What Our Reviewer Says ...

"A good Oriental-themed high variance slot with some tasty wild multipliers but let down by a low RTP."

Overall Score: 8.0

Theme & Design

Our Score 9

A Sumptous Design And High Class Thunderkick Production

Jin Chan’s Pond of Riches Oriental theme is beautifully invoked in the rich design style that Thunderkick use throughout this slot. The reel set sits against the backdrop of an Oriental garden with lush foliage. Take a moment to look beneath the reel set and you’ll see the gently moving surface of the pond itself. And a kind of temple frames the reels with cool ornamental designs down the sides.

Jin Chan Pond of Riches by Thunderkick
Jin Chan Pond of Riches – rich, Oriental design

It looks superb and has a zen-like quality too, augmented by the serene far Eastern soundtrack. Occasionally that spell is broken by the sound of a Wild or Scatter Coin slamming into place on the reels. But otherwise, this is a serene experience. And for the record, Jin Chan translates as Money Frog, and he sits at the top of the paytable!

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.

Jin Chan’s Pond of Riches RTP is 94.27%. This is lower than average and an odd deviation away from Thunderkick’s standard 96.1% RTP. It is unclear why the RTP is so low, but if you are looking for better return then there are a few other games in the Thunderkick catalogue that you could try – 1429 Unchartered Seas (98.6% RTP), Barber Shop Uncut (97% RTP), Tiki Time (97.1% RTP).

The variance is very high, much like other Thunderkick games like Beat the Beast Quetzalcoatl’s Trial or Triple Royal Gold. That tells you payouts will be unpredictable but it can produce some knockout moments thanks to a combination of wild multipliers and free spins explained below.

Overall, the maths isn’t bad but is let down by that surprisingly low RTP.

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 high volatility is also reflected in the maximum payout which is 10,000x. You won’t find many games from this studio with a potential to match that, although Big Fin Bay at 15,040x and Gods of Rock at 20,000x are both higher.

Symbols and Paytable

Our Score 8

The reel configuration on Jin Chan’s Pond of Riches is a classic one with 5 reels, 3 rows and 15 paylines. Wins are triggered by landing 3 or more identical symbols across a payline from left to right.

What impressed me most about this part was the symbol value with some very nice potential at the top end of the table.

Jin Chan Pond of Riches Paytable
Paytable with 50x for 5 top paying premiums

The low paying symbols are the cards 9 through to Ace, valued at from 1x for 3 9s up to 6x for 5 Aces.  The premiums are where the good stuff happens. These are the animals – turtles, fish, king fisher and frog. These are valued at from 3x for 3 turtles up to a massive 50x for 5 frogs.

There is also a Wild that can land anywhere and substitute for pay symbols to complete win lines.

Features and Gameplay

Our Score 8

There is nothing complicated about the gameplay in Pond of Riches. It’s all about Wilds, Free Spins, Scatters and Multipliers. Here is how they work.

Wilds ALWAYS Include Multipliers

Every wild that forms part of a payline has a multiplier applied to it. The multiplier value is the same as the reel it appears on. So a wild on reel 3 has a 3x multiplier for example. The nice part is, these multipliers multiply together when more than one wild appears on a payline. So, if you had 3 wilds on one line, on reels 1, 2 and 3, then the multiplier would be 6x (1x2x3).

Wild Multiplier On Reel 4 in Pond of Riches
The Wild Multiplier takes on the value of the reel it lands on – 4x in this case

Scatters Award Free Spins With Sticky Re-Spins

There is a scatter symbol that looks like a coin and can appear on any reel. If you land 3 or more on one spin, you will trigger the free spins round as follows:

  • 3 scatters – 8 free spins
  • 4 scatters – 12 free spins
  • 5 scatters – 16 free spins

That is simple enough and once into the free spins round there is a cool progressive style to the gameplay. First, any additional scatter landing during free spins gets you 1 extra free spin. Then, every THIRD scatter gets you a random Wild added to the reels for the remaining spins. You can add up to 3 Wilds this way.

Finally, there is also a Sticky Re-Spins Feature in the Free Spins round. So, after each win, the winning symbols LOCK for a re-spin. And they remain locked if another win is triggered. New winning symbols also lock at this point. And this continues until no more wins are triggered.

The Final Verdict

Jin Chan’s Pond of Riches is the kind of high variance slot that takes no prisoners. The configuration of the features suggests much of that RTP will be held back for the free spins round where there are plenty of triggers to create big win sequences. Extra Wilds,  more free spins and sticky re-spins, combined with that 10,000x max win are all signs that Pond of Riches will kick out some big wins at times. The flip side is that, as testing showed, it will be very hard to unlock the free spins. So be aware of what awaits if you take to the reels. For those who enjoy simple high risk slots action, Pond of Riches has much to offer. The only let down would be that 94.27% RTP which is hopefully not a rate that Thunderkick will return to.

Useful Tips When Playing Jin Chan’s Pond of Riches

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. Look Out For Multiple Wilds In A Line

The key to transforming small wins into big wins are the Wilds in this game. That is because when 2 or more appear in a payline their numbers multiply. A 2x and 3x in testing gave me a 6x multiplier for a 32x win.

2. Start With A Low Stake

With volatile slots like this it is best to start by choosing a low stake to make your balance stretch further. Thunderkick slots have a 10p minimum bet so you don’t need to wager high to be in the game.

3. Use A Thunderkick Slots Bonus To Play

Most of the deposit match bonuses available through our site are available to play on Thunderkick games. For example, you can get a 100% match up to £300 at Grand Ivy to play this slot.

4. Always Play At One Of Our Recommended Slot Sites

The sites we recommend on this page have been picked because they are licensed by the UK Gambling Commission to take bets in the UK. That means they are safe, fair and secure. Find out more in our guide to UK gambling law.

Who Made Jin Chan’s Pond of Riches?

  • 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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