Whispering Winds

Whispering Winds Slot Review

Slot Provider: Play n Go

RTP: 96.23% | Variance: Medium | Maximum Win: 2,000x

Our Score: 6.8

Play at Grand Ivy 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 Whispering Winds

Reviewed by:

Published Date: 17th June 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.

An Oriental-themed slot from Play n Go with 25 paylines. In the base game land gold coins to trigger a Hold and Win game with 3 re-spins and sticky gold coins worth up to 1,000x each. The free spins round gives you 5 free plays with 3×3 Mega Symbols guaranteed on every spin. You can re-trigger it for up to 45 free plays.

The maximum win on Whispering Winds is 2,000x and spins start at just 5p.

Whispering Winds Game Information

  • Release Date: 11.07.24
  • RTP: 96.23% | 94.23% | 91.2% | 87.24% | 84.27%
  • Variance: Medium
  • Maximum Win: 2,000x
  • Progressive Jackpot: No
  • Reels: 5
  • Rows: 3
  • Paylines: 25
  • Minimum Stake: £0.05
  • Theme: Oriental
  • Features: Wilds, Hold and Win, Free Spins, Mega Symbols

Testing Notes: Here’s What Happened When We Played Whispering Winds

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 Whispering Winds on Play n Go’s test server prior to release to test the game. This is what happened.

  • Stake Size: 1
  • Start balance: 25,000
  • End balance: 25,034.2
  • Win Rate: 33.5% (67 winning spins in 200)
  • Biggest Win: 103x
  • Free Spins Round: 1

This is a medium variance slot so a good win rate is to be expected and it delivered with 67 spins in the 200 producing a win of some kind. That’s over 30%. The number of features was a little disappointing however, with just 1 free spins round, producing a 13x win, and two of the Hold and Win games. The first of those produced a 103x payout which you can see in this screenshot. It’s not a very imaginative bonus round – just a classic Hold and Win with sticky coins and re-spins.

Whispering Winds - a 103x Win
A 103x win from the Hold and Win game in testing

The overall result was a positive balance by 34.2 credits, but the sessions lacked any real thrills as the gameplay feels very generic.

What We Liked

  • Simple gameplay is easy to follow
  • Hold and Win round coins are worth up to 1,000x each
  • Chance to extend free spins by up to 45 plays
  • Mystical warrior vibes create a good atmosphere
  • Good win rate of over 30% in testing

What We Didn't like

  • Low max win at just 2,000x
  • Low RTP at some sites

Whispering Winds Review Scores

  • Theme and Design 7
  • RTP and Variance 7
  • Maximum Win 6
  • Symbols and Paytable 7
  • Features and Gameplay 7

What Our Reviewer Says ...

"Whispering Winds failed to inspire - it lacks any good innovations and the max win is very low by today's standards."

Overall Score: 6.8

Theme & Design

Our Score 7

A Mystical Vibe To This Slot With Ninja Warriors

Whispering Winds has an Oriental theme with ninja warriors in the paytable and a temple setting for the reel set with a courtyard and trees in the background, perhaps the setting for training of those warriors. There is something faintly mystical about the title and design, punctured every now and then by the sounds of screaming warriors. If you enjoy ninja fighting and the mystique of that culture, this could be a good one for you.

Whispering Winds by Play n Go
Whispering Winds set in a courtyard with mists and temples in the background

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.

Whispering Winds has 5 RTP rates – 96.23%, 94.23%, 91.2%, 87.24% and 84.27%. Your casino operator can choose which rate to set the game to and many UK slot sites will choose lower than the optimum rate so beware. We’ve seen Play n Go slots running at less than 90% at many casinos. You can find out which rate the game is set to by browsing to the game info screen once you load up. Just hit the ? button under the reels.

Our recommendation is to play at MrQ from Lindar Media where the RTP rates are consistently set to the maximum.

Unusually for a Play n Go game, Whispering Winds has a medium variance rating, so the payout distribution should be relatively even and less volatile than many of their other slots. That was certainly the case during our 200 spin test session which produced 67 winning spins (33.5% of spins), an unusually high number.

Maximum Win

Our Score 6

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.  

Reflecting that medium variance, the top win in Whispering Winds is a disappointingly low 2,000x. That is very poor by today’s standards. If you prefer chasing bigger payouts then check out our list of Play n Go’s highest max win slots.

Symbols and Paytable

Our Score 7

Whispering Winds is played on a 5 reel grid with 3 rows and 25 paylines. To trigger wins you need to land 3 or more identical symbols from left to right across a line, starting at the left most reel.

Whispering Winds Paytable
The paytable with 20x for 5 top paying premiums

There are 8 standard symbols in the paytable. The low value ones are the cards, Jack, Queen, King and Ace. These are valued at from 0.2x for 3 Jacks up to 2x for 5 Aces. The four premiums are the mirror, ruby, knife and warrior, valued at from 0.4x for 3 mirrors up to 20x for 5 warriors.

There is also a wild, represented by a second warrior with the word WILD written across the front. This will substitute for any pay symbol to complete a win and carries the same value as the top paying premium at 1x, 10x or 20x for 3, 4 or 5 on a line.

Features and Gameplay

Our Score 7

The features in Whispering Winds are a Hold and Win game and a Free Spins round. They work as follows.

Gold Re-Spins Hold and Win Game

As well as the pay symbols are wild there are also gold coins that land on the reels. If 6 land on one spin then the Gold Re-Spins feature is triggered. This is a standard Hold and Win played on the same reel set.

You get 3 re-spins and you will now only see gold coins landing, or blanks. Each time at least one gold coin lands it re-sets the counter to 3. The coins are sticky and carry values of between 1x and 1,000x.

The round ends when either you run out of spins OR you fill the screen with coins. At this point, the value of ALL visible coins is collected and paid out. And if you are lucky enough to fill the grid, a golden prize of 1,000x is added to that payout.

Mega Free Spins With 3×3 Symbols 

The free spins round is triggered by landing 3 or more dragon scatter symbols on one spin in the base game.

You start with 5 spins.

Free Spins round in Whispering Winds
A mega symbol dropping during the free spins round

On EVERY spin you will see a Mega Symbol which is 3×3 in size. If it’s a standard pay symbols it helps to complete paylines in the same way as smaller symbols – except it covers a bigger area so you have more chance of triggering wins. But it may also be a Mega Free Spins symbol that will extend the round by 5 spins, up to a maximum of 45 spins.

There is also a Mega Gold Coin which triggers Gold Re-Spins, like in the base game. But here, the Mega Coin breaks down into 9 separate coins, each displaying a random value, before the feature begins.

The Final Verdict

Play n Go games rarely dip in quality but I think in this instance they have. Whispering Winds has a nice mystical atmosphere but the gameplay is just too simplistic for my tastes. The two bonus features are commonplace and the Hold and Win round in particular lacks imagination. That said, it will at least appeal to those looking for a slot with mid-range volatility that is not going to rinse your balance too fast but instead give you a regular feed of small wins.

Useful Tips When Playing Whispering Winds

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 For Gold Coins

This is not a complicated game – just watch for gold coins in the base game. You need 6 to trigger the Hold and Win game where 1,000x coins can drop.

2. Look Out For Scatters

The other big symbol is the dragon scatter – 3 of these trigger the free spins. They can land anywhere.

3. Check the RTP Rate

Always check the RTP rate before you spin with your own money. Some sites will run this game at the lowest setting of 84.27%. That is not good. You want to be playing at 94% minimum.

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 Whispering Winds?

  • Name: Play n Go
  • Established: 1997
  • UK License: Remote 021725-R-304911-020
  • Total Games: 200 +
  • Known For: Grid slots, high variance slots, huge range of themes, styles and maths models
  • Popular Slots: Book of Dead, Reactoonz 1 and 2, Troll Hunters 2, Rise of Olympus
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