It’s time to put your woolies on and dig that furry hat, as we are off to get a dose of natural wonder in Microgaming and Neon Valley Studio’s sparkling gaming treat, the Aurora Wilds slot.
This game is set against the natural light show of the Aurora Borealis, or Northern lights: its a touch of magic dust on the usual slot game. And very chilled too, I must say, I thought I was in some Swedish Ice Hotel bar for a second there.
You can’t see the Northern Lights in Australia, although My Uncle Bob runs a pub in the Northern Territory with the same name. He loves a bit of neon, does Uncle Bob, you can see his pub from 20 miles away.
There are Wilds, expanding Wilds, re-spins and a juicy trio of jackpot extras with a 2,000 x your wager win pot. Kerching! The whole thing is starting to sound like the Voodoo Gold slot from Elk (well OK that game has even more features, but you catch my drift).
Look and Feel
Microgaming, along with Neon Valley Studios, have designed this eye candy game. It’s another cracker of a collaboration like the Tweethearts slot machine which they concocted up with Just for the Win.
Behind the reels is a night sky lit by a stunning array of colourful beams of light and the outline of a forest by night. The reels are filled with ancient North American Indian symbols which look top dollar against the transparent reel set.
The calm and eye-catching setting gives the whole game a chilled-out vibe that’s like signing up for a slot meditation camp.
Listen out for the mystical piped music that should put you in an Aurora Borealis kind of mood.
Game Play
This celestial sparkler is played out over 3 rows, 5 reels and a solid 10 pay-lines, right on the money with games like the Wolf’s Bane slot from NetEnt and others.
You’ll be pleased to hear that this “a pays both ways game”. You can make up winning combinations left to right and right to left on the reels.
Five Native American inspired animal icons make up the symbol set in line with this game’s theme. You’ll see a turtle, moose, fish, eagle and hare. There is also a BAR symbol and a classic lucky 7 to play (well it is a slot game).
The game’s butterfly Wild subs for all icons but will only land only on reels 2, 3 and 4.
Watch out for the golden wheel Bonus icon, which is the route to the jackpot feature. Like the Wild, this icon only lands on the middle 3 reels.
Expanding Wild
The butterfly Wild packs more than points for graphics. When this Wild lands on the middle 3 reels, it expands to cover the entire reel. Who doesn’t love an expanding feature?
Re-Spin
Better still, an expanding Wild then triggers a re-spin with the expanding Wild frozen in place. If you then land more Wilds during this free spin, the win-making cycle continues. If Lady Luck is with you, you’ll cover the middle 3 reels in expanding Wilds. Bonza!
Jackpot Wheel
If you lure 3 of the Bonus wheel icons onto the 3 middle reels in a single spin you will trigger a guaranteed jackpot thanks to the Jackpot Wheel. That’s Wheely good, no?
Go ahead and spin the Jackpot wheel that is filled with segments representing the 4 different jackpots on offer. From smallest to largest, you could luck out with the Mini, Minor, Major or Grand jackpots. If you land the Grand segment, you are up for an adrenaline boost: wins at the Grand level will award you with a 2,000x your wager cash win! That would be a god time to visit ol’ Uncle Bob.
Summary
Microgaming’s Aurora Wild slot is a classy addition to the slot universe. Get those eyes trained skyward for a pop at the 2,000 x your stake jackpot.
Wombat Score: 4
This game is no longer available at Wombat Casino. Sorry about that!