Animal Carnival
By Fantasma Games
Overview
Roll up, roll up for Animal Carnival, a vibrant circus-themed online slot from the imaginative minds at Fantasma Games! Prepare for a spectacle where anthropomorphic animals take center stage in a charming rural setting, bringing a unique twist to the classic big-top experience. The game immediately captivates with its lively big-top soundtrack and dazzling sparkly light effects, set against a whimsical backdrop featuring a quaint circus wagon and a mysterious red curtain above the main action. The lively 5-reel, 6-row grid provides ample space for delightful animal performers and classic card ranks to create winning combinations across 10 paylines that pay both ways – left to right and right to left! With its Medium Volatility and a thrilling 5,000x Max Win potential, Animal Carnival promises a bustling, feature-rich journey for players who enjoy engaging gameplay and adorable critters, blending exciting mechanics with a charming aesthetic for a truly unforgettable show.
Gameplay & Features
If you've played Fantasma Games'Hades River of Souls, then much of what is covered here will feel familiar. Let's start withAvalancheswhich trigger when awinning lineoccurs. The symbols in the win areremovedfrom the board, allowing symbols to drop down from above and fill the gaps. If a new win occurs from the drop, another Avalanche is triggered.
• Win Meter and Wild Meter
•
During Avalanche sequences, winning totals arecollected in the Win Meterwhilstwild symbolsare collected on theWild Meter. The Wild Meter starts atx1, and forevery 3 wilds collected, the Meterincreases by +1. At the end of a spin in the base game, the total prize amount in the Win Meter is multiplied by the Win Meter before being paid out. Both meters reset in the base game between spins.
• Sparkle Wilds
•
These arespecial wildsthat, when they land on the reels, activate the Sparkle Wild feature. Each Sparkle Wild then turns itself and1-4 random positions into wild symbols.
• Cannon Respin Feature
•
Landing at least oneCannon symbolon the reels triggers the Cannon Respins feature. When there is no more win, each Cannon symbolremoves itself and 3-6 random normal symbols from the grid, triggering an Avalanche. If there are not enough symbols to remove, all eligible symbols will be removed by the feature.
• Free Spins
•
When3 bonus symbolsappear on the reels,10 free spinsare awarded. During free spins, wins are collected in the Win Meter and wilds in the Wild Meter –neither reset. When the feature ends, the amount in the Win Meter ismultipliedby the Wild Meter value, and the total is awarded. Each time a bonus symbol lands in the feature, an extra free spin is added to the remaining amount. Lastly, if the opportunity is there, players canbuy free spinsfor70x the bet. The RTP when buying the bonus round is95. 94%
Final Thoughts
It's a long way from crossing the river Styx in the Underworld to hanging with a bunch of anthropomorphic animal carnies out in the woods. While many of the features are ported over fromHades River of Souls, the extensive theme change has done a decent job of freshening the experience up. Or should that be sanitising the experience? Because replacing skulls, three-headed dogs, and pointy spears with bears in sailor suits has bluntedHades River of Souls' edge, producing a game which will likely appeal to a different audience altogether.
The same goes for the machine running the show from behind the curtain. Animal Carnival is a less volatile game, but it's no less busy if you like a flurry of activity. The blend of Avalanches, pay both ways, and the dropping in of various special symbols creates a level of busyness. Then you've got the progressive Win Meter running alongside, as well as smatterings of effects and the big top soundtrack. There was a bit of a smoke and mirrors feel to the proceedings, though, because symbol values are low for a 10-payline game. Sure, it pays both ways, but still, a substantial progression of the Win and Wild Meters is likely to be required to make major progress. On a different note, Animal Carnival's free spins round had a similar feel to it asCloud Corsairs, though that one has extra depth if you'd prefer something with more layers.
For whatever deep-seated psychological reason, cute slots are hot, and developers are more than willing to regularly toss new releases on the pile. If you're the sort of player who likes to spin reels alongside a bunch of adorable critters, then Animal Carnival is one to pop on the to-do list. It lacks the heavy atmospheric bite that some of Fantasma's other games possess, but the busy gameplay neatly matches the big top vibe.
