Anderthals is a higher variance slot that comes with excellent bonus features

Do you remember the Captain Caveman cartoon? It was this memory that was dredged up from my memory banks when I first loaded up Just For The Win's newest slot release, Anderthals.

As you can tell, this higher variance, 5x4 reel slot is based on a caveman theme but it is the feature packed bonus round that is the real appealing factor in the game, with a large number of bonuses available if you can land two or more of those flaming torch Feature Symbols on the reels on a single spin.

So how does this new game look? Does it drag us back to the dark ages, or is it a future-proof slot that will keep you entertained long after caveman have gone through a cultural rebirth and beyond? We decided to take a closer look and find out.

Overview

• Game: Anderthals
• Developer: Just For The Win
• Reels: 5x4
• Pay Lines: 40 (non-selectable)
• Minimum Bet: 0.10
• Maximum Bet: 100.00
• Jackpot: 2,219x
• Free Spins Bonus: Yes
• Other Bonuses: Yes
• Progressive: No
• Volatility: High

Presentation

The presentation of the Anderthals slot is based on the caveman theme. The backdrop is precisely as you would expect, a rather dark, gloomy-looking cave and superimposed on this are the five reels, each with four symbols on. Symbols are stacked on the reels up to four high and this means that you can win across multiple pay lines on each spin (which is how the bigger value base game wins tend to be landed).

A quick word here too for the sound in the game, which is a rather boisterous but beautifully created soundtrack which would not have looked out of place on one of those old films about cavemen and women roaming the earth with dinosaurs (even though we know that didn't happen). The look and styling of the game is very nicely done and is just what you have come to expect from the polished slots produced by Just For The Win.

What is on the reels?

There are just eight standard symbols on the reels in the game, one of which is the Wild symbol. The seven standard symbols begin with the four playing card symbols, the club, spade, heart and diamond and these all offer the same level of pays, ranging from 0.2x your bet for just three on a pay line up to 2x your stake for landing five across the reels on a single pay line.

Those amounts sound low and they are, but it is worth remembering that you can win across multiple pay lines by landing stacked symbols and this can increase the value of a win quite considerably.

There are three higher value symbols and these are the Caveman (who offers wins from 0.5x to 4x your bet), the Cavewoman (who offers wins from 0.6x to 5x your bet) and lastly the Anderthals logo is the highest paying of the standard symbols offering wins from 0.8x to 8x your bet.

Wild features

The main Wild symbol on the reels is the Tyrannosaurus Rex creature. This is also stacked on the reels and can be landed on any reel. It acts as a substitute for the seven symbols outlined above but unfortunately does not offer any multiplier when used as part of a win.

You can also land Wilds across the reels to land wins of the same value as the highest value standard symbol, from 0.8x to 8x the total bet. However, as Wilds can also be stacked, it is possible to land them across multiple pay lines to increase the value of the win.

Free Spins features

The Free Spins bonus and all the other bonus features on the Anderthals slot (of which there are many) are all activated in the base game by the burning torch Feature Symbol. If you land two or more of these Feature Symbols on any spin, then they will activate the bonus features that correspond with that reel.

Above each reel on every spin, you will see a Feature Symbol. This can be one of any number of bonuses (which we have outlined below) but they only activate if you land two or more Feature Symbols on a spin and the Feature Symbol lands on that reel. The Feature Symbols offer a range of bonus features for players which includes the following:

• Free Spins - If you land a Feature Symbol together with a Free Spins bonus, then you will receive 8 Free Spins. If you land any additional Free Spins symbols on that spin, then each additional one triggered will award you 2 further Free Spins. Furthermore, during Free Spins, each Feature Symbol activated, will remain in play for the duration of Free Spins, giving you the chance to earn additional rewards. Furthermore, during Free Spins, if you land a Free Spins icon on an inactive Feature Symbol position, you will be awarded the additional Free Spins.
• 1x & 2x Bet Symbols - If these Feature Symbols are activated then a prize of either 1x or 2x your total bet is awarded immediately after the spin has been completed.
• Expanding Wilds - Activate this Feature Symbol and any Wild symbols on that reel will become Expanding Wilds and cover the entire reel with Wild symbols.
• Plus Wilds - Activate this bonus and you will have additional Wilds added to the reel.
• Wild X2 and X3 - Activate either of these bonuses and any Wilds on the reel will become multiplier Wilds offering 2x and 3x the standard wins for any winning lines that they are part of.

Furthermore, if you land any of the Expanding Wilds, + Wilds, X2 Wilds and X3 Wild symbols, all these bonuses will trigger at least one free re-spin of the reels. On average, you can trigger a Feature Symbol bonus roughly every 20-30 spins, so it is a feature that does trigger relatively frequently, although the size of wins you can land on each bonus does vary greatly.

Best feature of the Anderthals slot

There's no doubt that the Feature Symbol bonuses are what makes the Anderthals game so enjoyable to play. The fact that they trigger relatively frequently makes it all the more appealing, but it should be remembered that this is a higher variance game and as such, some of the bonuses you land won't pay very much at all. That said, it does make the game more exciting and the fact that there are so many bonuses means that each time you trigger the feature, you can get some interesting combinations of wins.

Conclusion

Anderthals is a very nicely put together slot from Just For The Win and I expect Microgaming are very pleased with the game. It is a very enjoyable higher variance slot that is packed to the brim with bonus features and the fact that they trigger relatively frequently means that you never really have to play for an age without triggering at least one bonus game. The wins are a little on the small side for single pay line wins, but if you can trigger across multiple pay lines thanks to stacked symbols, then they can be much better value. This is a game you will keep coming back to play that is for sure.

You can play Anderthals slot at any of the Mega Moolah casinos.