Tiki Vikings slot is one of the more eye-catching games of 2019

What is a good way to come up with a slot game that is going to be original? Well, one good way it seems is to take a slot theme that has been done many times over, such as Vikings, and then fuse that theme with another theme to create something a little different and that is what Just For The Win have done on behalf of Microgaming for the new Tiki Vikings slot.

I must admit, I do view these fusion of two themes slot with a degree of trepidation. Some games can turn out great, but there's also the potential for a real mess of a game with contrasting and conflicting things or items that just don't work together. I mean where will it all end? Will we see a Predator movie slot fused with a Sooty and Sweep theme?

For the meantime, let's take a look at how Just For The Win, who have produced a number of slots for Microgaming over the last couple of years including the Icy Gems slot, have done with the new Tiki Vikings slot and whether this combination of Norse and Hawaiian mythologies and histories delivers a slot you'll want to keep spinning time and time again.

Overview

• Game: Tiki Vikings
• Developer: Just For The Win for Microgaming
• Reels: 5
• Pay Lines: 20 (non-selectable)
• Minimum Bet: 0.10
• Maximum Bet: 250.00
• Jackpot: 300
• Free Spins Bonus: No
• Other Bonuses: Yes
• Progressive: No
• Volatility: Low

Presentation

It is fair to say that the Tiki Vikings slot is one of the more eye-catching and impressive games that we have seen released in recent times. The colours and graphics of the slot, including the introduction and the game itself, are beautifully realised and it really does look very impressive indeed, especially on higher quality screens.

The soundtrack is also rather soothing and I am pleased to note that the developers have adopted a more peaceful, friendly approach to the game rather than focusing more on the Vikings reputation for a bit of pillaging. The net result is a game which is very striking visually and which is relaxing to play. All in all, add in top quality animations and it is fair to say the presentation of the slot works superbly well.

What is on the reels?

When it comes to the symbols on the reels the lower value symbols in the game are the playing card low and these have been made up to look as if they were taken directly from Hawaii. There are four low symbols, from the Jack through to the Ace and you can win by landing three or more across any of the 20 pay lines.

There are higher value symbols in the form of three Vikings, who all have flowers in their facial hair which offer better value wins. The highest value symbol on the reels though is the Tiki Vikings symbol which will give you wins of up to 15 times your total bet if you manage to land 5 of them across the reels on a single line.

These higher value symbols also unlock the main bonus feature of the slot, which we will explore in more detail below.

Wild features

The Tiki Vikings slot does not have a standard Wild symbol on the reels, but instead what you have are two bonuses that are linked to landing a specific win in the game and we will explore these two bonuses in more detail in the section below.

Bonus features

The first Bonus feature on the slot is the Symbol Lock Respins bonus and this is triggered when you land a winning spin that consists of one of the three Viking symbols across the reels, or the Tiki Vikings logo symbol.

When you land a win like this the Symbol Lock Respin then kicks in. It holds the winning symbols in place on the reels and then the remaining spaces on the reels are respin. You can then keep re-spinning the reels provided that you keep improving the value of your win. Have a spin where the value of the win is not increased by adding a symbol to those already collected and the bonus feature ends.

However, the bonus does not end there. For every respin you trigger, the Tiki Pole on the left of the screen will light up and for every successful respin you will light up one of the sections on the pole. Light it up completely and the locked symbols on the reels will change to the next highest value symbol in the game, which of course will increase the value of your win.

Best feature of the Tiki Vikings slot

The presentation of the Tiki Vikings slot is excellent and Just For The Win have done a good job on this part of the game but it is the Symbol Lock bonus feature that is the best (and only) feature of the slot. It can be responsible for some of the much better value wins in the game. However, you do need to be patient in order to trigger it as seeing as this is a lower variance slot, you do have to work your way through a number of lower value wins before you trigger one of the bonuses that land you a much better return.

Conclusion

The Tiki Vikings slot is an interesting fusion of themes and in many ways, it works pretty well. It's a more interesting slot than had it been simply another Vikings slot. However, I do feel that a lack of Free Spins is very much to the games detriment and I think it will have limited appeal to players as a result of this. The Symbol Lock Respin bonus is decent enough but I think that is very much a secondary bonus feature and without a dedicated Free Spins round, you feel that the Tiki Vikings slot is missing a little something extra to keep you wanting to play. Add to that relatively low value wins and low variance and you have a game which is more suited to a lower stakes punter in my view.

You can play Tiki Vikings at any of our Mega Moolah casinos.