Christmas Krampus Review
These days the worst that Santa can summon up if you misbehave is to put you on his naughty list. But spare a thought for kids in medieval times. They were kept in line with tales of Krampus, Santa’s evil twin, who would beat them with sticks and branches, or take them to hell if they’d been particularly bad!
Light & Wonder has kept some of the creepier elements of Krampus while making him more user-friendly for slot players. His strange, zombie-like creatures progress as a Walking Wild can generate some big cash payouts, making this a fun game with a bit of an edge.
Design
Light & Wonder has come up with a completely original take on the Christmas theme with Christmas Krampus. A snowy background scene puts the reels centre stage, with elves, snowmen and candy canes to bring a little Christmas spirit.
But this game has a slightly dark theme, which the developer has managed to hint at without going for full-blown horror. A quirky soundtrack adds to the fun, making for a festive slot with a real edge to it.
Gameplay
Base gameplay is much as you’d expect, with no special features other than basic Wilds and Scatters. But it’s when you land 3, 4 or 5 Scatters, triggering 6, 8 or 10 free spins that the game really comes into its own.
There are no Scatters on the reels during the free spins bonus, so the feature can’t be retriggered. But that won’t be too much of a problem thanks to Krampus, who now appears as a Walking Wild.
Whenever he lands on the reels, your free spins are paused as Krampus triggers a series of respins. He moves one reel to the left with every respin, until he disappears off the reels and your free spins recommence.
But there’s more to Krampus than simply acting as a second Wild in the game. Whenever a present is within reach, either horizontally, vertically or even diagonally, he grabs it, claiming its prize value. As he disappears off the reels he deposits his haul in the Stash Box, which is awarded to you at the end of your bonus round.
Win Potential
Playing card icons pay up to 10x your bet for five of a kind across a payline. Matching up gifts pays up to 20x, but it’s the premium symbols that offer the best returns. Candy canes pay up to 30x, snowmen and Christmas trees return up to 50x and the worried elf has a top payout worth 100x your bet.
For the best returns during base gameplay, you’ll need to match up five Wilds or game logos across a payline, which will result in a win worth 200x your stake. The top payout is capped at 2,000x your stake, which isn’t the biggest prize payout we’ve seen, but we can’t think of any players who’d want to turn it down!
Some jurisdictions, although not the UK unfortunately, allow you to Buy the Bonus feature for 54.1x your stake. Be warned that this won’t guarantee you’ll win back the cost of buying the feature, so explore this option in demo mode before using your own cash.
Our Verdict
If you’re not usually a fan of Christmas slots, Christmas Krampus might just be the game that turns it around for you. The slightly creepy atmosphere makes a nice change from the usual cute festive characters we’re more accustomed to, and the game features are interesting enough to keep you playing for longer.
The payouts aren’t the biggest we’ve seen, but the entertainment value is most definitely high – which is what we’ve come to expect from Light & Wonder slots!
Marianne's interest in slots was sparked by a win on a one-arm bandit at an old-fashioned seaside arcade. These days she's turned her back on classic games, and has made it her mission to track down the most exciting slots offering innovative bonus features - and a great soundtrack!
Learn more about Marianne here
