Dragon's Keep Review
Dragons are always a popular subject for Oriental-themed slots as they represent power, wealth and good health, making them extremely auspicious. The rest of the world views these mythical creatures in a rather different light, so Gold Coin Studios have opted for the middle ground.
The creatures in Dragon’s Keep come in a variety of colours in line with Chinese culture, with the gold dragon heralding the bonus round and access to the jackpot payouts. But the background and soundtrack are more reminiscent of the fire-breathing dragons that feature in epic fantasy dramas, giving us the best of both worlds!
Design
Slots with a mythical theme demand excellent graphics and an awe-inspiring soundtrack, and we’re happy to say that Gold Coin Studios delivers on both counts with Dragon’s Keep.
Designed to look as perfect on a small smartphone screen as on the biggest of PC monitors, the game is atmospheric and immersive, so it’s exceptionally easy to get caught up in the drama, even before the bonus features become apparent.
Gameplay
A white crystal that appears on reels 2, 3 and 4 is the game’s Wild, which can stand in for all other icons, apart from the golden dragon Scatter. During the base game, a multiplier value can appear above one of these reels, which will apply to any Wilds below. Multiplier Wilds become ‘Traveling Wilds’, moving down one row with each subsequent spin until they disappear off the reels.
Landing stacked golden dragons on reels 1 and 5 awards the Golden Dragon free spins bonus, with 10 free spins. And with every spin the dragon awards a 2x – 5x multiplier on reels 2, 3 and 4. Any Wilds that land on a Multiplier instantly become Wild Multipliers, remaining fixed in place until the end of the round – which can deliver some big money prizes!
Win Potential
Playing card suit icons return your bet for matching five of a kind across a payline. Purple, green and blue dragons pay up to 2x, 4x and 8x your bet respectively, but the best returns are reserved for the red dragon, which pays up to 20x your bet.
The free spins bonus round is where the biggest prize money payouts are to be found, including the four jackpot payouts. Land two fully stacked gold dragons on reels 1 and 5 during the free spins bonus to spin the jackpot wheel, and one of the four big-money prizes, awarded as multiples of your wager.
- Mini: 10x
- Minor: 50x
- Major: 1,000x
- Mega: 10,000x
Our Verdict
We wouldn’t say we’re normally huge fans of dragon-themed slots, but it’s difficult not to be impressed by Dragon’s Keep. The game mechanics are interesting and perfectly executed, with incredible attention to detail – watch the dragon’s eyes open above the reels when there’s a chance of triggering the bonus to see what we mean!
It’s sensible to set out strict limits before you start wagering real cash on Dragon’s Keep though, as the volatility is very high. And it’s easy to get caught up in the drama of the game, so testing it out with some demo spins is a good idea before wagering with your own cash. But we liked this slot very much – and we liked the potential top payout of 10,000x even more!
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