Holiday Spirits review: introduction
Holiday Spirits might feature the dour character of Ebenezer Scrooge, but this pokie is far from stingy! It is loaded with bonus features, including stacked wilds, multipliers of up to 10x, and even respins. These features are live on every spin and there is always a feeling of tension, as they could trigger at any time.
The 3x3 grid layout might be smaller than you are accustomed to, but the paytable still packs in plenty of value. The ghosts of Jacob Marley, Christmas Past, Present and Future are worth the most, with the paytable completed by stocking fillers including candy canes, holly, a snow globe and a collection of presents.
A Scrooge wild pays out even more and substitutes for the other symbols. The clock at the top of the reels is extra special. If it strikes on any spin, you will be awarded multipliers of up to 10x. There are just five paylines, which is to be expected with the smaller grid, and combinations form from left to right.
Holiday Spirits is one of the free online pokies available to play here at Online Pokies 4U, so there is no reason not to sample its festive cheer!
Theme, graphics & design
Holiday Spirits welcomes you into the sitting room of Ebenezer Scrooge, which is not always the most welcoming of prospects! Things are very different from the miserly setting in the story, however, as Holiday Spirits has some of the richest graphics around. This pokie is truly gorgeous to behold and a real work of art.
A roaring fireplace and a Christmas tree form the backdrop to the reels, but it is the symbol design that is the most impressive. The characterisation of the ghosts is truly astounding, from the terrifying spectre of Future to the jovial glowing figure of Present. They are all animated and land on the reels with a flourish.
Jolly background music with a touch of bombast and drama plays on a continuous loop. It is a festive tune, but we didn’t think it was particularly evocative of the Victorian era or A Christmas Carol. Nonetheless, it certainly sounds great, and the smooth graphics of Holiday Spirits are something to behold!
Holiday Spirits RTP and variance
Holiday Spirits has a somewhat reliable medium volatility rating. Its RTP stands at 94.22 per cent, which is well below average. The maximum payout of 1,600x is on the small side, but this won’t make it any easier to win.
How to play Holiday Spirits
Holiday Spirits includes a lot of features and bonuses, so it can be slightly difficult for new players. This guide should make an excellent starting point:
1. Begin by pressing the bauble-shaped ‘i’ icon and then using the blue arrows to scroll through screens explaining the bonus features, paytable and paylines.
2. Tap the red cross to return to the reels.
3. A list of bet sizes is displayed in the bottom control panel. Use the - and + arrows to cycle through them and select your wager.
4. If you want to set some autospins (up to 100), the autoplay button is next to the spin button. You can also choose appropriate loss/win limits.
5. Establish a budget for your spins, then press the green start button to begin.
Bet & win sizes
Players can set bets of between 0.25 and 100 on Holiday Spirits. The maximum single line win - for three Scrooge wilds - is 16x.
Here is the full list of payouts for matching three symbols:
- Scrooge wild = 16x
- Ghost of Marley = 4x
- Christmas Future = 3x
- Christmas Present = 2x
- Christmas Past = 1.40x
- Holly = 1.00x
- Stocking = 0.80x
- Candy cane = 0.60x
- Snow globe = 0.40x
Due to its compressed grid size, Holiday Spirits has just five paylines, but this is enough for a pokie of this configuration. The maximum payout on Holiday Spirits is 1,600x, which certainly isn’t the most generous around.
Holiday Spirits bonus features
Holiday Spirits is a veritable Christmas stocking of bonus features, and they all pay well:
Ebenezer’s clock
You will notice a large clock at the top of the reels. When this clock strikes, you will be awarded a random multiplier of anything up to 10x. This feature can trigger on any non-winning spin, so keep your eyes peeled.
Double stacks
Any of the symbols can appear as stacked symbols. If you land two stacked reels of symbols with the clock multiplier also active, you will be rewarded with a win spin. This is a fantastic feature and all the better because it triggers on non-winning spins, so it can turn a losing spin around!
Win spins
Depending on which multiplier the clock shows, you will be awarded win spins of Christmas Past, Present or Future. Stacked symbols lock in place and the reels respin with the multiplier still active. These respins are broadly identical and you are guaranteed to win at least 2x your stake.
Ebenezer’s gift
Whenever the clock feature is active, there is a chance that this feature will trigger. A giant Christmas present appears on the reels and any multipliers are doubled.
Our verdict
Holiday Spirits delivers big on design and even bigger on bonus features. Free spins are a conspicuous absence; however, having so many multipliers and respins live on every round easily makes up for this.
We loved how uncomplicated the bonus features were, especially Ebenezer’s Clock. Play N Go made a great decision to have the clock displayed at the top of the reels - we always had half an eye on it, hoping for the bonus to trigger!
Gorgeous graphics and some fantastic animations complete the package and make Holiday Spirits easy to recommend.
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