Lucky Tree Slot
Lucky Tree is a 5-reel, fixed 20-pay line online slot from Bally Technologies (now part of Scientific Games). This slot is an online version of a very popular real-world video slot that's found in casinos all over the world. Like many popular online slots, this slot is based on aspects of Chinese culture. The Chinese are very much into gambling (although perhaps not online 'thanks' to multiple government restrictions), and the Macau region of China is now the world's gambling hub, easily out-stripping Las Vegas in terms of money wagered.
Several software companies have issued Chinese-themed slots over time, none more so than Microgaming who have released Win Sum Dim Sum, Gung Pow, Happy New Year, Lucky Koi, Asian Beauty, So Much Sushi and Lucky Twins. Some other Chinese-themed slots you are probably aware of include Lucky Zodiac (Amatic), Koi Princess (NetEnt) and Lucky 88 (Aristocrat). You're certainly never short of a game if you love Chinese-themed slots!
This game has lots of Chinese-inspired symbols (and the very non-Chinese playing card values jack, queen, king and ace) and special bonus features. There are thirty pay lines in play at all times, and you can choose your stake per line – any value from 0.01 to 3.00. Your final wager is this value multiplied by thirty. When you're ready to climb the Lucky Tree, hit the spin button.
Payout & bonus rounds
The lowest possible pay out in normal play is for three jacks. This will win you three times your bet-per-line. The lucky jackpot in this slot of an astounding twenty thousand times your line bet is for five golden dragons.
There are a number of special symbols in this game – Yin Yang, Wild Yin Yang, Free Game Yin Yang, Wild Free Game Yin Yang, Fortune Cat and Wild Fortune Cat. These all have special properties as will be defined later in this review.
The golden dragon symbol is wild in this game and substitutes for all other symbols aside from the six 'special' symbols mentioned above. The coin symbol is also wild and substitutes for all other symbols aside from those special symbols and the dragon. You can win cash layouts by landing mixed wild symbols (including 'special' symbols) on a pay line. All 'special' (i.e. not wild) symbols are scatters.
Any spin in the base game may trigger the 'Wild Coin Mystery' feature. The reels will shake and extra coins will tumble from the 'Lucky Tree' to land on the reels and become wilds. During free spins this feature is activated after every spin. If these coins land on a 'normal' special symbol (i.e. Yin Yang, Free Game Yin Yang or Fortune Cat) then they become the wild versions of themselves.
The (Wild) Yin Yang symbol triggers ten free games. If you land three (Wild) Free Game Yin Yang symbols during free games you win an additional ten free games.
The (Wild) Fortune Cat symbol triggers a pick bonus game. You get to choose from a number of spheres to reveal snakes, tigers, monkeys, pigs and cats. The more of the same symbol you reveal, the more you win.
Phew! This game is certainly not for anyone new to online slots (or video slots in general). There are certainly plenty of features to enjoy and symbols to look out for, but there are perhaps just too many, and this slot becomes confusing. Still, this slot was created for experienced slots players (especially real-world casino players), so you'll just have to keep at it in order to gain that experience! You'll soon be climbling the 'lucky tree' of online slots games if you do!