Blueprint Gaming has released several “Gold Strike” games during the last few years, but it was undoubtedly the release of the Bonanza – Megaways version which put this franchise on the map. If Megaways slots aren’t your cup of tea, perhaps Gold Strike Bonanza Fortune Play will be your thing? The “Fortune Play” part of the title refers to a unique feature which allows you to play four sets of reels at once. That’s a bit of a throwback for me – I remember Microgaming used to create four-way versions of some of their games, labelling them “Megaspin”, but I haven’t seen any of those games available to play for some time now. In its default configuration, Gold Strike Bonanza (Fortune Play) online slot is a 10 payline game with a 95% RTP. Surprisingly for Blueprint, the maximum win is capped at a reasonably low 2,500x your bet.
If you switch over to the Fortune Play variation of the game, then the RTP increases to 95.5%, probably due to the addition of a feature which allows you to win extra spins with multiplied winnings. The base game has a free spin-based bonus round that boasts similar features to the Fortune Play mode, but of course, you will need to hit three or more scatter symbols before taking advantage of them. The gold collection feature common to all Gold Strike games is available in all modes.
Are you a fan of the Gold Strike games? Our free demo slot of Gold Strike Bonanza Fortune Play is available for those who want to try this new game.
| Provider | Blueprint |
| Reels | 5 |
| Rows | 3 |
| Paylines | 10 |
| Bonus Rounds | 1 |
| Bet Range | 0.10 - 10 |
| Volatility | High |
| Max Win | 2,500x |
| Bonus Buy | No |
| RTP | 95.00% |
| Our Rating | 6.6 |
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Gold Strike Bonanza Fortune Play Demo Slot
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Gold Strike Bonanza Fortune Play Slot Theme, Stakes, Pays & Symbols
The days of the California gold rush might be long gone, but it’s a testament to the excitement of that era that it has stayed a part of popular culture ever since. The “Wild West”, in general, has been the focus of dozens of online slots such as Wild West Gold Megaways or the Dead or Alive slot game, and I could probably dig up at least ten other games based on the gold rush specifically. It’s a fun theme, and the presentation here is both bright and colourful, but there isn’t anything new to see here – if you take away the title banner, you could easily confuse this for one of the earlier Gold Strike games.
Open the paytable, on the other hand, and the difference between this slot and the earlier Megaways variant is striking. As a ten-line game, the winnings on offer here are much higher than you will find in a Megaways machine. Take the highest-paying dog symbol, for example – a full pay line of five-of-a-kind will reward you a chunky 200x your current stake. The pickaxe and shovel are next, returning 100x your bet for all five, followed by the lantern and booze at 50x stake. Any five gold symbols will pay you 20x your bet, whilst the royal symbols each max out at 10x. The payoff for the wilds is identical to the dog at 200x stake, whilst the scatters have no return attached to them – you get your free spins, and that’s it, I’m afraid.
Blueprint has been kind enough to set the minimum bet at a penny per line, or €0.10 in cash terms per spin. High rollers are slightly less well catered for as the maximum wager caps out at a reasonably tame €10.00 per spin, but this should still be plenty for most players.
Base Game & Modifiers
The base game of Gold Strike Bonanza Fortune Play uses the classic 5×3 layout with just ten pay lines on which to score wins. The game requires two or three matching symbols from left to right to score a win. I spent a significant time trying to hit a miner guy during the base game but eventually concluded that he only pops up in the game’s Fortune Play or free spins features.
Fortune Play Feature
Hit the “Fortune Play” button on the left of the reels, and you will be taken to a second screen featuring four sets of reels rather than the standard 5×3 playfield of the base game. You’ll be asked to choose how much you want to bet, much like a bonus buy feature, but you can opt to play as low as €2.00 per spin if you wish.
The paytable says that the miner is active on every spin during Fortune Play, but this does not mean you are guaranteed to hit one on every spin. Instead, it simply means that the miner now appears on the reels during the main game – you don’t need to hit a free spins feature. I feel as if Blueprint should clarify this part a little.
If the miner does show up, he will collect all of the gold nuggets that land on the reel set he is part of. If you have two or more miners, they will fill the bar along the top of the reels and grant you an additional free spin. If you hit six miners during a single paid spin, your winnings will be multiplied by 10x on your final spin!
Note that the “Gold Rush” and “Big Blast Bonanza” features detailed in the next section can also be won during Fortune Play.
Gold Strike Bonanza Fortune Play Slot Bonus Features
Keep your eyes peeled for the dynamite scatter symbols during the base game, as hitting three or more of them will award a free games bonus round. The minimum number of free games is ten, whilst four scatter triggers will grant 15 free games, and five scatters award the maximum of 20 free games.
Free Spins Feature
The free games bonus round is similar to the Fortune Play feature in many ways, as the miner symbol is added to the reels as well as the meter along the top of the reels. Each time a miner lands, he will collect all the prizes shown on any gold nuggets that have landed in view.
Hit four miner symbols during your free games, and you will win an additional ten free spins with a 2x multiplier. After eight miner symbols, another ten free spins will be awarded, now at 4x, and finally, 12 miner symbols will grant a final ten spins at a 10x multiplier. In addition to these already generous rewards, the miner can also randomly trigger one of the following two features.
- Gold Rush: The miner will hold any gold symbols that are currently in view and re-spin the remainder of the reels. If another gold symbol lands, it will become locked in place before a further re-spin is given. The process will continue until no more gold symbols land or the screen is filled, after which the miner will collect all visible prizes.
- Big Blast Bonanza: Watch your head! The miner will start throwing dynamite around like a crazed madman, transforming any reel positions he hits into additional gold nuggets.
Pros
- Exquisitely designed slot with fantastic graphics.
- Tried and test game mechanics that are a lot of fun to play.
Cons
- The maximum win of 2,500x is a little low.
- With an RTP of 95%, this is below the industry average.
Gold Strike Bonanza Fortune Play Slot Review Final Thoughts
I’ve enjoyed playing several of the earlier incarnations of Gold Strike, but this has to be my favourite of the bunch so far. Ten paylines is just the perfect number as far as I am concerned, striking the perfect balance between permitting huge numbers on the paytable and ensuring that wins appear with acceptable frequency. Whether you are familiar with this franchise or not, you should definitely seek this game out. The only downside is the maximum win cap of 2,500x, which is far lower than Blueprint offers typically. I’d score this game a solid 9 if it weren’t for that one frustrating decision by the developer. It is still recommended, though!
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