Gonzo's Gold

What began in 2013 with Gonzo's Quest has since developed into one of the most popular online slot franchises ever. In this review, we will be looking at Gonzo's Gold, produced by NetEnt, which is sure to be another great addition to the franchise. Created by NetEnt, a software provider that is synonymous with quality, we can only expect the best. Keep reading below to find out more about this slot.

In terms of design Gonzo's Gold is like what was found in the original slot. The action takes place during the Inca period, where the Spanish conquistadors sought to leave their mark on the new world. The 5x5 game grid is set inside a grand Inca temple with stunning graphics. It's hard not to be impressed with what NetEnt has done here, and with the haunting soundtrack in the background, you are fully immersed in the experience.

Gonzo's Gold features an RTP of 96.11%, which is an improvement to the original, which only had an RTP of 95.97% and comes with a medium volatility rating. Bets are placed from as low as 10 cents up to a maximum of 200 CAD per spin, while your max win per spin is capped at 6,500x your stake. What is new in Gonzo's Gold is that they have included a new cluster pays mechanic rather than the traditional payline structure. This means that winning combinations are made in clusters by landing matching symbols horizontally and vertically on the reels. The greater the cluster, the higher the payout will be!

In order to create winning combinations, you will have to form clusters of matching symbols on the reels. You will need at least three premium symbols or at least four low-value symbols to create a cluster. 

Low-value symbols include paying card symbols from 10-Ace. If you manage to land 5 Ace symbols in a cluster, you will be awarded 300x your stake. Premium symbols in play include 3 Inca statue heads as well as Gonzo himself. As the highest paying premium symbol, Gonzo will award a generous 5,000x your stake for landing 5 of a kind. 

The Pyramid symbol is both the scatter and wild symbol. As a wild symbol, it will substitute for any other regular paying symbol on the reels. As a scatter symbol, the pyramid will trigger the bonus round if you manage to land three or more on the reels.

Gonzo's Gold only has one bonus feature, the free spin bonus round. This is triggered by landing three or more actress symbols on the reels. Once you have done this, you will be awarded ten free spins and a variable payout depending on how many scatters trigger the free spins. Possible payouts include: 

3 scatters - 2x your stake as well as ten free spins 

4 scatters - 20x your stake as well as ten free spins 

5 scatters- 200x your stake as well as ten free spins 

Before the free spin round commences, you will be shown a block made of mystery symbols. You will then select one of the mystery symbols, revealing a regular paytable symbol that will appear expanded during the free spin bonus round.  

During the free spins round, if you successfully land two expanded symbols adjacently on the reels, they will expand to cover the entire reel/row. Payouts will be calculated twice, one before and one after the expansion took place, leading to a considerable reward.

Lastly, there is the possibility of retriggering the feature by landing more scatter symbols. By landing 3,4 or 5 scatters, you will be awarded an extra 10 free spins as well as a payout of up to 200x your stake. There is no limit on the number of times this feature can be retriggered.

Creating a follow up to a cult classic is always tricky. What made the original so popular is that it introduced features that were not seen before, such as cascading reels. What the team at Netent has done this time around is take risks. With the inclusion of cluster pays, Gonzo's Gold feels much like the original, while the gameplay has changed just enough to keep things exciting. Although there is only one bonus feature, the free spin round has other bonuses packed inside it. The expanding symbol feature in the bonus round deserves special mention and is something that delivers considerably high payouts. We would recommend this high-quality NetEnt slot to those who enjoyed the original Gonzo's Quest!