Floating Dragon Hold & Spin is a bit of a departure for the Hold & Spin series from Pragmatic Play’s partner company, Reel Kingdom. They have completely abandoned the standard fruit slot structure in favor of a new theme. Some players may be dissatisfied by the move from the familiar aesthetic of past Hold & Spin games, but Reel Kingdom has gone with a tried-and-true replacement. In addition to all that clutching and spinning, there is now a bonus round reminiscent of Fishin’ Frenzy.
The spacious, airy vibe of Floating Dragon Hold & Spin was a deliberate design choice by Reel Kingdom. Instead of the typical Macau-style casino environment, the grid of translucent 5-reel, 10-payline game reels is placed in a pure blue sky with orange-lit clouds. Players interested in the Asian theme will like the classic feel of the plinking music. There are no immediate red flags, which bodes well for Floating Dragon Hold & Spin, making it one of the more attractive slots from Reel Kingdom.
The betting options in Floating Dragon Hold & Spin, which can be played on any mobile device, are diverse enough to satisfy the needs of every gambler. Bets range from 10 pence each spin for low rollers to £/€250 for high rollers. The game’s theoretical return to player (RTP) value is 96.71%, which is a nice bonus. However, the two major features activated frequently enough during testing to make up for the dead spin lulls brought on by the medium-high (4/5) volatility.
To win the main game, symbols must line up from left to right, beginning with the leftmost reel. The 10 through A royals, fish, kites, butterflies, and bird symbols all need three to pay out, but the ship just requires two. The payout for a full house of premium symbols is substantial, anything from 20x to 200x the initial wager.
Slot Functions with the Hold & Spin Floating Dragon
In Reel Kingdom, the Hold & Win function is combined with another tried-and-true staple. The original Fishin’ Frenzy slot machine by Reel Time Gaming popularized this method of collecting cash prizes.
If you get 3, 4, or 5 dragon scatter symbols, you’ll win 10, 15, or 20 free games, respectively. The presence of a female character is now mandatory. Not only is she unpredictable, but she also takes home the bacon if she lands beside the fish money symbols. Similarly, she maintains her composure. Every time you gather 4 wilds, you’ll get +10 more free games. In addition, the second, third, and fourth retriggers boost the win multiplier by 2x, 3x, and 10x, respectively. Fish money symbols that you gather are multiplied by this factor. When there are wild symbols in view at the conclusion of a spin, the fish money symbols might randomly appear anywhere on the reels.
The only place to see gold coins, which are monetary symbols, is on the middle reel. Values assigned to coin money symbols might range from one times to twenty times the wager. The Hold & Spin function is activated when three occur simultaneously. When the bonus round begins, only the money symbols on the center reel will remain, while the others will gradually disappear. You get 3 free spins to begin with, and when more monetary symbols appear, their values are added and the counter is reset. The three money symbols that initiate the feature remain around until a new coin appears, at which point they begin paying out again.
Diamond symbols are just as desirable as money symbols to land during a respin. When a diamond appears, it’s worth anything from 100 times to 5,000 times the original wager. If you don’t get at least 20 times your wager during respins, you get 3 extra respins.
Slot Opinion on the Floating Dragon Hold and Spin
Reel Kingdom takes a risk by going in a different direction from the fruit-themed games in the Hold & Spin series. Since Floating Dragon has relied on stolen elements for so long, it is no longer pushing boundaries. However, the improvements made to both elements help to set them apart from others that employ the same method. Neither is very innovative, but they’ve been tweaked enough to stand out from the pack.
Profitability is not limited to the absence of features. Because of this, the maximum amount you can win during free spins in Reel Kingdom is capped at 5,000x the wager. If the game reaches this point, the round will terminate and all unused bonus spins will be lost. Given that a 5,000x diamond can appear on a Hold & Win spin, it is reasonable to believe that there is a comparable cap, even if the paytable doesn’t state it explicitly. When activated, the Hold & Win option usually delivers satisfactory results. Also, they’re a lot of laughs. When middle symbols are holding decent values, the way they pound out repeat victories is exhilarating and refreshingly different from the ordinary.
The same is true for spins at no cost. Although the basic concept was lifted from Fishin Frenzy, Reel Kingdom puts its own spin with the wild gathering mechanism. This may greatly lengthen bonus rounds, and increasing the value of money symbols with a multiplier provides additional motivation to acquire the wild symbol.
While the components of Floating Dragon may have developed independently, they come together to provide one of the more fun slots in the Hold & Spin series. Fruit slot devotees may look down their noses at Floating Dragon Hold & Spin, but the game has the potential to bring in new fans of the series thanks to its updated takes on several fan favorites.