Santa Express™ the latest Christmas-themed slot to be added to Stakelogic’s catalog of iGaming products. The game has a 96.27% RTP, which is above the industry average, and it will entertain casino mavens with various bonus mechanics. The first one is dubbed Collapsing Wild Symbols, which makes wins all the more lucrative by treating players to Wild icons and multipliers. The said bonus can be triggered regardless of whether one is spinning the reels during the base game or the Free Spins feature. Speaking of which, a generous Free Spins bonus is also available. Casino enthusiasts who would like to try this feature immediately will have the chance to do so by taking advantage of the Santa Express™ Buy Bonus mechanic.
| Santa Express™ Slot Summary | |
|---|---|
| Provider | Stakelogic |
| Paylines | 20 |
| RTP | 96.27% |
| Minimum Bet | $0.20 |
| Maximum Bet | $100 |
| Wild Symbols | Wild, Multiplier Wild |
| Scatter Symbols | Santa |
| Bonus Features | Free Spins, Collapsing Wilds, Super Stake™, Buy Bonus |
| Jackpot |
|
Symbols and Winning Combinations of Santa Express™ Slot
The gameplay in Santa Express™ happens on a 5×4 slot layout that has 20 paylines in total. Players will know they have scored a win when three or more identical symbols land on one of the said paylines, provided the icons appear on reels adjacent to one another, and that the first icon is located on the leftmost reel.
The game’s collection of ordinary icons begins with Rudolph, a symbol that pays between 1.5x and 25x depending on how many copies land. The Wild, which substitutes for the other non-scatter symbols, also has its own values—its paytable matches that of the Rudolph symbol. Stanta Express™ also has a Scatter symbol that, in addition to granting access to the complimentary spins bonus, also pays a given amount when 3+ copies land. A five-reel win with the Scatter will net the player their wager multiplied by 20. Scatters, Wilds, and Rudolph icons are the only symbols that pay over 1x the player’s bet even if only three identical copies land.
Continuing onwards, the Elf and the Hot Cocoa icons pay 10x and 5x, respectively, when it comes to their max rewards. The Gingerbread Man, on the other hand, pays 2.5x when five copies land, while the Christmas Bauble has a max win of 1.5x.
The last group of paying symbols is that of the card value icons. Aces secure a 1x payout for five-reel wins, while Kings and Queens have max rewards of 0.75x. As for the Jack symbol and the 10 icon, landing identical copies of either across all reels will result in a 0.5x payout.
Bonus Features of Santa Express™ Slot
The Santa Express™ adventure starts with the exciting Collapsing Wild Symbols mechanic. This feature is triggered each time the player lands a winning combination, and all of the participating icons leave their positions empty, with one spot being taken by the Wild, while other icons will cascade on the rest.
A given Wild will remain on the slot grid as long as winning combinations continue to form during the same spin. Moreover, any wins a Wild is a part of will increase its multiplier, with the biggest possible multiplier that can be reached being x10. We should also point out that the Collapsing Wild Symbols feature is available during the base game and the Free Spins bonus.
Next, we have the core bonus of Santa Express™, the Free Spins feature. Whenever at least three Scatters appear, the player is treated to 8, 10, 12, or 15 complimentary spins. They also receive a random multiplier with a value of either x2, x3, x5, or x10. In addition, a random symbol is turned into a Chosen Symbol that will pay twice its payout value. During gameplay, lucky casino enthusiasts will find that it is possible to retrigger the Free Spins bonus, depending on how many Scatters land during a complimentary spin:
- 3 Scatters – 2x bet + 5 Extra FS
- 4 Scatters – 10x bet + 8 Extra FS
- 5 (or more) Scatters – 20x bet + 10 Extra FS
The Super Stake™ allows players to wager twice their bet and double their odds of accessing the Free Spins feature. Do note, however, that winnings will still be calculated based on the original bet as opposed to the Super Stake™.
It is also possible to guarantee one’s entry into the Free Spins bonus mode by using the Buy Bonus, with the number of FS being dependant on the cost of the given Buy Bonus offer:
- 100x bet – between 8 and 15 FS
- 250x bet – guaranteed 15 FS
- 175x – 50/50 chance to get either of the other Buy Bonus options
Last but not least, gambling mavens will be pleased to find that Santa Express™ will give them the chance to participate in Spin to Win™, a progressive jackpot system exclusive to Stakelogic slots. Those fortunate enough to be chosen to participate will win either a cash prize or a Mini, Major, or Grand jackpot.
Our Verdict
Santa Express™ is the perfect way to bring the holiday cheer into one’s iGaming routine. The artists behind this game’s graphics have done a fantastic job, resulting in a slot that looks absolutely stunning, and the gameplay itself will also prove to be entertaining, thanks to the various bonuses the game comes with.