A Tale of Elves Slot Review
Microgaming release A Tale of Elves in November 2020, developed by Aurum Signature Studios under the Microgaming independent studios programme. It is a Christmas-themed slot built on a familiar 243-ways framework, pitched squarely at players who want traditional festive aesthetics with a genuinely punishing volatility rating underneath the cheerful exterior. At 95.07% RTP it sits below the industry standard, and Microgaming themselves classify the math model as Super Volatile – a label that veteran players will treat as a genuine warning rather than marketing copy. That combination will not suit everyone, but the four-choice Elf free-spins system and a 20,000x maximum win give the title a ceiling worth respecting.
Base Game & Features
A Tale of Elves runs on a 5×3 grid with 243 ways to win, requiring matching symbols on adjacent reels from the left. The layout is clean and uncluttered – Microgaming have kept the chrome minimal, letting the Christmas symbols do the visual work. The base-game backdrop is a snow-covered forest at night, which shifts into the elves’ toy workshop once the bonus triggers. Reviewers consistently praise the crisp cartoon-style visuals, noting the four coloured elf characters and the Santa scatter give the game a coherent festive identity rather than the generic wrapping-paper aesthetic common to Christmas slots.
Stacked Wild Wreaths
The main base-game feature is the Stacked Wild Wreath. Christmas wreath symbols appear stacked across all five reels, and five wreaths aligned on a payline pay 16.66x the stake. These are true stacked wilds rather than random modifiers – they rely on natural reel positioning – which contributes to the game’s all-or-nothing feel during the base game. When the stacks align across multiple reels the results can be substantial; when they miss, they contribute nothing.
Santa Scatter Cash Prize
The Santa Scatter serves dual purposes. Landing two Santa symbols anywhere on the reels awards a random cash prize between 1x and 50x stake, independent of the bonus trigger. Three scatters guarantee a fixed 1x payout, four scatters pay 20x, and five scatters pay 200x – with all three also unlocking the free spins selection screen. The two-scatter consolation prize is the only meaningful base-game relief valve, but with bonus frequency being what it is on a Super Volatile model, those small scatter payouts can feel thin across extended sessions. The 27% hit frequency is low enough that long stretches between any meaningful win are entirely normal.
A Tale of Elves Free Spins
Landing 3 or more Santa scatter symbols triggers the free spins selection screen, where players choose between four Elf variants, each representing a different point on the risk-reward spectrum. This is where the game earns genuine credit – the four-way choice is praised across reviews as offering real player agency and meaningful volatility customisation rather than a token illusion of choice.
Free Spins Variants
The four variants are structured as follows:
- Blue Elf Spins: 18 free spins with a 2x multiplier applied to all wins. Stacked wilds can reach up to 6 positions tall. Best suited to players who want more spin volume and longer bonus duration.
- Green Elf Spins: 14 free spins with a 3x multiplier. Balanced middle-ground option with stacked wild heights between Blue and Orange configurations.
- Orange Elf Spins: 10 free spins with a 4x multiplier. Higher risk per spin, fewer opportunities, but the elevated multiplier increases the ceiling on each individual outcome.
- Yellow Elf Spins: 8 free spins with a 5x multiplier applied to all wins. Stacked wilds are limited to 3 positions tall, but the maximum win of 20,000x is only reachable via this route – a full screen of wild-linked Yellow Elf symbols with the 5x active. Highest variance of all four options.
Reviewers describe all four tiers as genuinely viable depending on bankroll and risk tolerance, which is not always the case in games that technically offer choice but funnel experienced players toward one obvious option. The stacked wild heights vary between variants – Blue Elf allows up to 6-high stacks while Yellow Elf is capped at 3-high – which means the multiplier advantage in Yellow Elf is partially offset by the reduced wild coverage, and the choice involves real mechanical trade-offs rather than just spin count preferences.
When the free spins do fire and the stacked elves plus multiplier combination links up well, the results can be session-saving. The difficulty is that the bonus is hard to trigger, the base game offers little in the way of entertainment in the meantime, and the highest-value outcomes require both the Yellow Elf selection and a near-perfect wild landing pattern – which reviewers consistently note exists theoretically rather than as a realistic session expectation.
Our Honest Verdict
Microgaming’s independent studio era produced some genuinely inventive titles, but A Tale of Elves reads more as a confident execution of a familiar template than a creative step forward. The 243-ways structure and stacked wild mechanic echo earlier Microgaming catalogue entries – reviewers have drawn comparisons to the Game of Thrones slot repackaged in Christmas livery, which is broadly accurate and not entirely a criticism. Some studios do a narrow formula well, and the festive presentation here is better than average: the scene transition from snow-covered forest into the toy workshop is a neat thematic detail that reinforces the Christmas narrative rather than simply reskinning a background.
The four-variant free spins system is the title’s strongest argument for attention. Genuine volatility customisation is rarer than studios tend to claim, and all four Elf routes have defensible merit depending on bankroll approach. That design decision partially offsets the game’s structural weaknesses – and there are structural weaknesses worth naming plainly.
The 95.07% RTP is the most-cited criticism in every piece of coverage this game receives, and it is a legitimate one. Below the 96% industry standard with no progressive jackpot to justify the player disadvantage, it represents a straightforward handicap that compounds over long sessions. Combined with the Super Volatile math model and a 27% base-game hit frequency, the experience between bonus triggers is thin – long dry spells that make the spin loop feel like endurance rather than entertainment. The Super Volatile label is Microgaming’s own classification, and it is accurate: the game is capable of explosive stacked-wild sessions and equally capable of extended balance-draining runs where the festive graphics become an increasingly unwelcome backdrop.
A Tale of Elves works best as a targeted Christmas slot for experienced, bankrolled players who want a genuine high-variance ride with a meaningful free-spins decision at its heart. Casual players drawn in by the cheerful aesthetic should understand what they are walking into: a 20,000x ceiling that requires a specific combination of selections and luck to approach, and a base game that offers little while they wait. As a seasonal slot it holds up, though the below-average RTP stops it from being a straightforward recommendation.
A Tale of Elves FAQs
-
What is the RTP of A Tale of Elves?
The RTP (Return to Player) of A Tale of Elves is 95.07%, which is below the typical 96%+ average for most slots. -
What is the maximum win on A Tale of Elves?
The maximum win on A Tale of Elves is 20,000x your stake, achieved by filling the screen with wild symbols during the Yellow Elf free spins round with the 5x multiplier active. -
Does A Tale of Elves have free spins?
Yes, A Tale of Elves has four different free spins options triggered by landing 3+ Santa scatter symbols. Players choose from Blue Elf (18 spins, 2x multiplier), Green Elf (14 spins, 3x multiplier), Orange Elf (10 spins, 4x multiplier), or Yellow Elf (8 spins, 5x multiplier). -
Can I play A Tale of Elves on mobile?
Yes, A Tale of Elves is fully compatible with mobile devices. The game is optimised for smartphones and tablets with Android and iOS operating systems. -
Is there a bonus buy feature on A Tale of Elves?
A Tale of Elves does not have a bonus buy feature. The free spins bonus can only be triggered by landing three or more Santa scatter symbols on the reels. -
How volatile is A Tale of Elves?
A Tale of Elves has high to extreme volatility, rated as ‘Super Volatile’ by Microgaming. The game is unpredictably volatile – one minute draining balances, the next linking up high-value symbols with wild stacks and multipliers. -
What are the free spins variants in A Tale of Elves?
A Tale of Elves offers four free spins variants: Blue Elf Spins (18 spins, 2x multiplier), Green Elf Spins (14 spins, 3x multiplier), Orange Elf Spins (10 spins, 4x multiplier), and Yellow Elf Spins (8 spins, 5x multiplier). Each offers different risk versus reward profiles. -
What is the theme of A Tale of Elves?
A Tale of Elves is a Christmas-themed slot set in a festive North Pole workshop setting. The game features Santa as the scatter symbol, coloured elves as premium symbols, and Christmas imagery including wreaths.
