African Elephant Slot Review
Pragmatic Play released African Elephant in April 2023, bringing a safari-themed experience to their already substantial portfolio of animal-themed releases. The game targets players with appetite for high volatility gameplay and meaningful maximum win potential, though it trades innovation for a straightforward approach to the African wildlife theme. Those seeking mechanical complexity or novel features may find the Wild Shape mechanic alone insufficient, but players chasing big wins on mobile or desktop will find the 15,000x maximum win potential genuinely compelling.
Base Game & Features
African Elephant operates across a 5×4 grid with 20 fixed paylines, creating a straightforward layout that prioritises accessibility. The game features familiar animal symbols from the African bush—Elephant Wild, Rhino, Zebra, Antelope, Leopard, and Meerkat—alongside traditional card values for low-paying positions. The Elephant Wild symbol stands as the highest-paying regular symbol at 75x stake for five matches, with Rhino offering up to 30x. Scatter symbols trigger the bonus round and appear distinctly from the main reels.
The defining mechanic of African Elephant is the Wild Shape feature, a system that marks random positions on the reels in geometric patterns and transforms all symbols within those marked areas into wild symbols. During base gameplay, this triggers randomly, providing occasional wins and hints at what the feature can achieve during free spins. The visual presentation remains decent with colourful symbols against an animated African backdrop, though the overall aesthetic lands comfortably in the straightforward territory rather than innovative.
Wild Shape Feature
The Wild Shape is Pragmatic Play’s primary innovation here. On any given spin in the base game, a random pattern may mark certain positions on the reels, transforming symbols within that shape into wilds. Whilst this creates occasional winning opportunities, the feature feels more like a teaser during the base game—players consistently report that the novelty wears thin whilst awaiting the bonus round. During free spins, however, the Wild Shape becomes guaranteed on every single spin, fundamentally altering the feature’s value and creating the primary avenue for substantial payouts.
African Elephant Free Spins & Bonus Features
Triggering free spins requires landing three or more scatter symbols across the reels. Land 3 scatters for 10 free spins, 4 scatters for 15 spins, or 5 scatters for 20 free spins. The free spins round transforms African Elephant’s dynamic significantly. Unlike the random Wild Shape in the base game, the feature is guaranteed to appear on every spin during the bonus round, meaning each free spin automatically generates wild symbols somewhere on the grid. This guaranteed mechanic becomes the cornerstone of achieving the game’s headline 15,000x maximum win.
Retriggering remains possible—landing additional scatters during free spins awards more spins and extends the bonus round. Pragmatic Play’s design philosophy here is to concentrate most entertainment value within the bonus experience, making the bonus frequency of approximately 1 in 124 spins a critical consideration. Players report mixed experiences with trigger frequency; whilst not punishing, it sits in moderate territory and can feel like a drought during extended base game play, particularly for those without access to faster bonus activation methods.
Bonus Buy & Ante Bet
African Elephant includes a Bonus Buy feature allowing players to purchase free spins directly at 100x current stake. This provides immediate access to the game’s most engaging content. However, this feature is not available for UK players using real money, owing to regulations implemented by the UK Gambling Commission. This represents a significant disadvantage for UK players, who must rely entirely on natural free spins triggers and the engagement value of the base game’s Wild Shape mechanic.
The RTP slightly adjusts to 96.07% when utilising the Buy Free Spins feature, compared to the standard 96.04% base game RTP. Operators can also adjust the RTP to 95.10% or 94.03% depending on their configuration preferences. These adjustments remain within industry norms and do not significantly alter the game’s volatility profile.
Our Honest Verdict
Rating: 6.5/10
African Elephant represents a competent but uninspired addition to Pragmatic Play’s extensive portfolio. The game delivers on its mathematical promise—96.04% RTP, high volatility (4.5/5 rating), and a genuine 15,000x maximum win. The Wild Shape mechanic, whilst unique in execution, ultimately feels underwhelming given its reliance on guaranteed activation only during free spins. For high volatility chasers willing to weather extended dry spells in the base game, the free spins offering provides sufficient entertainment value. However, casual players and those seeking feature variety will find the mechanical simplicity frustrating.
The game looks reasonably polished with decent graphics and appropriate sound design, but the overall presentation remains generic—animal symbols on an African backdrop executed competently rather than memorably. Pragmatic Play has released countless similar titles, and African Elephant fails to distinguish itself within that crowded catalogue. UK players face particular disadvantage with the Bonus Buy unavailability, losing the most direct path to the game’s core entertainment.
Those seeking high volatility gameplay with mobile-friendly execution will find adequate entertainment here, particularly during the free spins bonus round. The guaranteed Wild Shape transforms the bonus experience into something genuinely valuable. That said, the long intervals between bonus triggers and the generic overall package mean African Elephant is best suited to experienced high rollers rather than casual or even mid-level players. It occupies a respectable but forgettable position within Pragmatic Play’s extensive back catalogue.
African Elephant FAQs
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What is the RTP of African Elephant?
The RTP (Return to Player) of African Elephant by Pragmatic Play is 96.04%. Operators can adjust this to 95.10% or 94.03% if desired. The RTP slightly increases to 96.07% when using the Buy Free Spins feature. -
What is the maximum win on African Elephant slot?
The African Elephant slot has a maximum win of 15,000x your stake. This max win has a hit rate of approximately 1 in 11,494,253 spins, making it a rare but potentially huge payout. The free spins bonus round with guaranteed Wild Shape on every spin provides the most realistic pathway to these larger wins. -
How many free spins does African Elephant have?
African Elephant offers free spins when you land bonus symbols. Landing 3, 4, or 5 bonus symbols gives you 10, 15, or 20 free spins respectively. During the free spins round, a Wild Shape is guaranteed to appear on every single spin, enhancing your win potential significantly. -
What is the volatility of African Elephant?
African Elephant is a high volatility slot with a 4.5 out of 5 volatility rating. This means wins are less frequent but potentially larger when they do occur, making it suitable for players with higher risk tolerance and patience to weather extended base game spells. -
Can you buy free spins in African Elephant?
Yes, African Elephant offers a Bonus Buy feature that allows you to purchase free spins directly. The cost is 100x your current stake. However, this option may not be available for players in the UK using real money due to gambling regulations implemented by the UK Gambling Commission. -
What is the Wild Shape feature in African Elephant?
The Wild Shape is a unique feature in African Elephant where a random shape appears at the end of a spin, marking certain positions on the reels. All symbols within this marked shape are then transformed into wild symbols, potentially creating winning combinations. This feature is guaranteed to trigger on every spin during the free spins bonus round, but only random during base game play. -
Is African Elephant mobile friendly?
Yes, African Elephant is fully mobile optimised and can be played on any Android or iOS device. The game supports both portrait and landscape modes, making it accessible for gaming on smartphones and tablets with smooth performance. -
What is the minimum and maximum bet on African Elephant?
Bets on African Elephant range from £0.20 to £100 per spin across 20 fixed paylines. This range accommodates both casual players seeking modest stakes and high rollers pursuing the 15,000x maximum win potential with substantial bets.
