Avalon X Slot Review
ELK Studios Gold series remains legendary. He’s been here, there and everywhere, including Valhalla itself in Valhall Gold.
ELK Studios’ newest slot, Avalon X, revisits a specific instalment in the Gold series, Avalon Gold, while taking inspiration from elsewhere too, with features similar to those in Propaganda.
Once a beacon of wealth and power, the Isle of Avalon fell to ruin under a sorcerer’s curse. Its king turned to greed, and his knights corrupted, the island plunged into chaos. To break the curse and reclaim Avalon, one must face darkness itself. The fate of the isle awaits…
Avalon X is a 6-column, 7-row cluster slot that comes with a global multiplier, wilds, multiplier wilds, big symbols, mystery boxes, coin wins, bonus and a super bonus, all packed into a potential of 10,000x bet and High volatility.
We suspect that we might find familiar gameplay in Avalon X, but familiar isn’t always bad, and perhaps even a pro, if the quality of Avalon Gold and Propaganda is the benchmark
Base Game & Features
Avalon X is a cluster pays slot. Wins are created by landing 5 or more matching symbols that connect horizontally or vertically.
The 4 lowest-paying symbols in the game are animal symbols, and the highest-paying symbols are the Avalon Knight symbols. Wild symbols are also available, which substitute for all regular symbols.
Sometimes, Wilds land with a multiplier. If a multiplier Wild is part of a winning cluster, the value is applied to the win. If more than one multiplier Wild is involved, their values are added together before being applied.
Every win removes the matching symbols from the grid. New symbols then drop in from above.
After each win, a random Wild is placed into a vacant position before the next avalanche begins.
Global Multiplier
A global multiplier is active during gameplay. It increases with every winning cluster. Low-paying symbol wins add +1 to the multiplier, while high-paying symbol wins add +2. The multiplier persists through all avalanches in a single spin, but it resets once the spin is over.
Big Symbols
Regular paying symbols and Mystery Boxes may land as big symbols. The sizes are:
- Super 2×2
- Mega 3×3
- Epic 4×4
Symbols larger than 1×1 symbols count as the number of symbols that fit within them. Big Symbols will crush standard 1×1 symbols as they fall to the bottom of the grid, except for Wilds, Scatters and Mystery symbols. Should empty spaces occur below the big symbol, then it will fill the spaces with 1×1 symbols of the same type.
Mystery Boxes
Mystery Boxes are blocker symbols that may land during any spin. If 5 or more Mystery Symbols are present at the same time, then they activate, revealing one of the following:
- Coin Symbols
- Collect Symbols – Collects all the coin values from Mystery Boxes.
- Redrop – Drops new symbols into play, potentially revealing more mystery boxes. Current Mystery Boxes become active once more.
- Multiplier – Multiplies a random selection of Coin Symbols.
Holy Strike
The Holy Strike feature can trigger during any game round. It replaces a random number of symbols with Wilds, Multiplier Wilds & Mystery Boxes. The replacement only replies to paying symbols. Special symbols are not affected.
Avalon X Free Spins
The Free Spins round begins when 3 scatter symbols land in a single spin, awarding 7 free spins.
Gameplay follows the same rules as the base game. The difference is that the global multiplier does not reset between spins. It continues to grow across the entire round. Unopened Mystery Boxes also stay on the grid between spins, remaining in place until they activate.
Each additional scatter that lands during the bonus adds 2 extra spins. Landing a super scatter during the round upgrades the feature to the Super Bonus.
Super Free Spins
The Super Bonus is triggered by landing 2 scatters & 1 super scatter in the same spin. This also awards 7 Free Spins. It plays the same as the standard bonus, with a persistent global multiplier and carry-over Mystery Boxes.
The key difference is that the Holy Strike feature is guaranteed to activate on every spin. Landing a super scatter during the Super Bonus adds 2 extra spins.
X-iter
Avalon X offers 5 X-iter modes that can be bought for fixed amounts. Each mode offers a different setup:
- Bonus Hunt – Costs 3x the base bet. Increases your chances of triggering a bonus.
- Holy Strike – Costs 25x the base bet. Guarantees the Holy Strike feature on that spin.
- Mystery Boxes – Costs 50x the base bet. Guarantees that at least 5 Mystery Boxes will land.
- Bonus – Costs 100x the base bet. This triggers the normal bonus round.
- Super Bonus – Costs 500x the base bet. This awards the Super Bonus feature.
All X-iter options have a fixed RTP of 94%. Avalon X has a max win cap of 10,000x your bet. If a single session exceeds this, the current mode ends, and the player returns to the base game with the qualifying amount.
Our Honest Verdict
Avalon X felt like a throwback to the trusty old Avalon Gold. It was one of the best, if not the best, Gold slots series, and to see a return of it in ‘Propaganda’ form was a real treat.
It’s got a lot of the things that you loved about the original. Mystery boxes, check; big symbols, check; big potential? Check. Avalon X is certainly capable of big things thanks to its Global Multiplier, which can climb to near astronomical values.
It’s when this multiplier reaches obscene heights that Avalon X’s appeal becomes evident, but it’s still fairly capable in the Base Game, where a global multiplier is also active.
The Holy Strike Feature is a nice touch; it works similarly to the Wild Strike Feature from Propaganda, but with the added benefit of being capable of adding mystery boxes, too.
The 10,000x max win cap makes it feel exciting, but it’s fairly standard in the grand scheme of things. Not that it’s a bad thing, it’s just doesn’t possess an extra selling point by way of juicier potential.
It’s an amalgamation of some of ELK’s finest work, but by no means a headline release. It doesn’t stand out above Avalon Gold, above Propaganda or above any of the ‘X’ titles released thus far, but it’s a nice addition to the portfolio.
*The images found in this slot review are currently from Demo Play. On average, our reviews are written prior to the initial release date and before real play is available.
