Cygnus 5 Demo
Cygnus 5 Slot Review
The Cygnus society transcends time and space once again in ELK Studios‘ 5th instalment of the series, Cygnus 5!
Through interstellar gateways, Cygnus 5 seeks to rule the past, present, and future. Driven by lights, it harnesses the cosmos to bend reality to its will. Following the success of the previous 4 releases, ELK Studios builds upon the Cygnus series for the 5th and possibly final time.
Although Cygnus is typically known as being celestial, Cygnus 5 follows the path of Egyptians, altering our perception of the series. In a way, the series has come full circle, but only time will tell if a 6th instalment embraces us, and what that theme would encapsulate.
Not much of note has changed, besides the theme, when compared to Cygnus 4, but will gameplay reveal hidden enhancements that make this release the best of the series? Let’s play on and find out!
Base Game & Features
Like all other games in the series, Cygnus 5 is played on a reel setup of 6 reels and 4 rows. Wins are calculated across 4,096 ways to win when 3 or matching symbols land in any order on adjacent reels.
When a winning combination occurs, all winning symbols are subject to removal via an Avalanche Feature. This enables new symbols to drop in from above and potentially create new winning combinations in a single spin. A new row is added to the top of the grid, enabling a maximum of 262,144 ways to win.
Cygnus 5 is home to a series of Low and High-paying symbols, each awarding payouts between 0.1x and 5x your bet. In addition, a special Sun & Moon symbol is present, granting wins between 1x and 5x your bet. Wilds substitute for all paytable symbols.
Other elements of the game include an overall RTP of 94%, a high volatility rating, and an impressive max win cap of 50,000x your bet.
Meteor Strike
Cygnus 5 has many redeeming qualities, including a number of Features. The meteor strike feature can be accessed at random during gameplay. Once active, it replaces a random number of symbols on the reels with feature symbols.
Prism
Another nifty addition in Cygnus 5 is the Prism symbol. When in view, it will make its way to the bottom of the grid, transforming all symbols along 1 or more rows into the same symbol type. If a Prism symbol comes into contact with another, it will begin a chain reaction.
Multipliers
When Multipliers appear on the reels, they will become active once they reach the bottom of the grid or leftmost reel position. When this occurs, the current Multiplier is increased and the symbol transforms into a Wild. When the top of the pillar is reached, the maximum possible win amount is awarded.
X-iter
- Bonus Hunt: More than triples your chance of triggering the Free Spins mode (3x your bet)
- Meteors: Guarantees a Meteor Strike within the next spin (10x your bet)
- Prisms: Guarantees at least 2 Prism symbols on the grid (25x your bet)
- Bonus: Triggers the Free Spins round (100x your bet)
- Super Bonus: Triggers the Super Free Spins mode, where a guaranteed Meteor Strike is awarded on each spin (500x your bet)
Free Spins
Triggering the Free Spins round requires a Bonus or Super Bonus Scatter to reach a leftmost row position on the grid, awarding 7 Free Spins. If you’re lucky enough to trigger the Super Bonus, you will begin each spin with a guaranteed Meteor Strike.
In Free Spins, each spin starts with 4 rows and the current Multiplier active. The multiplier is persistent throughout spins and does not reset.
Our Verdict
ELK Studios has amassed quite a following over the years, thanks to their innovative and highly-anticipating releases, but nothing quite tops their unique set of games like Nitropolis, Toro, Gold, and Cygnus series.
When a software provider makes it their life’s mission to release a series, many may find it a little repetitive after the first 2 or 3 releases, almost predictable, some would say. Even if that’s the case with ELK Studios’ games, any creation is still going to outrank a large majority of slots from other studios.
ELK Studios has a rich history of developing quality slots, which has generated a significant amount of followers over the years. When we compare Cygnus 5 to previous titles in the series, we can find many similarities in gameplay, including statistics. ELK Studios has a habit of selecting an overall RTP of 94%, which may not resonate with players, but it quickly makes up for it in the max win department, with Cygnus 5 able to achieve up to 50,000x your bet.
In addition to high-end statistics, Cygnus 5 is crammed with engaging features and mechanics, with elements from the previous 4 titles blended together to create a rich source of entertainment.
*Cygnus 5 is available to play across Slot Casino Sites from the 7th January 2025