Vikings Slot Review
NetEnt has established itself as a studio willing to experiment with game design, and Vikings represents a clear departure from their traditional offerings. Released in 2018 and licensed from the popular History Channel television series, this slot combines branded appeal with ambitious mechanical innovation. Vikings is positioned squarely at players who embrace high volatility and are willing to tolerate extended dry spells in pursuit of significant free spins payouts. The game’s dual-nature design creates an interesting philosophical tension between mundane base gameplay and genuinely exciting bonus mechanics.
Base Game & Features
Vikings operates on a standard 5×3 reel configuration with 243 ways to win across 5 reels and 3 rows. The bet range spans from €0.20 to €200 per spin, accommodating both casual players and high-roller stakes. The baseline RTP sits at 96.05%, which sits comfortably within acceptable player value ranges. Symbols include traditional Viking characters and Norse-themed imagery, with premium characters paying significantly more than lower-value royals.
The base game incorporates two core mechanics that define gameplay flow. The Hotspot Feature activates when premium Viking symbols land stacked across reel 3, triggering a transformation where all other character symbols on the board shift to match the landing character. This creates opportunities for enhanced winning combinations during regular play. The Shield Wall Feature appears randomly, presenting shields of varying sizes (4×2, 5×2, or 5×3) that are removed to reveal premium characters or bonus symbols beneath.
Base game gameplay progresses methodically, which is both the slot’s distinguishing characteristic and a notable limitation. The mechanical design prioritises the free spins feature, leaving base game spins feeling utilitarian by comparison. Wins occur with moderate frequency but tend toward smaller multipliers, meaning bankroll depletion happens steadily without reaching exciting payout thresholds. Players consistently report extended dry spells-sessions spanning 30+ spins without a single win exceeding 30x bet are not uncommon. This deliberate pacing strategy concentrates the slot’s excitement into the bonus feature rather than distributing it throughout gameplay.
Bonus Features & Free Spins
The Raid Free Spins feature transforms Vikings from ordinary to genuinely compelling. Triggering requires landing 3 Raid symbols across reels 3, 4, and 5, granting 7 free spins. Upon activation, the mechanical structure fundamentally expands. The reel set transforms from 5 reels across 3 rows to an ambitious 7 reels across 5 rows, expanding ways to win from 243 to a staggering 78,125. This expanded grid creates the conditions for significant payouts.
During Raid Spins, the Hotspot Feature receives a crucial enhancement. Rather than triggering on reel 3 alone, hotspot zones expand to cover reels 3, 4, and 5 simultaneously, creating larger clusters of transformed symbols and dramatically increasing win potential. The Shield Wall Feature also operates within free spins, appearing randomly with the larger shield sizes now possible on the expanded grid. This combination generates genuinely impressive multi-spin sequences when the mechanics align. Community feedback confirms winning combinations of 300x+ bet during free spins are achievable when premium symbols consistently land in hotspot zones.
The maximum win potential reaches 10,000x the stake, though this represents a theoretical maximum achieved only through perfect alignment-premium symbols landing across all hotspot zones during an extended free spins session with concurrent Shield Wall removals. More realistically, players experience free spins sessions producing 350-500x bet payouts, which represents solid return value given the feature’s rarity. No retrigger mechanism exists for free spins, which maintains the feature’s exclusive role as the exclusive conduit to significant payouts.
Game Verdict
- Overall Verdict: 7.5/10
- Vikings represents a compelling choice for high-volatility enthusiasts willing to endure lengthy base game dry spells in pursuit of genuinely exciting free spins sequences. NetEnt successfully leveraged the Vikings television licensing to create a mechanically ambitious title that genuinely delivers during bonus rounds. The dual-grid expansion system shows real design ambition, and the 96.05% RTP combines with innovative features to generate legitimate long-term value. The primary limitation remains the stark disparity between base game potential (607x maximum) and free spins potential (10,000x maximum), creating a game that feels incomplete outside of bonus features. For players specifically seeking high-volatility branded entertainment with substantive mechanical depth, Vikings delivers. For those preferring balanced base and bonus gameplay, the slot’s extended base game lethargy will frustrate.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What is the RTP of Vikings slot by NetEnt?
The RTP of Vikings slot game by NetEnt is 96.05%, representing a competitive return-to-player percentage consistent across all licensed NetEnt casinos offering the game. This RTP places Vikings within the mainstream range for modern slot releases. -
What is the maximum win on Vikings slot?
The maximum win on Vikings slot is 10,000x the initial stake, achievable through the combination of the Hotspot feature expanding across reels 3, 4, and 5 during Raid Spins. The base game maximum win reaches 607x stake, creating a distinct disparity between standard gameplay and free spins potential. -
How volatile is the Vikings slot game?
Vikings slot features high to medium-high volatility, meaning wins occur less frequently but generate larger potential payouts. The volatility creates extended dry spells during base gameplay with potentially 30+ spins between meaningful wins, making the slot suitable exclusively for players with robust bankroll reserves and elevated risk tolerance. -
What are the main features of Vikings NetEnt slot?
Vikings incorporates three primary mechanics: (1) Hotspot-premium symbols landing on reel 3 transform all other character symbols to match, activating across reels 3-5 during Raid Spins; (2) Shield Wall-random shields of varying sizes appear and are removed to reveal premium characters; (3) Raid Spins-seven free spins expanding the reel set from 5×3 (243 ways) to 7×5 (78,125 ways to win). -
Is Vikings slot based on the TV show?
Yes, Vikings is officially licensed from the History Channel television series Vikings, which premiered on 3 March 2013. The slot features authentic characters and incorporates Norse themes and Viking aesthetics throughout the gameplay, providing branded appeal beyond traditional slot mechanics. -
How many ways to win does Vikings slot have?
In the base game, Vikings offers 243 ways to win on a 5×3 reel set. During the Raid Spins feature, the reel set expands dramatically to 7×5, multiplying ways to win to 78,125, creating substantially enhanced winning opportunities during free spins rounds. -
What is the bet range for Vikings slot?
Players can bet between €0.20 and €200 per spin on Vikings slot, accommodating both casual players with smaller bankrolls and high-roller players seeking elevated stakes. This wide betting range makes the game accessible to players across diverse bankroll sizes and risk preferences. -
When was Vikings slot released by NetEnt?
Vikings slot was released by NetEnt on 22 November 2018. The game has become one of NetEnt’s flagship branded slots and remains prominent across major online casino platforms, demonstrating sustained player interest and commercial success within the market.
