The cult Alice in Wonderland fairy tale spawned numerous titles in the slots world, and now developer Pariplay comes with a steampunk version of Lewis Caroll’s novel – Alice Riches. The developers did not only introduce a new take on the Alice slots, but also tweaked the popular Hold & Win feature greatly, delivering a new layer of entertainment to the gameplay.
With a fairy tale meets steampunk theme, Alice Riches looks somewhat unique in the niche of Wonderland-inspired slots. It isn’t something we see every day, and this fusion is definitely a stand-out. The5x3 reel setproducing50 ways to playis set in a backdrop of a steampunk city with a maze in front, and the pay symbols are also styled in tradition with the genre. Overall, the cartoonish graphics are pretty lovely, much like the soundtrack that adds a final touch to the general ambiance, though, sounds of particular symbols landing might feel a tad annoying, especially during lengthy sessions. Anyway, there’s a mute button that may come to the rescue.
In true Pariplay’s fashion, Alice Riches comes withranging RTP values, meaning that the payback percentage may vary depending on where you play. It’s96.23%by default, though, it can get lowered to94.06%, so pay attention to the game’s rules before depositing. On top of that, the RTP affects other stats, including stake levels, hit frequency, and the max win. Players can set bets from$0.4 to $100 per spinin the 94.06% version, andup to $200in the 96.23% one. Thehit ratevaries between33.5%and34.88%, and the max win between1,527.9xand1,184.3xrespectively, while thevolatilityis in thehighbrackets.
As we head over to the paytable, we see familiar characters and items from the tales, and the 10 pay symbols are split into two categories. The lower section includes classic card suits, while the premium lot is made up of ‘Drink Me’ potion bottles, Dormouse, Caterpillar, White Rabbit, and Alice herself. You’ll need to land at least 3 matching symbols adjacently starting from the leftmost reel to land a win, and 5-of-a-kind symbol wins are worth from2x to 10x the stake. Finally, Cheshire Cat is Wild and substitutes for any other regular symbol, though, it doesn’t have any own value.
Central to the gameplay is theEpic Rewardsbonus game, which is activated when 6 or more Bonus Mad Hatter’s hat symbols appear anywhere in view during the base game. This awards6 respins, and players get +1 extra spin for each additional Bonus symbol. The triggering symbols will then lock in place, and players will proceed to a new type of reel set made up of blanks and hat symbols, and all new hat symbols will also stick to the reels.
And here comes the twist! Unlike in most slots featuring the Hold & Win Respins, bonus symbols do not come with Multipliers attached, butform groups, transforming into mega symbols, and prizes are awarded depending on the size of grouped symbols. Upon ending the feature, grouped hat symbols will revealbet multipliersand award prizes according to the table.
Also, keep an eye for Queen of Hearts Scatter symbols, as 3 or more in view trigger theFree Spinsfeature. Players get 8, 12, or 15 spins for landing 3, 4, or 5 Scatters respectively. The bonus game plays out in a similar way to the base game, but the difference is thatreel 3 is made up of Wilds and Scattersonly. Finally, retriggers are also possible, as well as players can trigger the Epic Rewards bonus during the free round.
Steampunk Alice in Wonderland isn’t something we’re seeing every day, and Pariplay did a great job of shaking the niche with an out-of-ordinary slot. Luckily, the design isn’t the only thing in Alice Riches that can get players stuck into it, but the features also, or precisely, the Respins. While Free Spins don’t deliver enough excitement with its only perk a Wild Reel, the Epic Riches bonus game, in turn, is much more fascinating. However, don’t expect to get showered in diamonds here, as all you can hope for is only 1,527x the stake, or even 1,184x if you’re playing with a higher RTP. Overall, it’s a decent slot, but weak math with low rewards won’t let this one into the big leagues.
Pros
Cons
The Alice in Wonderland cult fairy tale inspired various slot games, with game developer Pariplay now introducing a steampunk version called Alice Riches. This game offers a unique take on the popular Alice slots and enhances the well-liked Hold & Win feature, adding a fresh layer of entertainment. Alice Riches’ unique blend of fairy tale and steampunk makes it stand out among Wonderland-inspired slots. The game features a 5×3 reel set with 50 ways to play, set against a steampunk city backdrop. The game has beautiful cartoonish graphics and an enjoyable soundtrack, though some might find the sound of symbols landing irritating during long sessions. Fortunately, there’s a mute button available. Alice Riches’ RTP values vary, meaning the payback percentage changes depending on where you play. It is 96.23% by default but can drop to 94.06%. The RTP also influences other stats like stake levels, hit frequency, and the max win. Players can bet from $0.4 to $100 per spin in the 94.06% version and up to $200 in the 96.23% version. The game includes familiar characters and items from the tales as pay symbols, divided into two categories. The lower section includes classic card suits, while the premium lot features characters from the story. The Cheshire Cat serves as the Wild symbol and can substitute for any other regular symbol, but it doesn’t have its own value. The gameplay is centered around the Epic Rewards bonus game, activated when 6 or more Bonus Mad Hatter’s hat symbols appear. This awards 6 respins plus an extra spin for each additional Bonus symbol. The bonus game plays similarly to the base game but with reel 3 made up only of Wilds and Scatters. Steampunk Alice in Wonderland is a unique take on the slot game genre, and while Pariplay has done well in designing a game with an original theme, the low rewards may prevent it from reaching the top tier of slot games.