Round Up Week 49

Boy, it's been a busy week to kick off December in style. As Christmas approaches, we have a few more seasonal slots to share with you in this week's collection. We also have some slot games that are anything but festive, just in case you're already tired of the festive theme!

Let's begin by meeting a Valkyrie…

ELK Studios introduces us to a Valkyrie

Valkyries have proven popular in other slots already, so it was a safe bet ELK Studios were going to be on strong ground for this one. The simply-titled game shows us the Valkyrie herself when it begins, complete with sword and wings. Once we get to the game screen, we see five reels with four rows of icons spread across them. The Valkyrie stands to the left of those reels, watching over them and the various icons that could appear there.

You will see lots of characters here, along with a wild who might just be Odin, a bonus that consists of several intersecting triangles, and a free spins icon. Yes, there are many special symbols that could help you get through the game more successfully.

As you'd expect from a game with a Norse Mythology Slots theme, you will get various examples of how that theme comes into play. For instance, you might win some Valhalla free spins that come with a Valkyrie feature - one of several selected at random. The Shield of Chance, the Arrow of Fortune, the Sword of Destiny… don't those sound exciting? Throw in 1,024 ways to win across those reels and we think this game could well draw you in for a few spins this December.

Action Ops: Snow & Sable is released by Triple Edge Studios

Snow & Sable… it's an odd mix of names, don't you think? Triple Edge Studios has come up with the idea for this Action Ops slot. One thing you cannot accuse it of is a lack of drama. Powered by Microgaming, it takes on a modern theme with dual wilds and stacked wilds, both in the guise of the two main characters, Snow and Sable.

The game also comes with an opportunity to win some free spins. These will introduce wild reels too, so you get an even better chance to scoop a few prizes during those spins. Better yet, you get the chance to retrigger those spins to win more as you progress - the Frequent Retrigger feature certainly comes out in your favor, wouldn't you say?

This is a high-volatility game, so it will not suit everyone. With 10 lines available, it is easier to cover them all than it might be if more were available, so there are pros and cons to play it. Will Action Ops: Snow & Sable Slots be your favorite this December?

Will you be tempted by Medusa's Golden Gaze?

Medusa Slots needs no introduction, but we should tell you that you are safe looking at her image as shown on the title page of Medusa's Golden Gaze Slots from 2by2 Gaming. She normally turns people to stone, of course… but if that were to happen, you'd end up not getting the chance to play, right?

The formulaic 5 x 3 layout offers 25 lines to play on in a game offering a little over 96% RTP. The volatility for this one is uncertain at present, although it could possibly qualify as a medium volatility game. Medusa does appear on the reels, complete with green hair made from snakes - eww! No matter how many times we see that image, we can never get used to it.

While there are free games to be won in Medusa's Golden Gaze, you get a choice of five options when you get there. Anything from six Mega Free Spins to 30 Regular Free Spins is on offer. Super Spins, Easy Feature Free Spins, and 50-Line Free Spins are among the other choices. Which one will you go for? The good news is if you play for a while you can try a different version each time. Variety is certainly the spice of life in this game. Oh, and did we mention the game also features a Reel Copy Feature?

Try for some White Buffalo Cluster Wins

StakeLogic (aka Novomatic) has come up with yet another fine game in the guise of White Buffalo: Cluster Wins. You're probably familiar with cluster wins already - this is basically the same thing as the Cluster Pays Slots format first introduced by NetEnt. The white buffalo of the title shows up here and gives us a rather unsettling look as we load the game, it must be said.

With cluster wins in action, you will expect a bigger screen. You get a six-reel game with five icons on each, some of which can appear in taller format. You will need nine or ten clustered symbols to trigger a win on the reels. Watch out too for a feature called Shooting Star. This may occur anytime you get a winning cluster appearing in a spin.

The game also features a gold scatter. Three or more must appear anywhere - not in a cluster - to trigger the free spins feature. There are also two wilds involved in the game, both substituting for everything but the bonus icon. White Buffalo is nicely designed and has proven to be a great game to start December with. You even get a glimpse of the Northern Lights above the snowy landscape.

It's the time of year for a Turkey Revolt from High 5 Games

Lots of people cook up a turkey for Christmas, but the opening image for this game also shows someone who looks like a pilgrim. We guess that means it could be good to play for Thanksgiving too, even though that has passed for another year.

Turkey Revolt looks to have the turkey fighting back, anyway, and it seems it is joining the Thanksgiving Revolution, according to the information appearing as we begin. The game itself offers a 5 x 4 format with some basic letters appearing over the reels. We also get the puzzled-looking pilgrim, a cow, the turkey, and a few other images too.

Watch out for the wild, appearing as a wooden sign hammered into the ground. These sometimes appear with numbers on top of them and can appear stacked as well. A platter with a lid on it (maybe with a turkey underneath?) has a role as the free game icon. Some of those wilds have large figures written on them, like 8,000 and 32,000, so just how many coins could you win if you take on this Thanksgiving-themed slot game this December?

Step into the Showdown Saloon by Microgaming

Yes, we are heading to the Wild West again for this new title from Microgaming. The cowboy with his pistols and ten-gallon hat is waiting to greet us when the game loads, so the theme is obvious from the start. Is this High Noon or is there something else afoot… and will it be a good game for you to try?

The basics are there - five reels and 15 lines to bet on. The game format looks as if it appears in a wooden frame, complete with letters and numbers in Wild West-style typeface. A hand of cards appears here as the wild, and you can also look for shot glasses and a bottle, some dice, and stacks of casino chips. Will this be a game you can bet on and win, though?

While it all sounds pretty formulaic so far, you can expect to enjoy some mystery symbols as part of the game. These occur on all game reels, with the free spin game included in this. With different symbols being replaced by others as you play, you never know what each new spin will bring you. We like the sound of that unpredictability, don't you? Maybe it is high time for High Noon to arrive in the Showdown Saloon Slots this December.

Will you take on Rudolph's Ride from Booming Games?

The most famous reindeer of all, the one in charge of pulling Santa Slots's sleigh come Christmas Eve each year. Before performing his duties this year, he's got the chance to star in this new slot game from Booming Games. He's there with his red nose to welcome us to the game, and we can expect to see lots of other familiar festive sights as well. There are some rich gifts on offer in this slot game, as Rudolph tries to find various free spin features. There is a different multiplier in each one too, so we've got some amazing opportunities to enjoy here.

The festive setting looks wonderful, and you can expect to spot lots of Christmas-themed icons on those reels. Watch out for Santa, the logo showing Rudolph and the sleigh, and an elf or two as well. If you win through to the free spins, you will see which level you are now on before you play. How far will you follow the trail through the snow to find out what is in store for you there? As festive games go, we think Rudolph's Ride is going to be a popular one this festive season. It has stacked major symbols, Rudolph himself, and lots more to enjoy too. The quality of the presentation is beautiful, right down to the last symbol. There is a lot to enjoy here, especially since the game is very calming to look at, rather than being overly colorful. They've got the balance just right, so check out Rudolph's Ride this Christmas, as developed by Booming Games.

Vikings Unleashed Megaways is now out from Blueprint Gaming

Vikings Unleashed Megaways… it's a wordy title for a slot game, but the opening image alone takes us onto the deck of a pirate ship. It seems very exciting already, offering the chance to enjoy some creative gameplay. And boy, they have certainly packed a lot into the reels of this game. If you want to play a new slot that doesn't relate to the festive season this December, may we suggest you check out Vikings Unleashed Megaways slot today?

There are free spins to be won with an unlimited win multiplier involved. You can also look forward to cascading symbols, where every win you manage to get triggers a new cascade. There is a feature gamble as well, but if you hate those you can still enjoy the rest of the game… and there is a lot to enjoy.

This is a six-reel game too, with small and medium symbols taking up various positions on those reels as you spin. It serves to keep things interesting. There is a free spin symbol that can take up multiple positions too. Watch out for the various members of the pirate ship crew as they appear on those reels. Could any of them be the ones to win you some prizes?

If you manage to unleash the free spins, you get five, eight, 10, or 12 to play, with a starting multiplier of 1x. But as we know, that multiplier is unlimited. How high will it go if you get the chance to play?

What is the Sugar Glider from Endorphina all about?

Sugar sure rears its head a lot around Christmas time. But who or what is the Sugar Glider? We get to see a cute if alarming looking little character in the opening image… are they gliding on a sea of brown sugar? Honestly, we're not quite sure what is happening in this image to start with. Upon playing the promotional video that goes with the game, we can see the character appears on the reels along with some other characters, including a grasshopper. It also appears able to glide over other symbols to turn them into wilds. Now, we like that feature, for sure!

The reels contain a selection of fruits for the most part, including some more unusual ones. The Sugar Glider character appears as the highest-paying symbol, offering up to 10,000 coins if five should appear on a paid line. The grasshopper is wild, so the Sugar Glider appears able to spread those wilds if it appears as well.

While there are five reels in play, there are only 10 paylines. That means you've got the chance to place some affordable bets on this one while still covering all the lines. We have a feeling this game might get overlooked among some of the more in-depth ones this December, but it might be worth a go if you like simpler games to play or simply fancy a change.

Play Jack in the Box Christmas Edition from Pariplay today

We all know what a Jack in the Box is, and here we get the chance to play a Christmas Edition - complete with Santa hat - for the festive season. Pariplay gives us a six-reel game with a 3-4-4-4-4-3 matrix to play on. You will see bears, elephants, a plate with milk and cookies on it, and even a festive cannon… if there is such a thing.

Santa pops up as a wild and can also appear as one of the potential Mega Symbols that are introduced into the game. There is a bonus game too, not to mention some mystery gifts that can show up on the reels and reveal other symbols once the reels have stopped. The 4x4 symbols typically appear over the middle four reels - the larger ones of the six. Will those bring you some rewards if they appear during play?

If you manage to get to the bonus round, you will see a screen filled with gifts. If you reveal what is inside each one, you will win the amount you manage to match three times. Choose carefully - those gifts could reveal more than you might think. Will you get lucky this festive season with a nice win from the Jack in the Box Christmas Edition slot from Pariplay?

Jazz It Up with GamePlay

Let's try a completely different theme for December now, courtesy of the Jazz It Up slot from GamePlay. A jazz singer is waiting to greet us as we load the game, and she can appear stacked on any of the reels to help you. There are six reels in this game too - something we have seen elsewhere this month. Are we heading into a six-reel era with lots more slots taking on this larger format, we wonder? Or is it something unusual for December only?

The game features a stage on which the reels sit, and you can expect to see lots of pink in the color theme. The larger format gives us a chance to enjoy 4,096 ways to win on every spin too - a clear benefit we think lots of players will appreciate. There is a wild microphone - a classic-style one - and this appears on every reel apart from the first one. You will also see a drum and drumsticks as the scatter symbol. Three or more of these, with six at most, will trigger up to 100 free spins to enjoy. Could you manage to trigger that many while playing Jazz It Up from GamePlay today?

Those free spins include random wild multipliers worth 2x, 3x, and 5x, so however many you manage to win, they could bring you bigger prizes than you might expect. Just one more thing to look forward to as you play this slot game this December.

Try out Edict's Key of the Nile

Any mention of the Nile has us thinking about a slot game from Ancient Egypt Slots. Is that what we have here? It would appear so, although at the time of writing we have very little information to go on. We do know the title includes an image of a temple of sorts… or perhaps a pyramid… guarded by characters with spears. Dare we venture inside to see what lies within?

We can expect lots of ancient Egyptian imagery throughout this slot, which is suggested to have a 5 x 3 layout in action and 10 paylines. If that works out as true, we can expect the game to appeal to those with smaller budgets. That is usually the case with fewer paylines, as the bets are smaller when covering fewer lines. Will we get the chance to play some free games as part of this slot? Check it out today and find out more.

Night at KTV is released by GameArt

Another game that ignores the coming festive season and gives us something different instead. This is an unusual one from GameArt, though - their slots are usually filled with sharp imagery and striking colors. Not so this one - it is based on karaoke and therefore contains appropriate imagery.

You can play a dice game against a model character here, trying to get rid of your dice before your opponent does. This enables you to win a reward based on the sum of the dice still held by your opponent at the end of the round. Sounds confusing? Well, we would suggest you have a free spin or two to try out the game before you play. It's very different from anything released by GameArt to this point.

The dice game takes place on another screen, while the game itself shows five reels and 15 paylines. The format of the game looks much the same as many others, but the screen isn't quite as sharp as you'd expect. It is still a good game though, even if it does not have the signature look you might have thought it would. Look out for Mamasan appearing as the wild lady, replacing all but the bonus icon that shows you the dice game. That only appears on the first three reels, needing to appear on each one to trigger the bonus. Will this provide a refreshing change for you this December? Try it and see.

Enter the Wild Mine from Kalamba Games

Mining may not appear to be the best choice for a slot game theme, but it has continually proven itself to be a good option among software developers. Now, we get to enter the Wild Mine created by Kalamba Games. A miner is ready to welcome us, together with a huge mine cart filled with golden nuggets.

This game gives us an unusual format, based on six reels and a 2-2-4-4-6-6 layout. The miner shows up here as a bonus symbol, while you can also look out for wild icons appearing in different guises. They all say wild, but they have different multipliers attached to them as well. Good news for you, wouldn't you say?

Three bonus miners will trigger eight free games, and you can collect symbols to scoop further free games and additional wilds too. Add in lots of different-colored gems, accumulation symbols, and random wild columns, and you'll see the Wild Mine slot game could give you a wild ride if you try it today.

Playson launches Lucky Staxx 40 Lines

If you think this game will involve all the classic symbols you usually see in three-reel games, you would likely be correct. There are fruity icons appearing everywhere here, along with some gold stars, some four-leaf clover icons, and much else besides. There are 40 lines - of course - so you will expect to see a 5 x 4 format to fit all those in.

The gold star is by far the best payer in this game, so if you manage to find five of those on a paid line, you will be celebrating a nice win. You can also expect to see the four-leaf clover bringing you some luck as the wild symbol. This doesn't appear on the two outer reels though - only on the middle three.

There is nothing too complex about this game, appearing as it does as a fruity theme with lots of lines involved. Will it be too simple for some? Undoubtedly, but it might also be very enjoyable for others.

Will you be Banking on Luck from High 5 Games?

We all want some good luck when playing our latest chosen slots, don't we? So, does the luck we are banking on come into play with this new game from High 5 Games?

The first image shows a bank vault filled with gold bars. Somehow, we doubt we are going to win any of those, but are there other prizes to be won here? The game gives us a standard 5 x 3 reel format to play on, and you will see diamonds, gold bars, and lots of other similar icons appearing as you spin.

The game also includes something called Spin Crease. This seems to be triggered by finding stacked wilds over the middle three reels in a large block. This will give you multiple wins, of course, but it will also give you an extra icon to look for - a selection of bank notes. This will now appear over the reels during play. Better yet, the symbols can appear split. This means what would have been a single stack of bank notes will become two or three sets of bank notes in one symbol. As you might guess, this reveals a chance to win far bigger prizes than you might have done if Spin Crease had not been in action. Will that be reason enough to try this game this December?

Head on an Arctic Race with Novomatic

It's a chilly time of year in many northern regions, so an Arctic Race seems perfectly in order if you want to play something snowbound. This is an all-pay game, which means you've got multiple chances to pick up a few wins on each spin. The game is set over five reels, which in turn are set in a snowy landscape. There are campfires, gold trophies (slightly odd, but there you go), and other icons such as huskies and sleds to look for.

That trophy is the scatter, and it can give you something called the Trophy Re-spin Feature. Meanwhile, the huskies are your wild symbols, and can help you win other prizes depending on where they appear.

This looks set to be a popular release for December, giving us a snowy theme that doesn't touch on the festive time of year. Could that suit you? Maybe it will. It doesn't offer anything earth-shatteringly new or striking, but it does provide a suitable game to play to while away the time before Santa visits!

Which December release will be top of your chart this week?

December has already brought us some great new releases. Will one of the above titles be something to celebrate for you this week or is there a yet-to-be-released title that will prove better than all of these rolled into one? Check out the next set of great titles we'll have ready to share with you by coming back next week for more. Bookmark us now so you know where to come!