Niulang and Zhinu Review

The game has the standard layout of 5 reels and 3 rows and offers 25 pay-lines. When you match 3 to 5 symbols on adjacent reels from left to right starting from the leftmost reel, you will get paid. Scatter and bonus symbols can land on any position and still ensure wins. You can play with wagers of 1 to 20 credits on all kinds of devices. The RTP is 96.32% and the volatility – medium to high.

In Niulang and Zhinu you will rejoice in free spins and a Quad Shot Bonus feature. The latter includes 4 fixed bonuses in the form of instant cash rewards. They are Mini, Minor, Maxi and Major Bonuses with rewards of 40, 160, 1,000 and 8,000 times your stake respectively. These you can win during any stage of your play.

The Design

The game takes place in a superb place with meadows, grass, blossoming trees around the grid. You can see pagoda-style buildings from far behind. The nature looks impressive and the grid stands in the centre with a gold ornamented frame. The reels are translucent and reveal part of the landscape behind it. On the light blue reels, you can see card royals, which are decorated with red roses, crowns and the like.

The picture symbols are the premiums. They include a pink blossoming branch, bird, pagoda and the 2 main characters – Niulang and Zhinu. The scatter is the image of the two lovers meeting in front of a full moon. The images are clear, detailed and look very good. The soundtrack is melodic and creates a nice atmosphere in the game.

Niulang and Zhinu Gameplay

Niulang and Zhinu includes 6 low-paying symbols of card royals and 5 premiums. There is a wild, a scatter and a bonus symbol. To score wins you need to land 3, 4 or 5 identical symbols on any of the 25 pay-lines from left to right. Only scatters and bonus symbols don’t have to be pay-lines to give you wins.

The 9, 10 and J pay equally – 0.20, 0.40 and 2 times your bet for 3, 4 and 5 symbols of a kind. The Q and K card return 0.20, 0.80 and 4 times your stake for 3, 4 and 5 symbols, the A card – 0.20, 1.60 and 4 times your stake.

The pink blossoming branch is one of the premiums and it pays 0.20, 2 and 6 times your bet for 3, 4 and 5 symbols. The Chinese pagoda and bird pay 0.20x, 3x and 8x bet for 3, 4 and 5 matching symbols. Zhinu is second in value in the game and its payout is 0.20, 4 and 8 times your stake for 3, 4 and 5 symbols. Niulang is the most valuable symbol and 3, 4 and 5 of it pay 0.20, 4 and 12 times your bet.

There is a wild that substitutes for all others except for the Quad Shot Bonus symbol. It appears on reels 3, 4 and 5 only. The symbol with the two lovers meeting in front of a full moon is the scatter that pays in any position. Landing 3 or more scatters triggers the free spins. There is a Squad Shot Bonus logo that can land on any of the regular symbols. It helps activate the bonus game with the same name.

Niulang and Zhinu Features / Bonuses

Landing 3, 4 or 5 scatters in a spin triggers 10, 15 or 25 Free Spins and pays 5, 20 and 100 times your stake respectively. During these rounds, the wild symbol appears on the 5th reel only. You will play with the triggering bet and the same line wins. You can retrigger 5 extra free games by landing 2 or more scatters. If you land 3 to 5 scatters during the free spins, you will retrigger more free game. In such a case you will also win 5 to 20 times your stake respectively.

You activate the Quad Shot Bonus with 5 of a kind paying combination and the bonus symbol landed on the same spin. You can get 1 of 4 available bonuses, which are:

Mini Bonus – you win it with 5 of a kind paying combination of any of the 6 royal cards with the help of at least 1 wild. These you must land together with the Quad Shot bonus on the same spin. The Mini Bonus pays you 40 times your stake.

Maxi Bonus – you win it with 5 of a kind paying combination of any of the 6 royal cards without the help of any wild symbol. These you must land together with the Quad Shot bonus on the same spin. The Maxi Bonus pays you 1,000 times your stake.

Minor Bonus – you win it with 5 of a kind paying combination of any of the premiums. These can be the blossoming branch, bird, pagoda or any of the 2 characters. This 5 of a kind combination you must score without the help of at least 1 wild symbol. They must land it together with the bonus symbol. The Minor Bonus pays you 160 times your stake.

Major Bonus – you win with 5 of a kind paying combination of any of the premiums. This 5 of a kind combination you must score without any wild symbols and together with the bonus symbol. The Major Bonus pays you 8,000 times your stake.

The Conclusion

Niulang and Zhinu is a unique game. It is inspired by a popular story of the Chinese folklore used for their Valentine’s Day. The latter is known and celebrated as the Qixi Festival – the festival of love. The game has straightforward features and ensures jackpot wins of 8,000 times your stake. Since it has medium to high volatility, it is suitable for a larger number of players.