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Realtime Gaming have released a brand new double progressive jackpot slot called Gemtopia. This new game, as the name suggests, has a cavern full of precious gems as its inspiration.
There's plenty of games that use gems or precious stones as the main impetus for the game. Indeed in old retro-styled slots the diamond symbol is still used as one of the higher value symbols on the reels.
This newer version features different types of gems all of which are different colors but which could combine, if you get lucky, to reward you with a jackpot of $50,000. Add to that the chance to win two progressive jackpots and you have a slot that offers a great deal. Let's take a closer look at exactly what features this slot boasts.
Overview
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Presentation
The setting of the Gemtopia slot is a large cave or cavern which is packed to the brim with precious jewels, the same precious jewels that you will see populating the reels. The notion of a cave packed with jewels does seem a little Tolkien-like to me but there's no other references to his works in the game.
The sound is pleasant enough and it gives the slot a more mystical feel. The progressive jackpots are displayed in the top right corner of the screen, while the line selector and help bars are to the left and right of the reels respectively. All the key buttons, including the spin button are at the foot of the reels.
The backdrop for the slot is excellent and beautifully done and the presentation is nice enough without being particularly spectacular.
What's on the reels?
As you would expect with the name Gemtopia, the reels are populated by a number of different gems of all sizes, shapes and colors. Three or more of the basic symbols will award you a win but the good news is that you can win both ways across the reels, from left to right and also from right to left, which means that even if the first three reels don't result in a win, you could still win on the latter two reels.
This does keep players invested in the slot on each spin for longer and the fact that you can trigger the progressive jackpot prizes on any spin entirely at random does add a sense of anticipation when you spin the reels too.
Alongside the standard symbols on the reels there are a couple of key other symbols which unlock the two main features of the slot which we'll explore in more detail below.
Wild Features
The White Gem is the Wild symbol in the Gemtopia slot and it appears on the middle three reels of the slot and the great news is that when you land this gem, it will expand to cover the reel entirely. You can then use this with symbols on the remaining reels to create multiple winning pay lines if you are lucky,
When you land the expanding Wild, you are also granted one re-spin of the reels, which spins all the reels without the Wild in place and gives you a second chance of a win. If you land another Wild on the re-spin then you will receive another re-spin with the second Wild held in place too. You could then trigger the third Wild and that is when you can really land some of the bigger value prizes on the slot.
Free Spins Features
The bonus symbol on the slot has the words 'Free Games' written across it which gives you a clear indication of what this special gem symbol does. Land three of these symbols on the second, third and fourth reels of the slot on a single spin and you will trigger the free spins bonus round.
When you do you will receive 15 Free Spins and for the duration of the Free Spins bonus round, you will have additional bonus gem symbols added to the reels. If you can land three or more of these bonus symbols during the free spins round then you will receive an additional three free spins added to your total and also trigger an instant cash prize which could be worth as much as 1000x your bet.
Simply click on the three bonus symbols landed and you will reveal the value of your prize.
Other Bonus Features
While there are no other bonus features built into the slot game itself, there are two progressive jackpot prizes available on the Gemtopia slot which can be won at any time on any spin regardless of whether you win or lose the spin.
The prizes are the Major and Minor jackpot, the Minor jackpot starts at $250 and increases from there while the Major Jackpot is seeded at $1,000 and will increase with every spin played on the slot for real money.
There is nothing strategic you can do to try and win these bonuses. They are entirely random in when they are awarded and to whom, but it is at least another feature which could offer you a win when playing the slot, regardless of what pans out on the reels on that spin.
Best Feature of the Gemtopia slot
Without doubt the best feature of the Gemtopia slot is the Expanding Wilds with re-spin feature and I rank this above the free spins feature as it is much easier to trigger and when you can land two or more Expanding Wilds on the reels, you stand a very good chance of taking home a very valuable base game prize.
This feature is very reminiscent of the feature on the Starburst slot which is another hugely popular game from Net Entertainment and it is good to see it being worked into a similar styled game here. I do believe that this feature alone will draw plenty of players in to give Gemtopia a try.
The Free Spins game is also a decent feature but it can be very difficult to trigger at times and the payouts do vary quite considerably in this bonus round. However, if you can land the additional bonus symbol features and trigger a cash win as well as three more free spins, then the bonus round does quickly become more lucrative.
What does the Gemtopia slot lack?
If Gemtopia lacks something then it is perhaps a little bit of originality. What you essentially have here is a game that is essentially a reworking of the Starburst slot, even down to the gems on the reels giving the slot a similar look.
However, what Realtime Gaming have done is use the basic premise of the Starburst slot and then add to it with a Free Spins round and then two progressive jackpots. The net result is a game which certainly plays like the original but which also boasts its own features that the original lacks.
Credit to Realtime Gaming in developing this slot as Starburst is a classic and they have done an excellent job of capturing the essence of that game here and adding a little extra to it so that it isn't a carbon copy. The end result is a great slot game, but one that isn't particularly original.
Conclusion
This is Realtime Gaming's attempt at developing a 'Starburst' type slot and it has to be said that the company has made a very good job of it. The structure and bonuses in the base game echo the original and will certainly appeal to fans of the first game, but the addition of the Free Spins bonus and progressive jackpot game means that this slot has a bit more depth to it than Starburst ever did.
That's not a bad thing as the Free Spins bonus can prove very lucrative at times, even if the amount you can win in the base game isn't quite as much as on the Starburst slot.
This is a fun and enjoyable slot and if imitation is the most sincere form of flattery then Realtime Gaming clearly admire the Net Entertainment game a great deal. Gemtopia though is a great standalone slot in its own right but whether it will become a classic remains to be seen.
Ratings
Good Luck!
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