Empress Dowager Cixi Demo Slot - Review, Demo Play, Payout, Free Spins & Bonuses

Introduction

Pass through Beijing’s Forbidden City and visit the Summer Palace, stepping into the world of the Empress’s privileged and powerful life. Cixi is immortalised by August Gaming in this Asian-themed slot, released in 2016 and featuring a 5x3 format with 243 ways to win.

This is a neatly laid out and straightforward slot that’s easy to pick up and play. The user interface sits below the reels. Balance, menu and paytable are to the left, while bet and spin are to the right.

Symbols include the palace, a rifle, a pet, a green decorative urn, scrolls and naval ship, plus lower-value playing card symbols 9, 10, J, Q, K and A. The wild is Cixi and will substitute all symbols bar the fan, appearing on reels 2, 3 and 4. The scatter is the fan.

This is an HTML5 slot that’s optimised for mobile, allowing you to play on any desktop, laptop, mobile and tablet. Our demo is also totally free to enjoy anywhere at any time.

Theme, Graphics & Soundtrack

The Empress Dowager Cixi, a controversial Chinese regent and empress dowager, was a member of the Manchu Yehe Nara clan. She controlled the Chinese government during the late <b>Qing dynasty<b>from 1861, holding the position for 47 years until her death in Zhongnanhai in 1908. Cixi was a concubine at a young age for the Emperor Xianfeng, giving birth to Tongzhi, his only son.

Upon the emperor’s death, Cixi became the new supreme leader of China who ruled with charisma, grit and determination, with achievements such as introducing coal mining and electricity to China, but also starting a war with France over territory and ordering that her adopted son be poisoned as she considered him too weak to rule.

Known for both her powerful leadership and her beauty, critics slam the so-called “dragon lady” for her power-hungry and tyrannical rule, while others consider her to have modernised and improved the country.

The backdrop is a reddish-brown flower pattern, much like a tapestry or curtains. The reels are outlined with scroll detail to make them more ornate. Symbols are cartoon-style and colourful but rather simple. Likewise, the game title above the reels appears quite dated. Aesthetically, this is a distinctive slot, although it's not the most contemporary in its rendering. A beautiful Oriental soundtrack accompanies gameplay, building a warm atmosphere.

RTP & Volatility

It’s estimated to have a 95% RTP, which is fairly standard though not overly impressive. It’s thought to be of medium volatility, so players might see some variation in prizes but could hope for medium-sized wins semi-frequently.

How to Play

1. To place your bet, adjust the amount with the +/- buttons.
2. The -/+ on the interface only increases or decreases the bet level. To adjust coin value, you need to click ‘bet’.
3. Select ‘Bet’ to open wager options, where you can choose coin value and bet level.
4. Hit spin to play the bet, or press and hold spin to set the autospin option.

Bet Sizes & Paytable Wins

Bets start from a 0.01 coin value on bet level 1 for a 0.25 minimum, which is low enough for the casual players. The higher rollers should be satisfied with the 0.10-coin value at bet level 40 for a 100.00 maximum wager.

All symbols pay for combinations of three or more, bar the ship, 9 and 10, which pay for two and above. Wins are from left to right, and both scatter and coinciding wins are added.

The most valuable is the ship, at 3,500 for five of a kind, followed by the palace at 1,000 for five (prior to taking into account betways and wager).

Bonus Features

This royal slot comes with an interesting free spins round that gives players a little control over their gameplay and could give prizes a tempting boost.

Summer Palace Free Games - Three or more scatters will trigger this free games feature. A second screen will display the two options for the feature:

Choice A - 10 free spins with more number symbols and multipliers of 5x, 8x or 15x.
Choice B - 5 free spins with more picture symbols and multipliers of 2x, 3x or 5x.

Whenever a win in the round involves one or more wilds, the win will be multiplied by the multiplier shown in the top right corner. The free games can be retriggered during the round.

Our Verdict

The theme is well cultivated by the appearance and soundtrack, although you won’t find anything outstanding with the graphics and animations, which could appear a little dated. Nevertheless, gameplay is intuitive and it’s an easygoing game with basic features, so it’s simple to pick up and play. The free games bonus offers the player some control with the choice of free spins versus symbols and multipliers, and we appreciate that free games can be retriggered.

The 95% RTP is average if not a little disappointing, but the medium volatility suggests medium-sized wins somewhat frequently. Players can start on a nicely low wager and the maximum bet is appropriate for the higher rollers, allowing for some generous prizes with the 243 betways.

For more powerful female rulers on the reels, check out the Empress Regnant slot from EURASIAN Gaming. With a tempting 97.42% RTP, this slot features 10 paylines across five reels, respins that pay both ways, free spins and wild stacks.

Disclaimer: Empress Dowager Cixi trademark / license is owned by August Gaming. This site is not endorsed by August Gaming.