Epic Ape Slot - Review, Demo Play, Payout, Free Spins & Bonuses

Introduction

When you first open Playtech's Epic Ape, you see some beautifully drawn animals, including a frog, a lizard and panther. There's a diamond and a Free Games scatter. Just one thing: where's the ape? He seems to have gone AWOL!

Start spinning, and he soon shows up - a huge gorilla on a red background with a mean look about him. His habitat is a misty and mysterious forest, with thick plant tendrils draped across from one tree to another and light filtering through the tree canopy to the ferns below, while insects flutter through the air.

Although the setting is primeval, this game is full of modern thrills! For a start, it's a six-reeler with a total of 4096 ways to win and stacked wilds. Let's take a look.

How to Win

The gorilla isn't wild, but he's not exactly tame, either. There is simply no way he is going to be confined to one or two measly reels. He can rampage his way onto any of the six reels, and when he does, he can stack himself up, both in the main game and in the free games feature. As he's quite clearly the boss, he's the highest paying symbol, paying out as follows: 6 = 300, 5 = 250, 4 = 200, 3 = 150 and 2 = 40.

One good thing about this game is that the animal symbols all pay out when they appear anywhere from two to six times; that's five chances, compared to the four seen in five-reel games. The leopard and the jaguar pay as follows: 6 = 250, 5 = 200, 4 = 150, 3 = 50 and 2 = 15. The frog and the lizard pay as follows: 6 = 200, 5 = 150, 4 = 80, 3 = 40 and 2 = 10.

When it comes to the playing cards, Ace and King pay: 6 = 150, 5 = 100, 4 = 40 and 3 = 20. The Queen and Jack pay 6 = 120, 5 = 80, 4 = 30 and 3 = 0. The ten and nine pay: 6 = 100, 5 = 80, 4 = 20 and 3 = 10.

The Free Games Scatter

The sign "FREE GAMES" must appear in any position on reels three, four, five or six. This will trigger the free games feature, where you can win a possible 100 free games. The number of free games you get is defined by the number of scatters you have when the feature is triggered. During the free games, you can win more free games, which is always a favourite feature with gamers.

In the base game, the free games amount is tied to the number of times the "Free Spins" appears; 3 = 8 free games, 4 = 15 free games, 5 = 25 free games, and 6 = 100 free games.

During the free games feature, the extra free games you can win are also dependent on the number of times "Free Spins" appears; 2 = 5 free games, 3 = 8 free games, 4 = 15 free games, 5 = 25 free games, and 6 = 100 free games. In Epic Ape, you can trigger free games infinitely. That's Playtech's own word - "infinitely". Of course, you'd have to eat at some point or they'd find a skeleton hunched over the phone.

Free spins on free spins is a great feature and one that Playtech Slots often include. Other games designers should copy it because players always feel a bit shortchanged when a game stops you winning more free spins during a free spins feature.

The Diamond Wild in Epic Ape

The Diamond wild also has a role during the Free Spins game. When it substitutes for a symbol, it can multiply any of your wins by two, three or five. This is a really great feature that will definitely have players coming back for more.

In the main game, the Diamond doesn't appear on reel one, but it can appear on all or any of the others. The diamond substitutes for any other symbol except the "FREE GAMES" scatter and will be used to give you the best possible win.

The balance is always shown at the bottom left of the screen next to the cherries symbol.

The Return to Player (RTP) is 95.96%, but Playtech rightly points out that this a theoretical return percentage. You'd have to play thousands - if not hundreds of thousands - of times to get exactly that figure. In one playing session, you may do much better or worse.

How to Bet on Epic Ape

There's a fixed number of betting lines at 40. This means that your coin value multiplied by 40 equals your total bet. Although you can't alter the number of lines you bet on, you can alter the total bet using the + or - buttons below the "Total Bet" sign. You can also alter the coin value that you're wagering with, from 0.01 to 2.00. Again, the control buttons to do this are underneath the Coin Value display. If you're at the top value, the + button is dimmed; if you're at the bottom value, the - button is dimmed.

All 4096 bet ways are activated on all six reels. Any combination of winning symbols on reels that are next to each other, counting from left to right beginning with reel one on the left, will pay. The position on the reel doesn't matter; the only exception to this is the FREE GAMES scatter. Wins are calculated by multiplying coins bet by the multiplier listed in the paytable.

Max-win 300x

Volatility Medium

Top RTP 95.96%

Other Slots You'll Enjoy

If you love Epic Ape, you love these animal slots

At Slots Temple, you'll find loads of animal-themed slots already sorted for you to browse through. Just click on Themes on the red menu ribbon at the top of the page, then find the "Animals" symbol. You'll see all the free slots you can play if you love animals.

The range is amazing. Some are realistic and natural, featuring beautifully drawn creatures, while others are cartoons. The range of animals featured goes from horses, cockerels, ducks, kittens, cows and pigs to lions, tigers, pandas, elephants, buffalos and kangaroos. Fish and birds also feature, so it's well worth taking a look through this category.

You'll find IGT's Siberian Storm, which has stunning visuals of tigers. It's not a new game. In fact, it has its origins in land-based casinos, but it's had an online gaming makeover and an excellent soundtrack added. With a free spins bonus game and extra free spins possible during this feature, the Multiway Xtra feature, multipliers and stacked wilds, you won't need to be a tiger lover to get your teeth into this one.

Great Blue is another great offering from Playtech, but this one has just five reels. It's full of sea creatures, including angel fish, seahorses, starfish, a killer whale, a shark, a turtle and an oyster with a pearl in it. Even the playing cards have bubbles rising from them! The gameplay has some similarities to Epic Ape, so if you enjoyed the free spins and multipliers in this game, you'll love Great Blue. However, one difference is that Great Blue has a Gamble game as well; choose the colour of a playing card and you're in a game of double or quits in a great extra feature.

Jungle Giants slot is another game from Playtech, this time with the focus on the big guys: elephants, hippos and gorillas, to name just a few. They get even bigger during the free spins round, taking up a 3x3 slot on the reels. The wins are big, too; the maximum is 1,000 times your bet. This slot looks very different from your run-of-the-mill 5x3 game and is definitely worth taking a look at.

As for the Dalai Panda, you have to love any slot with such a clever name. This panda has a beard and an affable expression. While actual pandas are a bit limited - after the bamboo chewing, they move on to some more bamboo chewing - Dalai Panda is game for anything! Specifically, what iSoftBet does with the reels is enough to make you want to lie down in a darkened room or head for the bamboo. Reels get pulled together to make bigger wins, and there are two reel sets with 2x27 different chances to win. Our panda is above it all - literally - as he's levitating gently on a cloud.

Buffalo is the slot that really helped to establish Aristocrat as a major force in the gaming world, and although it's been around for ages, it's still extremely popular. It started out on physical machines in bricks-and-mortar casinos, but when games started moving online, Buffalo led the charge. The scatter is a gold coin. When this shows up between three and five times, there are up to 20 free games. During the free games, when sunsets appear on reels 2 to 4, there's a win multiplier. You can retrigger free games during free games, and get extra free games if two of the coins show up during a free game. With its nice theme of North American and Canadian wildlife and great gameplay, it’s no wonder it has remained so popular. Join the stampede and give it a go!

Anyone who owns a dog will know they cost a fortune, so Fortune Dogs that reward the owner represent a welcome change! We're definitely in cartoon land here, but you can recognise the breeds: there's a drooling bulldog, a Schnauzer wearing a straw hat, a Chihuahua with a bow tie, a bloodhound police officer, and a gorgeous white Maltese with a pink bow in her freshly groomed hair, a pink necklace and a little pink tongue peeping out. The dogs yap and their identity discs multiply when they are winners. It’s great fun!

Epic Ape Tactics and Strategy

As always with online slots, there is only so much of a strategy that players can have. Old hands may say differently, but whatever way you look at it, there is always a large element of luck and chance involved. However, one really good tip is to play for free before betting any cash. This allows you to familiarise yourself with a game, work out some tactics and also see how often bonus features are likely to be triggered. Even when you do start to bet with real money, it is always wise to start off small and work your way up when you are comfortable with a game’s unique twists and turns.

Epic Ape Free Play

This game can be played completely for free at a range of sites, including here at Slots Temple. Doing this is always a great idea. Even if you are a very experienced player, it is good to get to know a game before parting with any of your hard-earned cash. This is especially true for higher volatility games and those with as many bonus and free spin combinations as Epic Ape. Playing for free also lets you enjoy the story, theme and graphics of a game more, without the pressure of winning or losing!

Disclaimer: Epic Ape trademark / license is owned by Playtech. This site is not endorsed by Playtech.