Kingdoms Rise: Scorching Clouds Demo Slot - Review, Demo Play, Payout, Free Spins & Bonuses

Introduction

You’ll see as soon as you open the game that this slot doesn’t have a traditional layout. The 5x5 grid is larger than average and doesn’t have paylines. Instead, you win when four or more matching symbols touch each other horizontally or vertically (not diagonally) in what are known as cluster pays. When you do this, the winning symbols will disappear and new ones will tumble to take their place, meaning you could have multiple payouts from a single spin.

There are four low-paying gems on the paytable, then three steampunk tools, then three characters at the top. Other symbols include a Wild and Free Games Scatter, as well as collectable dragon eggs. These dragon eggs can create more Wilds or trigger dragon re-spins. Wilds can also become Spreading Wilds for extra chances to win.

One feature specific to the Kingdoms Rise series is the ability to collect tokens. These can be used to purchase features from the Kingdoms Rise shop.

If that all sounds good, give the free demo of this slot a try. Demo slots are an important way to practise before gambling real money.

Theme & Story

Playtech has released six Kingdoms Rise slots so far, including Kingdoms Rise: Sands of Fury. Scorching Clouds is based in Celestria, a floating empire that maintains its flight due to the power of dragon’s egg crystals.

The aesthetic of Celestria is decidedly steampunk. It’s a combination of old-fashioned style with inventive science fiction technology. There’s an incredibly detailed 3D background and an engineer character with tons of personality. If there’s one complaint, it’s that the large 5x5 layout means a lot of symbols on display at once, which can make things a little confusing.

RTP & Volatility

Most sites will list this slot’s RTP as 96.5%, which is satisfying but doesn’t tell the whole story. Depending on where and how you’re playing, it may vary. The minimum RTP is 93.93%, with an extra 3% coming from the Kingdoms Rise tokens. This means that the maximum RTP, including tokens and a jackpot contribution, is an above average 97.06%. Medium to high volatility means wins may not be as frequent as you’d like, but they’ll still be semi-regular and offer some decent prizes.

How to Play

Once you’ve opened the game, you’ll want to get playing as fast as possible. Here’s how it works:

1. If you’re being really cautious, you’ll set yourself a budget and win and loss limits before you even sit down.

2. Then click the little “i” at the bottom left of the screen. There are pages that explain cluster pays, the paytable and special symbols and bonus features.

3. For more detail on the game rules, click the question mark at the very bottom right of the screen, next to the volume control.

4. Now you can close the menu and return to the main game screen. Next to the “i” are the plus and minus signs of the bet adjustor. Choose your stake.

5. To the right there’s a little play button for autoplay. If you want to spin automatically, you can choose a set number of automatic spins or keep it going until a bonus feature is triggered.

6. Next is the lightning bolt. Again, it’s up to you whether you want to activate quickplay, which will speed things up but comes with less animation.

7. You’ve familiarised yourself with the rules, and you’ve adjusted your settings: now all you need to do is click spin and enjoy the game responsibly.

Bet & Win Sizes

When you adjust your bet, you can choose between a minimum of 0.1 and a maximum of 2000. Maximum wins come when you have a cluster of ten or more symbols:

10+ Gems = 2x-9x

10+ Wrenches = 30x

10+ Hammers = 30x

10+ Telescopes = 40x

10+ Engineers = 60x

10+ Knights = 60x

10+ Empresses = 100x

Max-win 163x

Volatility High

Top RTP 96.50%

Bonus Features & Free Spins

Spreading Wilds

When Wilds or dragon eggs land on a highlighted position, Wilds can spread between two and four other spaces.

Free Games

Three or more Scatter symbols trigger a choice of Knight or Empress Free Games. The Knight offers medium-volatility spins; the Empress is high volatility.

Three Scatters - eight Knight Free Games or five Empress Free Games

Four Scatters - ten Knight Free Games or six Empress Free Games

Five Scatters - 12 Knight Free Games or seven Empress Free Games

During Knight Free Games, a hammer symbol next to a knight will turn into another knight. During Empress Free Games, the hammer, wrench or telescope will turn into Empress symbols if they land next to an Empress.

Dragon Egg Re-spins

Collecting six dragon eggs means you’ll be awarded six re-spins. During a re-spins round, cascades will reverse so winning clusters stay in position and non-winning symbols fall and are replaced.

Kingdoms Rise Shop

Tokens can appear on any symbol. Collect them to spend in the Kingdoms Rise Shop. For the right number of tokens, you can buy extra dragon egg re-spins, Knight Free Games or Empress Free Games. You can also buy features for any other Kingdoms Rise game.

Overall Review

This is a distinctive slot with its own look and gameplay. The cluster pays feature sets it apart even from other Kingdoms Rise slots. Placed alongside the numerous extra features, there’s a lot to recommend Scorching Clouds. The medium-high volatility means it can take time to hit wins or trigger bonuses, but when you do the returns are good. If you like it, why not try other Playtech demo slots?

Disclaimer: Kingdoms Rise: Scorching Clouds trademark / license is owned by Playtech. This site is not endorsed by Playtech.