Sakura Wind - Review, Demo Play, Payout, Free Spins & Bonuses

Introduction

Sakura Wind is a fantasy themed slot with 13 symbols spread across 5x3 reels. Winning combinations form from left to right, and the number of paylines is fixed at 20. The three highest paying symbols all have human designs; a bearded old man, a samurai and a geisha. Mid tier symbols consist of a golden dragon, a cat and a koi. The lower paying symbols are all letters and numbers.

Two special symbols add a touch of excitement. Chinese dragon scatters award free spins, and wilds appear on reels 2-5. They substitute for all symbols apart from scatter, and promise much bigger wins.

It’s the respin feature that makes this slot especially interesting. Landing a stack of any 3 symbols on the first reel triggers 2 respins. The stacked symbols lock in place, as do any wilds, and the reels spin again. This is a fantastically exciting feature, and it’s thrilling to watch winning combinations lock in place.

If you want to give this feature a try, and get a taste of Sakura Wind for free, you can do so at Platipus Gaming demo slots, where the game is available to try in demo mode.

Theme, Graphics & Soundtrack

As you might expect from a fantasy themed slot, Sakura Wind has a dreamlike quality which is instantly appealing. The palette of soft reds, pinks and golds carried us away to a far off kingdom of myth and magic.

We loved the overall aesthetic, and the colour scheme is easy on the eye. The higher paying symbols are especially well designed, in particular the dragon wild and the cartoon characters. The koi and the baby dragon are cute, and we also appreciated the soft pink, cherry blossom background.

Winning combinations are framed in gold and sparkle across the screen, which feels nicely satisfying. The only complaint we have is with the sound, or lack thereof. Sound effects are incredibly basic, and the slot would certainly have benefited from some music.

Sakura Wind RTP & Volatility

Information on volatility was not available at time of writing, but we can tell you that Sakura Wind has an RTP of 94% and a maximum win of x50,000. Of course, massive wins like that are (unfortunately!) very rare, and shouldn't be counted on.

How to play Sakura Wind

With its fantastical theme and array of characters, Sakura Wind might seem a little daunting at first. We’ve put together this quick guide to help you get started.

1. When the slot loads, press the menu button (three horizontal lines) at the bottom left of the screen. This opens the main menu.

2. From here you can press “info” to read the game rules, and familiarise yourself with the various bonus features.

3. Select “paytable” to access the paytable, where you can see information on symbol value and paylines.

4. Close the main menu to return to the slot.

5. If you want to speed up the reels, turbo spin is located at the bottom right of the screen, next to the spin button.

6. Autoplay is located just above turbo spin, and you can set autospins up to a maximum of 100 with loss/win limits.

7. Adjust your wager using the arrow in the “line bet” box.

8. Set your budget, press play, and always enjoy Sakura Wind responsibly!

Bet & Win Sizes

Sakura Wind has a minimum bet size of 0.20 and a maximum of 40. The highest possible single line win for x5 matching symbols is x500.

Let’s take a look at the maximum payouts for x5 matching symbols.

Five old men - x500

Five ninjas = x250

Five geishas = x175

Five dragons = x150

Five gold cats = x125

Five koi = x100

Five As = x75

Five Ks = x75

Five Qs = x75

Five Js = x50

Five 10s = x50

Paylines are fixed at 20, and the maximum win possible stands at a very impressive x50,000. A gigantic win like that, though, is incredibly rare on any slot.

Sakura Wind bonus features

Sakura Wind’s bonus features are certainly its biggest draw. Let’s take a look at how they work.

Free spins

Free spins are triggered by landing at least 3 scatter symbols anywhere on consecutive reels. The more scatters you land, the more free spins you’ll earn. Three scatters grants 10 free spins, 4 awards 20, and if you’re lucky enough to land 5 scatters you’ll get an impressive 30 free spins.

Respin feature

If the player manages to stack any 3 symbols on the first reel, they’ll be awarded 2 respins. The stacked symbols lock in place, along with any wilds, and the reels spin again. Winnings are paid after the last respin.

Conclusion

Sakura Wind is a magical offering from Platipus Gaming, who have done an incredible job of creating a slot which is great to look at and hides some exciting features beneath its colourful exterior.

We were big fans of the respin feature. It’s really exciting to watch winning combinations lock in place as the reels spin, and since this feature only requires 3 stacked symbols of any kind, it doesn’t feel like one of those bonuses which are incredibly hard to trigger.

Free spins only add to the appeal, and with 30 up for grabs, there really is no reason not to venture into this magical realm and give Sakura Wind a try. We would have liked some better sound effects and some background music, but the bonus features and overall aesthetic of the game more than make up for this.

If you enjoy fantasy themed slots, you can find many more, including the magical Koi Princess slot demo, right here at Slots Temple!

Disclaimer: Sakura Wind trademark / license is owned by Platipus Gaming. This site is not endorsed by Platipus Gaming.