Secrets of Shangai - Review, Demo Play, Payout, Free Spins & Bonuses

We are treading the streets of one of China’s most exotic cities in Secrets of Shanghai, an online slot from game designer 888.

It is played on a 5x3 reel set that has 25 fixed betways paying left to right.
If you are looking for features, 888 have shoehorned in as many as they can in this easy-to-play game. First, the titular tile acts as a wild, substituting for all symbols apart from the scatter symbol. It also pays out when at last two appear on the reels.

The lamp is the scatter symbol, and it also pays when at least three land anywhere on the reels. It also acts as a trigger for free spins. When three, four or five are in position, the player is rewarded with eight free spins, and more free games can be re-triggered in this phase of the game.

There is yet another bonus in this mode since three other symbols take on the qualities of the Secrets of Shanghai symbol, act as wilds and pay the same amount as the original wild when appearing two, three, four or five times.

Apart from the wild and the scatter, there are a total of ten paying symbols. In order of value, the first six are Girl, Pearl Tower, Yuyuan Garden, China Art Museum, Shanghai Tower, and the Round Building. These are supplemented by the lower-value card symbols ranging from Ace down to Jack.

If you are fan of this designer’s work, you can find other 888 Slots free play slots here at Slots Temple. If the city itself is one of your favorites, why not try a game with more pay lines, such as the Shanghai Nights slot also found at Slots Temple.

Theme, Graphics & Soundtrack 

This Asian themed slot has some beautifully designed symbols representing some of the most famous buildings in Shanghai. We also have a lovely guide to show us around. The lower-paying card symbols have an oriental twist to suit the game.

The reels are set on a stunning line drawing depicting the city that is reminiscent of a Stephen Wiltshire cityscape.
Meanwhile, the soundtrack is a gentle theme featuring traditional stringed instruments such as the Erhu and the Guzheng.

Here at Slots Temple, you can find many other examples of an Asian-inspired slot by searching by theme.

Secrets of Shanghai RTP and Variance 

There is no official published RTP for this slot, although some reviews place it in a range of 94% to 97%, which is not especially useful. Unfortunately, players may have to rely on the free mode available here to get some idea for themselves. Similarly, there is no official variance rating, but after extended play, we would suggest this is a medium-variance slot.
How to Play Secrets of Shanghai

The game is self-explanatory, but here are a few tips to guide you around the landmarks to look out for.

1. Once the game opens, you will find the “i” icon in the far left bottom corner. Click to reveal a new set of screens.
2. First up is the pay table. Click on the right arrow to see the lower-paying symbols.
3. Click right again to find a description of wild and scatter symbols, and how they pay.
4. The next screen explains free spins.
5. Move on to the next screen for a brief explanation of the rules.
6. The last of this set of screens shows thumbnails of the 25 paylines.
7. Close these screens and return to the game.
8. Below the first reel, you will find the bet window, where you can adjust your total beet with the “+” and “-“ icons.
9.  Moving along to the right, you will find auto spin, which can be set to an infinite amount.
10. You are all set to go - simply hit the spin button.

Keep in mind that you can play Secrets of Shanghai for free here at Slots Temple, and we suggest you take advantage of this opportunity to check out the game before playing for real at a casino. Once playing for cash, a budget for each session and play responsibly.

Bet Sizes & Pay Table Wins 

You can place bets in a range from 0.25 to 250.

The pay table is as follows:

Wild
X5 = x750
X4 = x150
X3 = x50
X2 = x10

Girl
X5 = x500
X4 = x100
X3 = x40
X2 = x5

Pearl Tower
X5 = x400
X4 = x60
X3 = x30

Yuyuan Garden
X5 = x300
X4 = x50
X3 = x20

China Art Museum
X5 = x200
X4 = x40
X3 = x15

Shanghai Tower
X5 = x200
X4 = x40
X3 = x15

Round Building
X5 = x150
X4 = x30
X3 = x10

Ace
X5 = x150
X4 = x30
X3 = x10

King
X5 = x100
X4 = x20
X3 = x5

Queen
X5 = x100
X4 = x20
X3 = x5

Jack
X5 = x100
X4 = x20
X3 = x5
X2 = x2

Scatter
X5 = x50
X4 = x15
X3 = x3

Note that scatter wins are multiplied by the total bet.

Secrets of Shanghai Free Spins 

Eight free spins are triggered by the appearance of three, four or five scatter symbols, and these can be re-triggered at any point in this phase of the game.
The pay table remains the same except that the Girl, Pearl Tower and Yuyuan Garden act as wilds and also pay out as a wild.

Secrets of Shanghai Review 

This is an enjoyable game from 888, and we liked both the mechanics and the design. The features can be rewarding, especially the extra wilds in free spins that inevitably increase chances of winning lines.
Our main gripe is the lack of an official RTP and the fact that free spins can be hard to trigger.
 

Disclaimer: Secrets of Shangai trademark / license is owned by 888 Slots. This site is not endorsed by 888 Slots.