Shikibu - Review, Demo Play, Payout, Free Spins & Bonuses

Introduction

Shikibu is an Asian-themed slot that’s packed with bonus features.

This free play Konami slots game features five reels and 30 paylines, giving players plenty of potential to land those matching symbol wins. In addition there are a couple of Konami’s trademark features, including Action Stacked Symbols and the Xtra Reward side bet.

What sets this slot apart is the free games feature, where players can choose their own volatility with a combination of free spins and multipliers.

There are 11 paytable symbols available, including royals 9-A and five game-related picture symbols.

There’s also a golden lotus wild that substitutes for all other symbols except the good luck scatter.

As if that wasn’t enough, the wild only appears on reel 3 as a split symbol, creating double the opportunities for winning spins.

With such a lot going on, even experienced players will appreciate playing a few risk-free demo mode spins.

This slot is also optimised for play on Apple and Android mobiles and tablets in portrait mode.

Theme, Graphics & Soundtrack

The beautiful woman who stares out at you from the reels is Murasaki Shikibu. Born in 973 during the glorious Heian period in Japan, she is considered to be Japan’s greatest novelist and one of the best in the world.

Her masterpiece, the Tale of the Gengi, was written during the years she spent as a lady-in-waiting to Empress Akiko. Extremely long and incredibly well detailed, it outlines the intrigues in the life of Prince Gengi and was an instant hit.

Konami have chosen to interpret Shikibu’s life through a series of Japanese good luck symbols. These are beautifully drawn as if in watercolour and ink on parchment.

So you’ll find a hero symbolising longevity and good fortune, the tortoise, who is associated with good luck, and a pile of gold ingots.

It’s just a shame that Konami didn’t put the same attention to detail into their sounds as they did into the aesthetics of this attractive game.

RTP & Volatility

Blending medium-high volatility and above average RTP of 96.06%, the high potential returns make this a slot for those who enjoy more of a risk.

How to Play Shikibu

1. As the game loads you’ll see a splash screen outlining the various bonus features.

2. The player interface runs under the reels. Click help on the left-hand end and select help/pay for all your game info, including paytable and paylines.

3. The help menu is where you’ll find sound controls and turbo play if you prefer to speed up your game.

4. Next to the Balance widget is the denomination menu - click or tap to adjust.

5. The simple autoplay menu lets you choose between 10 and 500 autospins.

6. Next choose your bets per line to arrive at a total bet you’re comfortable with or hit max bet to play at the highest stake available.

7. Before you hit the green spin button or start autospins, settle on a session budget that lets you enjoy your spins responsibly.

Min & Max Bets + Top Wins

Konami slots don’t generally offer players a wide range of stakes, and this game is no different.

Total bets played over all 30 fixed paylines are on the conservative side and run from a minimum 0.45 credits at bet level 1 to a maximum bet of 22.50 at bet level 2. With a plethora of multipliers and the double symbols on reel 3, this slot banks plenty of potential, and you won’t be surprised to hear the top win is 600,000 credits or that it’s incredibly slippery to land.

There are some generous five of a kind wins available in this slot, as follows:

- Shikibu pays 500x
- Heron pays 300x
- Turtle pays 150x
- Gold bars pay 100x
- Musical instrument pays 100x
- A & K pay 60x
- 9-Q pay 50x

Max-win 600,000x

Volatility High

Top RTP 96.06%

Bonus Features

Shikibu has plenty of bonus features that give this game excellent potential for any player.

The split symbol wild on reel 3 can be highly rewarding in the base game.

Action Stacked Symbols: this trademark Konami feature lands on reels 1, 2, 4 and 5.

Before any spin a certain number of adjacent reel spaces can be randomly replaced by any symbol except the wild and the scatter, creating stacked symbols.

Free spins feature: Land three or more scatters anywhere on the reels to trigger this feature. You can select from five different bonuses with differing volatility:

- Twenty free spins where wilds become 2x, 3x or 5x multipliers
- Ten free spins where wilds change to 5x, 8x or 10x multipliers
- Five free spins where wilds become 10x, 15x or 30x multipliers
- Three free spins where wilds become 15x, 30x or 40x multipliers
- Mystery spins and multipliers

Free spins can be retriggered.

Overall Review: Our Verdict

Shikibu is a delightful game with a terrific free spins feature that’s packed with the potential for significant, if hard to land, wins. There's plenty of value in this highly replayable slot.

The Geisha Story demo slot also has a side bet feature and some good potential, but Shikibu has the edge when it comes to winning big.

Disclaimer: Shikibu trademark / license is owned by Konami. This site is not endorsed by Konami.