Taisho Samurai - Review, Demo Play, Payout, Free Spins & Bonuses

Taisho Samurai Review - Introduction 

This anime style slot is a sight to behold! Not only is it one of the best looking that you’ll play, but it has a generous and detailed paytable. A red samurai leads the way offering the biggest prizes, followed by a geisha, a wizard and a wrestler.

Letters, numbers and playing cards occupy the rest of the paytable. Taisho Samurai has a headline free spins bonus round, but that isn’t even its best feature! An energy bar occupies the space beneath the reels. Fill this with enough wilds and you’ll launch a bonus game.

With so many features, it’s a little disappointing that Taisho Samurai only comes with 9 paylines. The slot has five reels, these show three symbols each and all winning combinations link from left to right.

Taisho Samurai is one of the most impressive games around, so head to Manna Play slots to experience its unique thrills.

Theme, Graphics and Design

The world of Taisho Samurai feels alive. The reels are smaller than average and occupy the top right-hand side of the screen. In the bottom left you’ll see a courtyard in what looks to be a palace or temple. Animated figures stroll through the square in traditional dress, going about their daily errands.

It might not sound like much, but that second screen is so detailed, and the figures so well designed, that we would have been quite happy just watching Taisho Samurai’s world go by! Some of the characters hurry, others are more sedate - the world really does proceed at its own pace, almost independent of the player.

Music matches the busy vibe perfectly. It’s a classically Eastern mix of strings and the occasional drum. Taisho Samurai can seem slightly confusing when it first loads (it feels counterintuitive that the reels are so small) but once you get used to it this game is genuinely impressive.

Taisho Samurai RTP and Variance

Taisho Samurai straddles the boundary between medium and high volatility, and its RTP is 96.24%. The top win is very disappointing at just x540.

How to Play Taisho Samurai

Strange as it might appear at first glance, Taisho Samurai isn’t too hard to learn.

1. Start by exploring the main menu. You can access it by pressing the icon on the left, just below the animated screen.
2. This section contains everything from the paytable to how the bonus features work, plus payline configurations.
3. Bet controls can be quite difficult to locate, but look for the casino chip button. You can choose a preferred stake from the list.
4. A fireball icon turns turbo spin on. That will make the reels spin much faster but you can turn it off again by clicking the same button.
5. Autoplay is accessed via the icon that resembles a clock. You can choose up to 250 rounds.
6. Work out a sensible budget and then press play to spring the samurais into action!

Bet & Win Sizes

The maximum bet on Taisho Samurai is 90 but you can start lower with just 4.5. Red Samurai warriors are responsible for the biggest wins. Landing x5 of these symbols pays out Taisho Samurai’s top line win of x120.

Here’s what the other characters and symbols pay.

Five red samurais = x120

Five geishas = x 40

Five wizards = x 20

Five wrestlers = x 16

Five As = x 4

Five Ks = x 4

Five Qs = x 3.20

Five Js = x 3.20

Five 10s = x 2.40

Five 9s = x 2.40

Taisho Samurai only has 9 paylines, which is a slight letdown. The top win is smaller than we would have liked at just x450. It won’t be easy to win, either.

Taisho Samurai Bonus Features

Taisho Samurai’s unique design comes to the fore during the bonus features.

Free spins

Free spins are the simpler of the two. Free spin symbols show an old fashioned steam train, and spins are awarded depending on how many of these you can land. Collecting just 3 awards 10 free spins and there are 15 rounds for 4. If you manage to max out the symbols to 5 you’ll win 20 free spins!

Any free spin wins also give you a chance to fight Ronin King, a special event that awards additional prizes. Knock him down to boost your winnings!

Bonus game

This feature is a little more complex. There’s an energy bar underneath the reels. Every wild symbol fills the bar and, if you manage to get it to the top, a bonus game will trigger. You’ll have to fight the fearsome Ronin King in a one on one battle! Knock him out and you'll be rewarded!

Our Verdict

Taisho Samurai is more like a film than an online slot. Its background is heavily populated with a unique cast of characters. This is one of those rare settings that feels like it would continue to live even if the player wasn’t there to watch!

Beneath the sense of calm lurk some brilliant features. Free spins are welcome (especially with 20 available), but the bonus game is Taisho Samurai’s most memorable feature. Ronin King is a formidable foe, so defeating him in combat feels especially sweet.

Taisho Samurai would have benefited from a few more paylines, but it’s otherwise beyond reproach.

You can take your samurai training one step further on the Kawa: The Neon Samurai slot - start training at Slots Temple!
 

Disclaimer: Taisho Samurai trademark / license is owned by Manna Play. This site is not endorsed by Manna Play.