Taiwan Black Bear - Review, Demo Play, Payout, Free Spins & Bonuses

Introduction 

The likes of KA Gaming's Nine Lucks slot have shown that this developer can be creative with familiar themes. The 50-payline Taiwan Black Bear is not just another Asian slot. There are four rows to accompany the five reels rather than a traditional three, and the free spins round comes with its own super wild feature. The theme really comes to life when you try to help the bear avoid being stung by a bee in the Running Bear Bonus.

Theme, Graphics & Soundtrack 

When you hear “Asian-themed slot” you may be expecting something heavy with lots of red and gold. Taiwan Black Bear does something a bit different by taking you to a light and airy natural scene. Transparent reels reveal rolling hills in soft colours, each carpeted in thick greenery. The frame for the reels is slender pieces of bamboo capped with a thatched roof; the symbols include brightly coloured fruits, insects and other pieces of nature. It’s a bit like taking a refreshing walk out in the countryside, even though a man armed with a crossbow adds a slightly more dangerous note. Even the black bears of the title are smiling cartoon figures - not dangerous predators.

Taiwan Black Bear RTP and Variance

There are a few ways to get a feel for a slot and its likely returns. You could try a free play demo, but you can also take a look at the RTP and variance to see how previous sessions have averaged out for other players. An RTP of 96% is a sign you’re off to a good start, though high variance with its increased risk may appeal more to the high rollers. As always, the results of each individual spin will be random.

How to Play Taiwan Black Bear

This layout will be familiar to anyone who’s played KA Gaming slots before:

1. The game helps you out by opening the bet window for you. It will display all possible bet levels so you can choose what’s best, allowing for your overall budget.
2. Setting a budget means watching your total balance, which appears at the bottom of the screen with your current bet and most recent win. Remember not to chase losses. 
3. To understand the slot better you need to view the rules, paytable and features. You’ll find them behind the info button, which is under the reels and over towards the right. 
4. Then there are a few settings you may want to play with before you start spinning. The menu linked at the top right of the screen includes mute and full screen buttons. You can also use it to open your game history - something very useful for staying on top of your budget, wins and time spent playing.
5. There’s no in-built time-out or reality check function in Taiwan Black Bear, but you shouldn’t become so engrossed that you lose track of how long you’ve been playing. Take regular breaks and clear your head to make sure you’re still making sensible decisions.
6. That goes for if you decide to use regular spins, going one turn at a time, or if you hold the spin button down for autoplay to keep them spinning until you hit stop. Autoplay can make it much harder to stick to your limits.
7. Playing should be fun, and that means being responsible and keeping things under control.

When the fun stops, stop.

Bet & Win Sizes

Open the bet window and you’ll be presented with options ranging from a 0.50 minimum to a 250.00 maximum, with plenty in between.

The two lowest-value symbols pay from two matches, but the others all need at least three. The highest payouts come from five, which with a minimum bet looks like this:

Hill - 0.30

Acorns - 0.50

Building - 0.80

Hunter - 1.00

Bee, Fruit, Scatter - 1.50

Honeypot - 2.50

Fish - 3.00

Deer - 4.00

Bears - 8.00

Max-win 800x

Volatility High

Top RTP 96%

Taiwan Black Bear Bonus Features

Free Games

They’re one of the most popular of bonus features, and for good reason. Like many slots, Taiwan Black Bear has a free games round that you can trigger by finding three or more scatters.

3 scatters = 15 free games.

4 scatters = 20 free games.

5 scatters = 25 free games.

During the free games round, exceptionally lucky players may manage to find the super wild. This is like a regular wild symbol in that it substitutes for regular symbols, but it is expanded to cross two, three or even four reels.

Running Bear Bonus

When you increase your bet you increase your chance of triggering the Running Bear Bonus, as well as increasing the size of any potential prize. All you have to do in this engagingly themed bonus round is rescue the bear from a stinging bee, at which point you will be rewarded in coins.

Taiwan Black Bear Review

Taiwan Black Bear is a charming looking slot that makes you feel like you’re out there on that hillside getting closer to nature. It’s a beautiful world with a distinct feel, and that makes it a pleasure to play even before you get to the fun but not ground-breaking gameplay and bonuses. The addition of the super wilds to the free spins round is of particular note.

Disclaimer: Taiwan Black Bear trademark / license is owned by KA Gaming. This site is not endorsed by KA Gaming.