Year of the Dog - Review, Demo Play, Payout, Free Spins & Bonuses

Introduction

Year of the Dog is a fun example of Genesis Gaming demo slots. Everything from the music to the graphics represents the traditional Chinese zodiac theme. Players may be intrigued by unusual touches, like the twist in the free spins bonus.

Graphics & Soundtrack 

There are plenty of visual clues to the theme of this slot. Most of the screen is used to show off the decorated, Chinese style hanging frame. There are also red and gold coins threaded through red tassels. 

The reel background is a dramatic black, which makes the coloured symbols seem to be floating. To celebrate wins the triggering icons glow, while others go dark.

You can expect to see a cute Shitzu dog dressed up in a Chinese outfit, which is the scatter. The wild is represented as a red Chinese character on a circular piece of wood. Then there’s an ingot, a set of gold coins, and a red lantern. 

The lower paid icons are drawn in a calligraphy style. Along with the Ace, King, Queen & Jack are the numbers nine and ten. 

The musical soundtrack switches back and forth between two traditional styles. Both are okay at first, but they soon become annoying.

Year of the Dog RTP and Variance

This game boasts an RTP rate of 97.04%, and pairs this with a high volatility level. 

How to Play Year of the Dog 

The controls for Year of the Dog sit neatly underneath the reels. Here’s a quick guide for anyone who needs it.

1. On the left hand side is bet and total bet. Bet has an arrow for players to use to choose their preferred bet level. Underneath that you’ll see the total bet displayed.
2. Next is the coin value control. This can be adjusted to suit your budget. 
3. You can find the autoplay button underneath the question mark, with an arrow in the centre. When autoplay is opened it reveals preset auto spin options of 5, 10, 25, 50, or continuous until you click the same button to end it. There are also stop limits for both winnings and losses.
4. The play button is the largest on the control panel.

Bet Sizes & Paytable Wins 

Setting up your bet is straightforward enough. Simply adjust the bet level icon to the level you prefer. The minimum bet size is 0.40 fun credits, and 400 per spin is the maximum.

Paytable data

The main symbols award a prize for between 2 - 5 matches, while the scatter and lower paying icons stick to the typical 3-5 target matches.

Here we are comparing only the rewards players rake in for matching five symbols.

• 5 scatters (Shitzu dogs) pay x800 credits
• 5 ingots pay x300 credits
• 5 stacks of gold coins pay x250 credits
• 5 red lanterns pay x200 credits
• 5 oranges pay x150 credits
• 5 A or K symbols pay x120 credits
• 5 Q, J, 10, or 9 symbols pay x100 credits

Max-win 2,560x

Volatility High

Top RTP 97.04%

Year of the Dog Bonus Features 

A slot with free spins is always popular. Luckily that’s the one special feature this slot offers, and it comes with a little twist.

Free spins bonus

Triggered by 3+ scatters, players have four options to choose from. Each choice offers a different kind of reward, and each has an element of chance. Ultimately your decision may depend on which bonus you value more. Will it be more free spins with lower multipliers, or the opposite?

Here’s what each option brings to the table.

Mystery Choice

Players are randomly awarded a number of free spins and a multiplier. This is a good option for people who find making decisions difficult!

Choice 1 

Offers either a x2 or x3 multiplier (randomly assigned)
3 scatters / 15 free spins
4 scatters / 22 free spins
5 scatters / 30 free spins

Choice 2 

Offers either a x2 or x4 multiplier (randomly assigned)
3 scatters / 12 free spins
4 scatters / 18 free spins
5 scatters / 25 free spins

Choice 3 

Offers either a x2 or x5 multiplier (randomly assigned)
3 scatters /10 free spins
4 scatters / 15 free spins
5 scatters / 20 free spins

During the free spins any wild on the screen animates and shows the multiplier awarded. This is applied to all wins when the free spins are used. If more than one multiplier appears they are multiplied by each other. For example, x5 & x5 & x5 = x125

Extra free spins are yours if the right number of scatters appear during the free spins. You need 2-5 scatters to be awarded 5-20 additional free turns.

Year of the Dog Review

Year of the Dog is like a polished version of a traditional slot. It’s not the wildest or most generous game out there, but it’s got enough plus points to get by. If you’d like to continue playing with the animal theme give The Dog House slot a go. This time you get actual pups, and a pile of extra features to go with them.
 

Disclaimer: Year of the Dog trademark / license is owned by Genesis. This site is not endorsed by Genesis.