CHI - NZ Review, Demo Play, Payout, Free Spins & Bonuses

Introduction to CHI

You’re in the foothills of the mountains and with hilltop temples in view and a light breeze blowing, there is a real-life feel to this slot. Legend has it that there is a hidden city of treasure lurking at the top of the Himalayas, promising riches you never thought possible. We definitely found the treasure, in a place we thought was just going to be about the picture-perfect view. With CHI, what you are getting is another free ELK Studios slots experience which promises graphics that are as good as the thrill of the win. We weren’t prepared for this game. There are lots of Asian style slots on the market combining authentic graphics and sound with a traditional reel feel. CHI goes much further though than games like the Paws of Fury free slot in that the screen, from reels to scenery, options and features, shout (or rather whisper) quality.

We liked the graphics right from loading, as our two heroes Chi and Mow flew in on clouds and guided us into the middle of a mysterious mountain range. It’s nice to be taken to exactly where you need to be, we thought. As they fly off to leave you to your quest, you realise you really are at the top of a mountain. Cherry blossom trees sway gently either side of the screen, dropping petals. Other mountain-top temples are just far away enough not to realise you’re about to take as much treasure as you can get back down the slopes. This slot was pleasantly different in that, whilst it’s a 5 reels slot, these reels spin horizontally and come housed in a really well designed Asian-style structure, with pillars either side and an ornamental tiled roof. There are also two smaller totems with reels of their own. Add this to a subtle mist effect and you have got the real mountain top experience here.

Payout Ratio (or RTP) of CHI Slot

Elk has decided to give this game a return to player percentage of 96. This middle of the road figure means that for every 100 you wager, the average you can expect back is 96. It’s OK, in that it’s a fairly average score, but even so, there are some big wins to be had on this slot, which for us evens the score.

How to Play CHI Slots

We were mainly playing for the thrill of getting a win, it has to be said, and we were not disappointed. Placing a maximum bet up here in the mountains can bag you as much as 250,000. Worth the climb, we say.

This slot is fairly straightforward to get into. Choose your wager by selecting the coin symbol in the bottom left, then hit the start button in the bottom right and your reels spin into life.

There are free spin, bonus and wild symbols to be had among the multi-coloured symbols which make up the reels. On one of the pillars to the side is a multiplier ladder going from 2x to 5x. Again with this slot, you keep realising there are hidden extras - there are two mini totems sitting to the side and separate from the main one. Each of these has three horizontal reels of their own and relate to Chi, the fire spirit and Mow, the wind spirit. If any of these totems, which spin at the same time as the main reels, line up, expect a profitable visit from either of our heroes. Not only did they fly us in, it seems they are also here to give us an extra helping hand. To complete the screen, there are options to choose in each of the four corners. An information option where you’ll find a surprising amount of usefully laid out detail including payouts, features, bonuses and our favourite strategy options section. Then there’s an option to choose your wager amounts, an autoplay button and of course, the play button as well as balance details.

CHI Game Volatility

By Elk’s own measurements, CHI comes in with a volatility rate of 9 out of 10. So with such a high score, it does mean you might have to wait for a few spins, but the wins will definitely come. Remembering the possible 12,500x bet return definitely kept us focused.

How To Win at CHI Slots

Line up anywhere between 3, 4, or 5 of the symbols, and your pot will start filling up nicely. The symbols are a colourful collection of Asian decorations, with the top win being a lotus flower. Getting 5 of these will give an 8x payout, which is top of the tree. Next are the green lanterns paying up to 4.8x, oil lamps award 4x and oriental fans at 3x. Completing the picture are various colourful symbols netting you up to 2x.

Winning at CHI is also made that little bit easier thanks to a mouth-watering array of paylines. Think of a payout pattern and Elk has already included it, and there are 27 different combinations. Add this to the fact that paylines here go both ways and we were suddenly up to 57 different win combinations.

Winning bigger amounts can be achieved using the multiple bet levels, with a choice of 12 different options from 0.2 to 20.0. To win the highest possible on this game, use a 20.0 wager and you might just end up with 250,000, thanks to the huge multipliers in operation.

Max-win 12,500x

Volatility High

Top RTP 96

CHI Bonus Features

There are plenty to choose from here. The diagrams showing you which paylines are available look like they’ve been designed by someone who wants you to completely empty the treasure pot. There are 27 paylines which go both ways, meaning there’s actually 54 in total.

Once the reels have been spinning, like us, you might get curious and also start testing out the different strategies that CHI has pre-designed for you. There are multiple options here. Betting a percentage from your balance, raising your bet level by 1 each time either after a win or a loss, or after 5 losses on the bounce. All in all, these strategies can be activated easily and were a good addition to the game.

Then there are the two totems. Line up Chi’s totem on the left and 1 to 6 wild symbols will come your way, which in-play are sticky. Line up Mo’s to the right and bag between a 2x and 5x multiplier for your trouble.

There are also the wild, bonus and free spins features. Line up 3 bonus symbols and the main event in this game, Stairway to Fortune, will be activated. The wild option will substitute itself for any symbol except the bonus. With free spins, if you get three or more of these, you get 3 spins, and these have the possibility to be retriggered.

The key here to making your trip worthwhile with this slot is to trigger the Stairway to Fortune feature, which you’ll get to by landing three of the bonus symbols. Here, you will get Chi and Mow working in tandem to get you to the top of the staircase. With Mow producing random numbers from 1 to 6, Mow will move up the corresponding amount of steps. What you’re looking for here is Mow to get right to the summit before Chi announces a “collect”. With 5 fortune wheels spinning alongside the multipliers Chi and Mow have helped you bag, things can get very interesting. Your target is to hit the arrow symbol which is on the top wheel - meaning you will have just won a 10,000x multiplier!

CHI Strategy and Tips

Surprisingly for a slot, CHI has built in strategy options, which cannot be said for every offering. There is also a good variety of these depending on what you prefer and how your game is progressing.

With the Optimiser strategy, you can bet a percentage of your balance. The Leveller strategy raises your bet level after 5 consecutive losses. Then there’s the Booster which raises your level 1 bet after a loss, and Jumper, raising your bet by 1 after each win. Playing around with these strategies was good fun and gave extra dimensions to playing this slot. With lots of others games short on strategy, Elk obviously got creative here. Hopefully, now lots of other slots will follow suit.

Free Spins on CHI Slot

Thankfully, CHI adds free spins to its basket of features, with the free spins feature being triggered by at least three free spins symbols. There are 10 free spins on offer for three free spins symbols, four symbols will bag you 15 free spins, and if the wind is blowing in the right direction for you on the mountain and you get five free spins symbols, 20 spins will be yours. The great thing here as well is the fact that this situation could go on and on, with your free spins being re-triggered each time. Be on the lookout for any wild symbols dished out by Chi - they will be sticky when free spins are rolling.

CHI Slot On Mobile - Android, iPhones and Tablets

Thanks to good old HTML5, CHI is as rewarding on mobile as it is on tablet and desktop. Both Android and iOS are catered for, as are all major web browsers. So if you want, you really can play it up a mountain!

Our Verdict

CHI is a slot which will take you between calmness and excitement as often as the wheels are spinning. Yes, the theme might be a little nice and cosy for some, but even so, it’s of a pretty high quality. There is huge potential in this game thanks to amazing multiplier boost options and high volatility. Added to this, and getting this slot over the line is the 12,500x max win. So a thumbs up from us, and definitely worth the climb.

CHI FAQs

Is CHI available to play for real money in New Zealand?

Yes. As well as the free version, CHI is available to play for real money in the land of the Kiwis.

Can I play CHI in NZ$?

Yes, CHI is available for you to play in good old NZ$. Here at Slots Temple NZ, we have reviews of all the best NZ-based casinos. Why not play here for free first - you get lots of credit and it will give you the chance to play through some of the strategy options to get you warmed up.

Which NZ Casinos offer CHI?

There’s lots of choice around, with three examples being Casimba, Casinoland and Dunder. As they say, it’s always good to have options.

Does CHI have a Free Spins feature?

Yes. You can get up to 20 free spins when you land up to 5 free spins symbols. Landing a further three scatters will re-trigger your free spins.

Disclaimer: CHI trademark / license is owned by ELK Studios. This site is not endorsed by ELK Studios.