King Kong Slot – A Thorough Review

King Kong from Playtech is one of the most exciting slots I have ever had the pleasure of playing. It was released in March 2011 and developed in cooperation with Universal Pictures. I’m pretty sure you have watched the King Kong blockbuster movie released in 2005. If so, perhaps you will know what to expect from the slot – clips from the movie, original soundtrack and excellent animations. The game is also action-packed and has four superb bonus features and two modes – the Jungle and Big City Mode. So welcome to the eighth wonder of the world.

In this article I’m going to review the King Kong slot. In particular, I will focus on its basic features, symbols, the two modes, its paytable and bonus features. I will also review its graphics, sound and animations and how enjoyable the game is. Lastly, I will compare the slot with other similar titles, also with fun bonus rounds and jackpots and give my final verdict.

A Short Introduction to Its Features

This video slot was created after a licensing deal between Playtech and Universal Pictures. It has 5 reels, 3 rows and 20 paylines. Just so you know, there is also a Cryptologic version of the King Kong slot so watch out which version you’re playing. The Playtech version features clips from the actual movie and has awesome graphics. The big monster is presented with glory and is nicely animated. The game also has two modes and comes with several bonus features. It can be played from 20p to £100 per spin.

Playtech’s King Kong looks and feels like the actual movie. All in all, the slot is visually stunning and you will undoubtedly enjoy it. It is designed to entertain players as well as give them some big rewards for playing. Also, the graphics are amazing and will make you feel like you are part of the action. The clips from the movie are interesting as well and the game, overall, is engaging so you might find yourself spinning its reels for a long time. The gaming experience, both online and on mobile, is simply fun and exciting.

Symbols and Their Payouts

The slot has two paytables for both Jungle and Big City Modes. The paytables have the same numbers for all icons; there is only a graphical difference between the symbols. There are both low and high-paying symbols. These include Ace, King, Queen, Jack, Ten, the four characters from the movie, the Kong scatter and the King Kong itself is the wild. The best you can win from the playing card symbols is 150 credits for five Aces. King Kong’s girl is the highest paying from the character icons. She will give you 1,000 credits for five of a kind. The best you can earn is 3,000 credits for five wilds.

King Kong Slot – by Playtech

The King Kong slot from Playtech has a low Return to Player percentage of 93.41%. I think that for an online slot the RTP should be higher i.e. between 95% and 99%. The land-based slot machines I have come across usually have this RTP percentage. However, this didn’t stop me from playing mainly because it’s a truly action-packed game and has many bonus features which have high winning potential.

Bonus Features Explained

I will explain the special features separately as they appear in each mode. Firstly, in the Jungle Mode, three or more King Kong symbols trigger the Wild Jungle Respins feature, while three or more Kong logos anywhere on the reels activate the Skull Island bonus. In the Wild Jungle Respins, you get three free respins and wilds are frozen until the feature ends. There are also extra wilds. In the Skull Island bonus, you are presented with a map where you need to match three creatures or reveal the King Kong itself to win different cash prizes.

The Big City Mode begins after the later Skull Island ends. Here you have two features – the Wild Kong Respins activated by three King Kong icons and the City Tower Bonus triggered by three or more Kong logos. In the first feature, you get three respins. In the 1st respin all icons on reels 1+5 are wild; in the second respin all symbols on reels 2+4 are wild while in the 3rd respin all icons on reels 1+3+5 are wild. In the later feature, King Kong is attacked by three planes and you must pick one of them to take down and get a cash prize.

The Mobile Version

Almost all great online slots have mobile versions and the King Kong slot is not an exception. It was released for Android devices as well as for iPhones and iPads in September 2014. The mobile version also has 5 reels and 20 paylines and it’s a medium volatility video slot. Compared to the online version, its minimum and maximum bets are 0.20 and 20 credits.

Regarding the features of the game, King Kong comes with three respins, multiple wild bonuses, wilds, sticky wild symbols and a Click Me feature. The game is as fun and visually stunning as the desktop version. Despite the fact that you might not win big amounts in the base game, you can greatly raise your riches in the bonus features.

King Kong by Cryptologic vs. Playtech’s Masterpiece

There are two versions of King Kong – one by Cryptologic and the other one I’m currently reviewing – developed by Playtech. They both have the same theme and try to present the mighty King Kong as best as possible although I think that the version from Playtech is more graphically advanced than that of Cryptologic. Also, both slots are very playable. However, when it comes to their key differences, both slots have a different set of bonus features. You can read about the features of Playtech’s King Kong above.

The Playtech version has three respins, compared to the Cryptologic version which has up to 150 free spins. Furthermore, the later version has an expanding wild on the third reel, but it doesn’t expand during the free games. There is also a difference in terms of variance. The Cryptologic slot is slightly higher variance and therefore, it’s riskier because without the free spins bonus round it’s hard to increase your balance. For me, the bottom line is that if you want moderate wins and aren’t looking for the big one, play the Playtech slot. On the other hand, if you want to hit big, while risking more, go for the Cryptologic version.

Last Thoughts

Regardless if you’re a fan of the King Kong movie or not, you will be immediately captivated by this slot. The mighty gorilla is presented with excellence and the graphics are amazing. The fact that you can watch video clips from the movie makes it a lot more entertaining. In addition, everybody can play this slot because it has a good betting range. Furthermore, I think that players will find the Jungle and Big City modes quite fun and if they manage to trigger some of the bonus features, they will certainly not walk away empty-handed.

Other Recommendations

The King Kong slot has been around for a while but it’s still popular among slot fans. Its bonus features trigger often, but the win amounts vary a lot. If you’re looking for another medium volatility slot also from Playtech, try the Marvel themed Iron Man 2. On the other hand, if you prefer playing slots that focus on wild icons, I suggest playing NetEnt’s flagship game Starburst. You will be dazzled by the bright colours of this slot. In addition, if you like branded movie slots, you can play NetEnt’s South Park.