Apache Way

Apache Way: Slot Overview

One of the neat things about online slots is not only the huge diversity of themes but the various ways in which developers go about utilising them. On one side of the spectrum are studios doing weird and wonderful things with the most outrageous subject matter, while on the other side are the more classic slot topics that are rammed with every cliché imaginable. Leaning towards the latter is a Native-American themed online slot called Apache Way from software provider Red Tiger, a game so stuffed to the gills with genre-specific chestnuts it will either be just what you're looking for or come across as hardcore stereotyping. Want to find out which side of the fence you're on?

Apache Way isn't the first time Red Tiger has visited this part of the world. The team came close in games like Eagle Riches, but they don't appear to have used Apache Way's cultural references as extensively before. Players find themselves out on the range in classic North American slot territory. Rocky outcrops sit on the horizon, behind cacti, a scrubby looking landscape with a tepee set on the left-hand side of the screen. Safe to say, players who enjoy slots located in this region should be happy with Apache Way, as Red Tiger has filled in the view with vivid, colourful imagery. The panpipe soundtrack can only be described as 'pleasant' as well, especially during big win count ups or when the bonus round is active.

There probably won't be too many massive count ups in Apache Way, though, as Red Tiger went for the middle ground when it comes to winning potential which clocks in at 2,571 times your stake. Playable on any device, Apache Way is a medium volatile slot that offers stakes of 10 p/c to $/€20 per spin. Its action takes place on a 5-reel, 3-row game panel, where players can expect a theoretical return value of 95.75%.

Making their way across the game board are 25 fixed paylines, creating wins when three to five matching symbols land along them, starting from the leftmost side. At the lower end of the paytable are 10-A card royals decorated in things like feathers, paying out 0.6 to 2.5 times the stake for a line of five. Up from them are snake, cougar, bear, and eagle premium symbols which are worth 8 to 20 times the bet for a five of a kind hit. Wilds land on all reels and have the same value as the eagles when creating their own winning lines, or else wilds can be used to substitute for all paying symbols.

Apache Way: Slot Features

The two features it is possible to come across while playing Apache Way is a hold 'n win style extra called Ritual of the Sun and a free spins bonus round.

Ritual of the Sun

Sun scatters display cash values of 1-20 x the bet, and when they land in the base game, they may remain locked on the reels for 2-5 spins. When at least 6 Sun scatter symbols are in view, they trigger the Ritual of the Sun feature. Sun scatters lock into position for the feature, and 3 respins are awarded. If new Sun scatters hit, they lock in place and reset the spin count back to 3. When respins end, the value of all Suns are added up and awarded. If the screen is filled with Sun symbols, an extra 2,000x the bet is awarded as well.

Free Spins

The free spins scatter symbols are present on reels 1, 3, and 5, and landing 3 of them awards 5 free spins. In this round, the middle three reels combine to hold 3x3 sized Mega Symbols. Landing a 3x3 Mega Free Spins symbol on its own awards an additional +3 free spins. Or, landing a 3x3 Mega Symbol with 1 or 2 normal sized free spins scatters awards 4 or 5 free spins, respectively. It is also possible to trigger the Ritual of the Sun feature if a 3x3 Mega Sun scatter lands on the merged reel.

Apache Way: Slot Verdict

If you like the style of gaming found in Pragmatic Play's iconic slot Wolf Gold you shouldn't have much trouble enjoying what Apache Way has to offer. At a glance, the two games might look different but gaze a bit longer, and the similarities become more apparent. Both are located in the North American countryside, involve a selection of animals, and have comparable features. Apache Way is obviously a lot more heavily steeped in Native American iconography than Wolf Gold was, though. The game is certainly pleasing to the senses, serving attractive graphics for the eyes and soothing panpipes for the ears.

The gameplay is what it is, delivering a relatively lightweight hold 'n win feature in one of its bonus rounds and free spins with merging reels in the other – both straight from the Wolf Gold playbook. One positive move is the increased reward up for grabs if players manage to fill all positions during the Ritual of the Sun, in fact, double Wolf Gold's 1,000x Mega Jackpot, for the record. Filling the grid with Sun scatters would actually get players close to hitting the game's full potential of 2,571.8x the bet. It's kind of more difficult to see the max win occurring in free spins, even with those handsome 3x3 Mega Symbols hitting on each spin.

Apache Way is unlikely to win many originality awards since it has borrowed most of its extras from an earlier game, though tweaks include the Sun scatter symbol locking system. The game simply doesn't pack the level of firepower needed to challenge the big-league hold 'n win slots, either. Still, it might hit the right spot for certain players, i.e., those hanging out for a new Wolf Gold type game, with more emphasis placed on the cultural side of things, Red Tiger’s representation of them at least.