ArcanaPop

ArcanaPop: Slot Overview

It might be easy for some to pour scorn and derision on people interested in horoscopes, dream catchers and all that sort of thing, but just for a moment, why don't the naysayers try suspending disbelief for a moment to pretend it's all real. All of it. Let's pretend there is a mystical side of life that can be tapped into and understood if only you know how to interpret the signs. Where beneath the fabric of 'real life' lies a world of spirits, fairies, infinite dimensions, fantasy, wonder, and magic, which practitioners can use to manipulate the three-dimensional world. It's actually quite intoxicating once the thought sweeps you away, and anyone who needs an audiovisual crutch to whip their imaginations into a frenzy might be helped by developer AvatarUX's slot ArcanaPop.

In this game, players enter a world tinged with magic when firing ArcanaPop up. It hints at a king, a queen, a sun and moon symbiosis, a touch of fey esotericism, and so on. AvatarUX hasn't gone overboard with the theme, though, which is interesting, hinting at the esoteric rather than throwing potions and spells in players' faces. As a comparison, ArcanaPop is closer to MonkeyPop's tasteful restraint rather than, say, the bright flamboyance of HippoPop. It's nice to have choices, and when it comes to PopWins games, there are a lot.

ArcanaPop is a medium volatile number, with three RTP configurations that top out at 96%. Its gaming area is a dynamic one, starting each base game spin dropping 3 symbols onto each of its 5 reels, producing 243 ways to win, but the grid can grow up to 9 rows high in free spins, providing 59,049 ways to win. Winning combinations pay left to right from the leftmost reel as well as right to left from the rightmost reel, while for betting, 20 c to $/€100 is the stake range, with five bonus buys on top.

PopWins slots tend to ram a lot of different pay symbols on the reels, and in ArcanaPop, there are 14 regular pays. Nine to Ace card ranks are classed as the low pays, then globes, scales, stars, burning towers, goats, queens, and kings are the high symbols, while the jester is the super high symbol. Be aware that the super high symbol only appears during free spins. Hitting a 5 OAK low win awards 0.4-1.4x for the highs, it is 1.6-4x the highs, and 8x for the super high. ArcanaPop does not conjure wild symbols.

ArcanaPop: Slot Features

As a PopWins slot, PopWins is obviously one of the main features. How it works is that each winning symbol pops and is replaced by 2 symbols, increasing the reel height as well as the number of ways to win. This is repeated as long as there are more wins.

Free Spins

Should all of the reels reach 6 rows high in the base game, free spins are triggered. Reels in free spins start at 6 symbols high and can increase to 9 symbols tall. The progress of unlocking reels in free spins does not fully reset between spins but resets down to the shortest reel height. The free spins round starts with an x2 multiplier. Consecutive wins in a pop-round increase the multiplier by +1 after wins have been paid. If the full height of all reels is achieved, then the multiplier growth upgrades to +4 for every win in the pop-round. Also, at random, the reward for winning a pop-round can be extra free spins instead of multipliers. It is possible to get up to +3 extra free spins per win.

Gamble Wheel

The number of free spins awarded is 6 when the round triggers; however, players can gamble on the free spins wheel for the chance to win more and unlock a random feature. Winning on the gamble wheel grants extra free spins and activation of major arcana or fortune chance features. There is even a chance of winning oracle mode, which has both features. Losing the gamble takes you back to the base game empty-handed:

• Fortune Change - This feature randomly selects one symbol type and replaces all instances of the chosen symbol on the reels with a randomly selected higher symbol. The replaced symbol does not appear in following pop-wins, but it will return on the next spin.
• Major Arcana - This feature randomly changes any symbol to a colossal symbol of either 2x2 or 3x3 in size. Any symbol may be a colossal symbol. Colossal symbols cannot appear after pop-wins.
• Oracle Mode - In oracle mode, both major arcana and fortune change are available at once. Colossal symbols are able to be upgraded via fortune change.

Xpress

Opening up the Xpress menu of feature buys is where players can access these choices:

• 6 free spins/random feature - 60x the bet.
• Gamble for up to 10 free spins/gamble for features - 60x the bet.
• Fortune change 10 free spins - 250x the bet.
• Major arcana 10 free spins - 250x the bet.
• Oracle mode - 1,000x the bet.

ArcanaPop: Slot Verdict

For a PopWins slot that pops, expands, chucks in the odd side feature and enhances payouts by way of a win multiplier, then yep, ArcanaPop does all that. It's not one of the PopWins revolutionaries, as in, there isn't much mechanical stuff here likely to shock the knickers off a PopWins connoisseur, but the game has been tastefully put together, making it easy to enjoy. Kudos to AvatarUX for showing restraint with the theme, which doesn't seek to overwhelm the senses (in an agreeable way) while being quite unique at the same time. There are moments in life when you want to feel like you've been blasted in the face with outrageous visuals, and others when you want to quietly sit back to enjoy the view. ArcanaPop is the second variety.

This does not mean the game can't, for want of a better word, pop when it's firing. Solid results were returned during the review off the back of the colossal symbols, symbol replacements, and free spins multiplier combo. On the subject of the multiplier, maxing out the reels in the bonus round is a frightfully good piece of fortune if it happens because it means the win multiplier is able to increment so, so much faster, possibly becoming incredibly helpful for bolstering win values. Alongside the features are several optional gambling opportunities for attempting to improve a won bonus round (or the gamble bonus buy) - another AvatarUX speciality.

At top pop, ArcanaPop can theoretically hit payouts of 20,000x the bet, which is where AvatarUX has set the win cap. This makes ArcanaPop by no means the biggest PW slot in the range, but it's a strong number to aim for while enjoying the low-key yet neatly laid-out game world and potent feature combo.