Animal Instinct

Animal Instinct is a visually striking video slot developed by Playtech, immersing players in the heart of the African savanna. The game features a 5×4 reel layout with 40 paylines, showcasing the iconic “Big Five” animals of Africa: the Lion, Elephant, Buffalo, Leopard, and Rhino.

The game's backdrop depicts a serene savanna landscape, with mountains visible in the distance and a sunset painting the sky in hues of pink and yellow. Tall grass and solitary trees complete the atmospheric setting. The reels dominate the center of the screen, flanked by the game's logo on the left and the spin button on the right.

Symbols in Animal Instinct are divided into lower-paying and higher-paying categories. The lower-paying symbols are represented by the familiar card ranks 10, J, Q, K, and A. Landing five of these symbols on a payline awards between 1.875x and 3.125x the bet. The higher-paying symbols feature the game's titular animals, with the majestic lion serving as the most valuable, offering 12.5x the bet for five on a payline.

The game incorporates several special symbols:

• Wild Symbol: Depicted as an image of the African savanna with “Wild” text, it substitutes for all regular symbols to help form winning combinations.
• Scatter Symbol: Represented by an African tribesman, it plays a crucial role in triggering the free spins feature.
• Power Collect Symbol: A colorful spinning wheel that activates the Collect Feature.

Animal Instinct boasts several engaging bonus features:

• Collect Feature:
  • Triggered by landing one or more Power Collect symbols on reels 2, 3, or 4.
  • The Power Collect Symbol lights up in one of five colors (blue, red, yellow, purple, or green) and collects all instances of the animal symbols of the corresponding color.
  • After collection, the Power Collect Symbol transforms into a Wild, a payout is awarded, and the collected animal symbols disappear.
  • The respective meter above the reels is filled, playing a role in determining the type of free spins awarded.
• Animal Free Games:
  • Activated by landing three Scatter Symbols on reels 1, 3, and 5.
  • Five different types of free games are available, each corresponding to one of the Big Five animals:
    1. Lion Free Game: One animal symbol transforms into a Wild Symbol on each spin.
    2. Elephant Free Game: A row of multipliers appears above the reels for 10 spins, with values ranging from 2x to 25x.
    3. Leopard Bonus: Three Scatter Symbols appear, revealing cash prizes and win multipliers.
    4. Rhino Free Game: All Power Collect Symbols appear as double-stacked for 10 spins.
    5. Buffalo Free Game: Stacked Wild Symbols are added to reels 2, 3, and 4 over three consecutive spins.
  • The type of free game awarded depends on which animal meter is filled the highest when the feature is triggered.

A standout feature of Animal Instinct is its innovative Collect Feature, which not only provides immediate rewards but also influences the type of free spins awarded. This interconnected bonus system adds an extra layer of excitement and strategy to the gameplay, keeping players engaged as they aim to fill their preferred animal meters.