Diamond Link: Mighty Elephant

Diamond Link: Mighty Elephant is a 5-reel, 25-payline video slot developed by Greentube, a subsidiary of Novomatic. Released on October 27, 2022, this African safari-themed game offers players the chance to win progressive jackpots through its Diamond Link feature. With a betting range of 0.25 to 100.00 per spin and an RTP of 95%, the slot caters to both casual players and high rollers.

The game is set against the backdrop of the African savanna, with warm earth tones and lush vegetation creating an immersive atmosphere. The mighty elephant, as the title suggests, takes center stage as the main character and highest-paying symbol. Other symbols include African-inspired imagery such as tribal huts, musical instruments, and stylized playing card symbols adorned with crowns.

Core Game Mechanics

Diamond Link: Mighty Elephant utilizes a standard 5×3 grid layout with 25 fixed paylines. Players form winning combinations by landing matching symbols from left to right on adjacent reels, starting from the leftmost reel. The game features a wild symbol in the form of an African mask, which substitutes for all regular symbols to help create winning combinations.

The Blue Diamond symbols play a crucial role in the game's mechanics. These symbols are collected in a meter above the reels, with six collected diamonds triggering the main bonus feature. This collection mechanic adds an extra layer of anticipation to each spin, as players watch the meter fill up over time.

Bonus Features

1. Diamond Link Feature: When players collect six Blue Diamond symbols, they trigger the Diamond Link bonus. In this feature, all collected diamonds transform into Pink Diamonds and lock in place. Players receive three free spins, with the spin counter resetting to three each time a new Pink Diamond lands. The feature continues until no new diamonds appear for three spins or all 15 positions are filled with diamonds.

Each Pink Diamond reveals a cash prize or one of four jackpots:

• Mini Jackpot (Static): 10x total bet
• Minor Jackpot (Static): 50x total bet
• Major Jackpot (Progressive): 200x total bet plus progressive amount
• Grand Jackpot (Progressive): 1000x total bet plus progressive amount

If all 15 positions are filled with Pink Diamonds, the Grand Jackpot is awarded automatically.

2. Win Spins Feature: This free spins bonus is triggered by landing three Solar Tree scatter symbols on reels 2, 3, and 4. Players receive 7 free spins with two notable enhancements:

• Any non-winning spin awards a free respin, increasing the chances of hitting a winning combination.
• Blue Diamond symbols landing during this feature are collected and locked in the Diamond Progress Meter for the entire duration of the bonus, potentially setting up for a Diamond Link Feature trigger.

3. Progressive Jackpots: The Major and Grand jackpots are progressive, meaning they increase in value as players wager on the game across the network. This progressive element adds excitement and the potential for substantial wins.

One of the most interesting aspects of Diamond Link: Mighty Elephant is the integration of the “hold and spin” mechanic, popular in land-based casinos, into an online slot with progressive jackpots. The combination of this familiar mechanic with the allure of four potential jackpots creates a compelling gaming experience that bridges the gap between traditional and online slot play.

The Win Spins feature's respin mechanic on non-winning spins is also noteworthy, as it ensures players have additional chances to win during the bonus round, mitigating the relatively low number of initial free spins awarded.