Firecrackers first. That's how you know you've triggered something in Money Gong Empress, IGT's take on the Chinese New Year fortune slot. Coins land, the crackers around that big golden gong start to spark, and if they all ignite the reels lock into a hold-and-collect round. It's a satisfying little bit of theatre before the actual money math kicks in.
The setup is straightforward enough. A 5×3 grid gives you 243 ways to win, wilds sit on the middle reels in the base game, and premium symbols lean into the festive theme: golden fans, lotuses, a blue koi, gold ingots. Purple royals fill out the lows. The published RTP sits at 94%, which is worth flagging up front. Its sibling, Money Gong Emperor, runs at 92%, so the Empress is the friendlier of the pair, though 94% still isn't generous by modern standards. Volatility lands in the medium range.
Where things open up is the bonus stack. Six or more Green Coins, or a full set of ignited firecrackers, drops you into the Hold & Win Bonus, three respins that reset every time a fresh coin locks. Those coins carry values from 3 to 88, or one of the Mini, Minor, Maxi and Major jackpots. Gong modifiers fire between spins too: Prize Boost bumps a coin's value, Repeat Pays keeps paying, multipliers of x2 up to x8 stack on. Fill every position and the Grand jackpot is yours.
Then there's the nested Money Gong Bonus, an eight-position mini hold-and-win playing out after the main round, where gold coins and gold jackpots can build toward the Money Gong Prize. Land three scatters instead and the Free Spins Bonus hands you 6, 12 or 18 spins with the gong scattering up to nine wilds per spin. Top exit is roughly 10,000x your stake.
Don't fancy the wait? A Bonus Buy at 30x jumps straight to free spins, and a Super Bonus Buy at 50x buys the Hold & Win outright. Handy, if pricey. Bets run from 0.08 to 8.00, so it stays accessible whether you're grinding low or chasing the ladder.