Bushido Ways xNudge

Bushido Ways xNudge: Slot Overview

Bushido, the way of the warrior, is a Japanese term related to the European concept of chivalry, appearing in various forms throughout history. It is usually found in warrior cultures, combining practices, codes, principles, and philosophies underpinning samurai belief. Warring samurai might have disappeared, but for some, the spirit of bushido lies deeply ingrained in their psyche. Even today, forms of bushido appear throughout modern Japanese society. Instead of joining a fight club, developer Nolimit City lets players uncage their inner warrior via Bushido Ways xNudge, a game based on the precepts of 'honour, respect, tribute, glory, fear, and revenge'.

With a lot to live up to, the action takes place on a 5-reel, 4-row game grid, providing 1,024 ways to win. However, this being Nolimit City, it should come as no surprise to learn ways can grow via a Sliced Wild feature. Next to the reels lies the blurry aftermath of a battle, all burning embers and torn pennants bringing to mind NetEnt's classic Warlords: Crystals of Power. Bushido takes you to feudal Japan without slipping as deeply into its world as a game like East Coast vs West Coast did. Not to cast aspersion on Bushido though, the visuals are distinct, and the Eastern-inspired soundtrack conjures up plenty of atmosphere.

Taking on Japan's finest is possible using any device where bets from 20 p/c to £/€100 may be set. Be sure to suit up properly if you are going in, as Bushido is another slot Nolimit City has rated as extremely volatile. There are no arguments with that rating either, as the game can fly off the handle without a moment's notice. Also, be sure to check the RTP value before diving in as it comes in two default settings – 96.01% or a less desirable 94.04% version.

To collect coins and glory, you need 3 or more matching symbols to line up adjacently from the leftmost reel. There are 8 pay symbols at hand, 5 low-value 10 to Aces card royals, and 3 warrior symbols. Warrior symbols come in 1x4 size, landing partly in view or fully to cover all positions on a reel. As such, premium values are pretty low when it comes to single wins worth 1 to 2 times the stake. Fortunately, there is a stack of features littered through the game to build value.

Bushido Ways xNudge: Slot Features

Two bonus rounds provide the bulk of Bushido's most exhilarating moments, joined by features such as Wild Geishas, Sliced Wilds, and Oni Transformations. Starting with Wild Geishas, these are 4-row high wild symbols appearing on the middle reel only. When landing partially in view, they are nudged to cover the entire reel. Using the xNudge feature, every step a Wild Geisha nudges increases a win multiplier by +1. Wild Geishas substitute all symbols except the bonus.

Single tile wilds land on reels 2-5 to replace any symbol except the scatter. When wilds land on reels 3, 4, or 5, they slice into 2, 3, or 4 symbols, increasing ways to win up to 12,288. During both bonus rounds, wilds copy themselves downwards to the bottom before slicing.

If scatter symbols land at the same time as stacked warrior symbols, the Oni Transform feature kicks in. Then, scatter symbols and all lower value warrior symbols transform into the highest value warrior symbol in view.

Triggering free spins (which comes in 2 versions) occurs when 3 scatter symbols land anywhere on the reels, 8 Shogun Spins are awarded, +1 spin for every extra scatter symbol. During Shogun Spins, at least 1 wild will land on reels 2, 3, 4, or 5. It is possible to upgrade to Geisha Spins from Shogun Spins if the Wild Geisha lands. +1 extra spin for each nudge is then awarded.

Alternatively, if 3 scatter symbols hit at the same time as a Wild Geisha, 8 Geisha Spins are awarded. For each Wild Geisha nudge, a sticky win multiplier increments, up to x4 - keep in mind Geisha Wilds are sticky for the duration of the bonus. At least 1 wild symbol is guaranteed to land on reels 2, 3, or 5 during the bonus round, which is extended by +1 spin for every bonus symbol.

For players keen on leaping right into battle, both free spin rounds may be bought outright, provided bonus buy options are allowed. Shogun Spins cost 70x the total stake, while Geisha Spins considerably up the ante to 700x the total bet.

Bushido Ways xNudge: Slot Verdict

You don't need us to tell you Nolimit City has hit a bunch of home runs, so expectations are always high with this developer. For the sake of balance, let's also remember not every release will be a life-changing experience. So it proved to be with Bushido, a slot which follows lines set down by Barbarian Fury and Warrior Graveyard. As such, Bushido isn't one of Nolimit City's majorly innovative slots but combines xNudges, Sliced Wilds, and multipliers to deliver significant adrenaline blasts at times.

The game is fast-paced, where features leap onto the board, coming and going before you're aware they've even hit. This mainly refers to Sliced Wilds or Oni Transformations. Like the quick stab of a blade, they're often been and gone before really registering. Sliced Wilds tended to be a lot more useful than Oni Transformations, where suddenly one wild becomes several, and a few coins are flying your way.

There is big potential in the bonus games, but they didn't initially provoke masses of excitement. Part of the reason why is there's no build-up of modifiers like San Quentin, for example. So features either strike fast, or not at all. In the case of Geisha Spins, you get the sticky Geisha, which is helpful; then, you're relying on Sliced Wilds to do the rest of the work. Given a chance, however, remarkable things can happen, as attested by single spin wins as high as 3,456x during testing. In that case, green warrior symbols on reels 1, 2, and 5, plus an x4 Geisha and Sliced Wilds on reel 4 went ballistic. When pushed to its limit, Bushido's win cap of 30,000x the bet steps in to shut down a round and trigger Journey’s End– an added feature like San Quentin’s Psycho Manhunt.

If you don't expect miracles, then Bushido is another highly entertaining slot from Nolimit City, albeit not one of their star attractions. It can be punishing, especially if you get caught in a weak bonus buy binge cycle. However, if you see what Bushido is capable of, then testing your mettle against it becomes a tempting proposal.