Way of the Tiger

Way of the Tiger: Slot Overview

Blueprint Gaming partners Lucksome welcome players to the jungle for some wildlife inspired action in a game called Way of the Tiger. This is a scenic journey to a picturesque spot full of beasts, some of which are endangered, in a slot possessing a number of interweaving features. From Tiger Trails to Free Spins, to multipliable scatter prizes, Way of the Tiger is as packed with features as the wilderness used to be by big, majestic creatures – 'used to' being the sadly operative words here.

For example, in the past 100 years, tiger populations have fallen by around 97% worldwide, and the county with the largest number remaining in the wild is India. Judging by the sound effects accompanying Way of the Tiger, this seems to be where the game is set. Visually, players find themselves in a deep, dense, rural location, where a thick tangle of trees is lit up in an almost magical light. It's attractively designed and the visuals set a certain level of intrigue over where Way of the Tiger will lead next.

Where it might lead requires less guesswork than is needed in most games, since Lucksome famously supplies a shed load of useful statistical information. From the load screen, we get useful information such as volatility rated 6 out of 10, though players have three different options for free spins, which affects volatility. Bonus and win frequency is in there, too, as is the max win figure as well as the more realistic 'win focus'. Once past this screen and into the game, stakes may be set from 20 p/c to $/€200 per spin – available on any device. The RTP comes in two levels: a default value of 96.5%, rising to 97.1% when buying the bonus or using the Lucksome Locks feature.

We said that Way of the Tiger seems set in India, but a close inspection of the high paying symbols would suggest a few animals might be on loan from Africa. There we find regular 9-A card suit icons followed by antelope/impalas, leopards, buffalo, elephants, and tigers worth 10 to 125 times the bet for five of a kind. Should wild symbols hit, they replace any of the paying symbols to complete wins.

Way of the Tiger: Slot Features

Free spins are the main feature in Way of the Tiger and are accompanied by a Tiger Trail, Lucksome Locks, and where possible a Bonus Buy.

Tiger Trails

Tiger Trails is a random feature in the main game which locks scatter symbols and bonus symbols to the grid for at least the next 2 spins when it activates. These are paid spins, by the way. Scatter symbols display bet multipliers, while bonus symbols are needed to trigger free spins. Any new scatters appearing on a Tiger Trail spin are locked and extend the Tiger Trail by +1 spin each.

On the upper right side of the grid is a scatter draw multiplier number. This indicates the multiplier value that will be displayed when scatter symbols hit. If a Tiger Trails spin occurs where there are no line wins, the scatter draw multiplier increments by a tier and remains for the remainder of the feature. The available multiplier values are x1, x2, x3, x4, x5, x8, x10, x20. When all of the Tiger Trail spins have been used, values on all of the scatters in view are awarded. If 3 or more bonus symbols lock, then free spins trigger once Tiger Trails are complete, and the value of the scatter draw multiplier is carried over.

Free Spins

Achieving 3 bonus symbols in view awards the free spins bonus game. Before starting the feature, players choose one of these options:

• Low volatile – 9 free spins with the lowest win potential.
• Medium volatile – 7 free spins with an x2 jungle boost multiplier and higher win potential.
• High volatile – 5 free spins with an x3 jungle boost multiplier and the highest win potential.

If you pick a free spins option that has a jungle boost multiplier, then when scatter symbols land, their prizes are multiplied by the current value - with the high volatility choice, that is up to x1,500 per scatter. In free spins, the scatter draw multiplier may randomly be increased between spins. Every random upgrade increments the multiplier by a tier. The available multiplier tiers are x2, x3, x4, x5, x8, x10, x20, x50, x100, x500. Lastly, if a bonus symbol lands on the third reel, an extra spin is awarded.

Lucksome Locks

When 2 free spins bonus symbols are in view, the Lucksome Locks feature becomes active. Players can choose to hit the Lucksome Locks spin button instead of the normal spin button for the cost of 5x the bet. During Lucksome Locks spins, only free spin bonus symbols are active. If the third scatter hits, free spins are awarded.

Bonus Buy

The other way of activating free spins is buying them outright. The cost for doing so is 73.4x the total bet and will take you straight to the free spins round.

Way of the Tiger: Slot Verdict

In Way of the Tiger Lucksome has brought together a bunch of familiar features, added one or two of their own, and stirred them up into something happy doing its own thing. On their own, extras like hold & win spins don't sound extraordinary, yet the way Tiger Trails functions as a whole is a little different. Essentially, you're trying to land as many scatter symbols as you can while jacking the scatter draw multiplier as high as possible. It might feel odd to pay for each Tiger Trail spin as they occur, but that's how it goes, and the feature can morph into an exciting sequence of events.

Lucksome Locks are another feature worth experimenting with in free play mode before having a live bash. Five times the stake per spin for the third scatter is the crapshoot you might think it would be. During testing, the bonus could trigger after a few spins, other times longer, and you don't have the benefit of scoring regular line wins while spinning Lucksome Locks. By contrast, buying free spins outright is reasonably priced compared to a lot of other games, or there's always the totally organic route if you prefer. Allowing players to choose the free spins bonus round is always a plus and is reflective of Lucksome's tendency to put players at least somewhat in the driver's seat. If you want to chase the larger rewards, the most volatile option is technically the way to go, and Way of the Tiger advertises max win figures of 10,000x, while the focus win amount is 500x according to Lucksome themselves.

Way of the Tiger is made to a high standard, looks great, and has features that are kind of regular but which have been given a Lucksome tweak. Mix in wholesome stats with decent winning potential, and Way of the Tiger is another good if not exactly remarkable release. It's certainly as well-made as anything the studio has done to date, yet they do seem to create better slots when picking more original themes like Loki Lord of Mischief.