Loading...Global score: 4.03
Happy New Year Slot
Oriental-themed slot games are incredibly popular for their charm and irresistible appeal, and fans of this particular genre can now celebrate the Chinese New Year with Microgaming’s classic slot called simply Happy New Year. It has 3 reels, 5 paylines, and an additional Wild symbol which spices things up.
The happy New Year slot is a great example of the massive collection of high-quality classic slots in Microgaming’s portfolio. The software developer is widely known for creating excellent games with a user-friendly interface, simple gameplay, and good average returns. This slot, in particular, draws inspiration from the colorful Chinese New Year which is celebrated worldwide with firecrackers, red decorations, and paper lanterns.
The slot is decorated accordingly, as well – there are firecrackers, red paper lanterns, and Chinese characters saying Happy New Year. The game is very colorful but the dominating color is, of course, the red. The graphics are quite basic, as this slot was designed to look as a vintage fruit machine, offering simplicity and great entertainment.
Players can place bets by adjusting the coin size from 1.00 to 25.00 credits and activate up to 5 paylines. The number of coins per line is fixed at 1 and the maximum bet is 125.00 credits per spin.
Top Rated Games Global Online Casinos that Welcome Players From Ohio
EmuCasino 
100% up to
∞
BetMGM Casino NJ 100% up to
$1,000
Most classic slots do not feature any special symbols and are played with only one payline. However, developers from Microgaming have created over the years many 5-line slot games where they have added a Wild symbol to help players get payouts more frequently. This is the case with Happy New Year where the Chinese characters icon functions as a Wild.
This Wild symbol substitutes for all other icons and it multiplies the payouts from the winning combinations it completes. If just 1 Wild substitutes in a combo, it doubles the winnings, while 2 Wilds multiply the payout by four times. As the high-value icon in the game, it also brings 5 jackpots of up to 2,400 coins, depending on which payline the Wild combination appears. The fifth line carries the top payout, so players who are after the big wins should always activate all 5 reels.
The pay table of Happy New Year includes only four other symbols – paper lanterns, as well as 3 types of firecrackers. The green ones are the lowest value icons, followed by yellow firecrackers and then, red firecrackers. Players can also mix these three symbols in order to receive a consolation prize of 5 coins.
| Symbol | Payout |
|---|---|
| Any Firecrackers Combination | 5 |
| 3x Green Firecrackers | 10 |
| 3x Yellow Firecrackers | 40 |
| 3x Red Firecrackers | 80 |
| 3x Lanterns | 160 |
| 3x Wild 1st Payline | 1000 |
| 3x Wild 2nd Payline | 1200 |
| 3x Wild 3rd Payline | 1400 |
| 3x Wild 4th Payline | 1600 |
| 3x Wild 5th Payline | 2400 |
Bonus Games and Features
Happy New Year bears little resemblance to other classic slots where the symbols are usually fruits, lucky 7s, or bar symbols. The reason behind this is, of course, the Chinese theme, but the game still remains a classic slot. This is why it offers no bonus features like free spins, additional games, etc. It actually does not need to, especially with the presence of the Wild symbol.
Indeed, the Wild Chinese characters are actually a great addition to the classic slot, as they not only stand for the rest of the symbols but also bring a multiplier to every combination they complete. It is also the Wild that rewards the jackpot in the game and the line the Wild combination lands on determines the size of the jackpot.
The game has a very convenient AutoPlay function which accelerates the movement of the reels and up to 10 automatic spins may be enabled.
Conclusion
Microgaming’s Happy New Year is a good-looking classic slot which can be very entertaining for fans of this particular type of casino games. It is really fast-paced and has contrasting colors that keep players engaged for longer. Unfortunately, the game does not offer huge jackpots but it provides frequent payouts. Oftentimes, winning little sums of money but more frequently proves to be a better strategy than one really massive jackpot which, however, cannot be hit for weeks or even months at a time.
This slot should appeal to both novices and experienced players who fancy Oriental-themed games and a simple gameplay. They would all appreciate the lovely payback as this is a good indication of what you can win or lose over a longer period of time. The theoretical Return to Player percentage is 95.75%, which is relatively high for a slot game.
