Older edition — looking for another slot?
This review documents a historical game edition. The archived rules and screenshots do not confirm current availability.
Explore Microgaming gamesDragon Lady is a Microgaming slot that features an Oriental theme, portraying various aspects of traditional Chinese life. The original desktop edition has five reels and up to 40 selectable paylines. This review covers that historical Microgaming edition, not the GameArt title with the same name.
The screenshots below establish the original rules. They do not verify current casino availability, present-day stake limits or an installation-specific RTP.
There are various symbols that you need to watch out for when playing Dragon Lady. The Wild Symbol is represented by the Dragon Lady logo. This symbol can act as a substitute for any other symbol, with the exception of the dragon, lantern, fan and jewellery-box scatter symbols. The Wild symbol can be especially rewarding since a combination of 5 of them on an active payline will net you a 5,000-coin base line award, multiplied by coins bet on that line, rather than by the total spin stake.
The game changes some things this time around by adding 3 different Scatter symbols, instead of only one. These are the Fan, the Dragon, and the Red Lantern. Each of them can trigger the Dragon Bonus game, when the required three or more scatter symbols appear anywhere on the reels.
There is also the Bonus symbol to take into account. This one takes the form of a jewelry box and it can trigger the Free Spins Bonus when certain conditions are met.
| Symbol | Two on a Payline | Three on a Payline | Four on a Payline | Five on a Payline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Block | 0 | 2 | 15 | 100 |
| Green Block | 0 | 4 | 20 | 200 |
| Red Block | 0 | 5 | 30 | 300 |
| Silver Cup | 0 | 10 | 75 | 900 |
| Gold Cup | 0 | 20 | 100 | 1000 |
| Treasure | 0 | 30 | 150 | 1500 |
| Lady | 0 | 40 | 250 | 2000 |
| Dragon Lady Symbol | 0 | 100 | 500 | 5000 |
Line combinations pay left to right, with only the highest award paid on each selected line. The silver-cup five-symbol award is 900, as shown in the original paytable, correcting the former 400 entry.
Payout example: coins per line versus total stake
Assume 40 active lines, two coins per line and a denomination of 0.01 currency units. The spin costs 80 coins, or 0.80 currency units. Three lady portraits on a winning line pay 40 × 2 = 80 coins, also 0.80. That is the gross return; if it is the spin’s only award, the net result is zero. The Dragon Bonus instead uses total bet: its advertised 100× ceiling would be 80 currency units at this illustrative stake, not a guaranteed award.
Bonus Rounds and Features
Dragon Lady would not be a good slot game if it did not come with at least several extra features or bonus rounds. Luckily for us, the game does deliver in this regard. One of the more interesting features is the Dragon Bonus round. It can be triggered by spinning 3 or more Scatters on the reels, regardless of their position. When this happens, you will be taken to a different screen, where you will get to reveal certain symbols. The more successful, the higher your rewards will be. In the best case scenario, you can hope to win up to 100 times the total spin stake.
There is also the Free Spins Bonus that we mentioned previously. Whenever the Jewelry Box symbol lands on the first and fifth reels the bonus will be initiated. The number of free spins varies, but it will be either 10, 15, or 20 games. During this round, ordinary wins are doubled, but Dragon Bonus awards are explicitly excluded from the free-spin multiplier. Bets and active lines remain those of the triggering spin. Luckily, we can also trigger additional free spins from this bonus round, with the number of additional free games being the same as that of the round.
The Dragon Bonus can also trigger during free spins. If both features start together, the Dragon Bonus plays first.
Conclusion
Overall, Dragon Lady is an interesting Microgaming title that will surely appeal to a lot of players. The Asian style slots have become quite prominent in the genre, but they are rarely interesting or rewarding. Dragon Lady, however, manages to break that trend by offering you an entertaining and worthwhile experience. Granted, the payout could be higher for some of the symbols, but overall, they are on par with many other slot games. The bonus rounds will certainly spice up your gaming session and offer additional prize opportunities without guaranteeing a net gain. When it comes down to it, playing Dragon Lady can be very rewarding for you and we recommend that you try it in free mode at the very least.
Dragon Lady questions
Which Dragon Lady edition is reviewed here?
The original five-reel, 40-line Microgaming desktop edition. Its rules must not be transferred to GameArt’s same-named game.
Does the 5,000 award use the whole spin stake?
No. The logo’s five-symbol base award is multiplied by coins bet on the winning line. Coin denomination then converts the result to currency.
How many jewellery boxes trigger free spins?
A jewellery box on reel one and another on reel five start the feature, regardless of their vertical positions.
Can free spins retrigger?
Yes. The retrigger awards the same number of spins as the original feature: 10, 15 or 20.
Does the free-spin multiplier double Dragon Bonus awards?
No. The original feature screen specifically excludes bonus wins from that multiplier, although the Dragon Bonus can trigger during free spins.
Which feature plays first if both trigger?
The Dragon Bonus is played before the free spins when both are triggered together.
