The Ultimate 5 – Slot Demo & Review

The Ultimate 5: Review

At first glance, a hold & win game set on the African plains may not seem particularly original, and for the most part, The Ultimate 5 is fairly average. However, Pragmatic Play has incorporated a few elements that add a touch of novelty to the experience. During this safari adventure, players will encounter a Hold & Spin Super Boost, free spins with symbol removals, and the possibility of an intriguing five-animal winning combination bonus.

When The Ultimate 5 is launched, players will encounter a familiar scene – a five-reel game panel surrounded by a lush African landscape, featuring trees, a stream, and mountains. Positioned on the right are five different prizes that can be won in the Hold & Spin feature, creating a reminiscent Wolf Gold vibe. While the setting and animals have shifted from wolves to the big five, The Ultimate 5 could seem ordinary. Yet, Pragmatic has managed to inject lively physical slot ambiance through the soundtrack and vibrant visuals, appealing to players who enjoy this style of gameplay.

Playable with bets ranging from 20 p/c to $/€100, the paytable includes low-paying 10-A card symbols and the majestic big five African animals: buffalos, rhinos, elephants, leopards, and lions. A line of five low-paying symbols results in a win of 1-2x the bet, while landing five premium symbols yields 4-20x the bet. Notably, players can secure a win worth 100 times their stake if all five animals appear in any order on a payline. Additionally, a symbol featuring an acacia in the sun acts as the wild, substituting for any pay symbol except for the 100x all animal wins.Symbols and Payouts

The Ultimate 5 slot game features three special and ten basic symbols. This section of The Ultimate 5 slot review provides details about these icons. Players must aim to match three to five icons on one of the twenty paylines to win. The list includes five playing card values, promising prizes ranging from 0.25 the minimum bet to 2 times the bet.

Water Buffalos multiply the stake by 1 to 4 times when part of a winning combo. The Rhino offers rewards worth 1.25 to 5 times, the Elephant 1.5 to 10 times, and the Cheetah 2 to 12.5 times. The Lion helps players win prizes worth 2.5 to 20 times their stake for winning combos. Additionally, the Wild icon can deliver up to 20 times the bet.

Although the Money icon doesn’t provide immediate gambling prizes, the Scatter can help you win up to 50 times your bet.

RTP and Volatility

High volatility in The Ultimate 5 brings a 96.5% RTP. While low volatility safari theme-themed games are rare, it’s no surprise that this game features a high volatility math model. Prize combinations and bonus features occur less frequently compared to high-risk games, but successful spins yield generous rewards. Additionally, players must contend with adjustable RTP ranges, with default rates at 96.5%, and 95.50% and 94.50% based on the casino.

Theme and Graphics

The Ultimate 5 online slot, developed by Pragmatic Play, is renowned for its captivating game designs, which have propelled its games into casinos worldwide. The game features familiar low-paying slots and symbols, including A, K, Q, J, and 10, while the high-paying symbols showcase stunning portraits of Africa’s Big 5 – buffalo, elephant, rhinoceros, leopard, and lion. The wild symbol depicts a tree silhouetted against a sunset, while the free spins and respins are activated by a diamond and a sun scatter, respectively.

Whether you choose to play The Ultimate 5 slot for free in our demo or for real money at one of our recommended online casinos, you can place bets ranging from 0.20 credits to a maximum bet of 100. Boasting 20 paylines, an RTP of 96.5%, and very high volatility, this game offers an exhilarating gaming experience.

Trigger an instant win bonus and three free spins by landing three diamond scatters, or activate the Hold & Spin Super Boost jackpot feature by landing three or more sun scatters. Fill the reels with additional suns in three respins and collect a jackpot scatter along the way to claim one of The Ultimate 5 slot machine’s four fixed jackpots!

The Ultimate 5: Slot Features

The Ultimate 5 now includes a demo mode and two bonus rounds. The first offers free spins with a symbol removal function, while the second features a hold & win mechanism with potential upgrades.

Free Spins

Diamond scatters appear on all reels, awarding a payout of 5x, 25x, or 50x the bet and 8, 10, or 12 free spins for landing 3, 4, or 5 of them. During free spins, the reels level up by removing the lowest value symbol, possibly eliminating all low-value and scatter symbols after the fifth level up. The bonus game can be extended by landing diamond symbol overlays, with 2, 3, 4, or 5 of them awarding 2, 4, 6, or 8 additional free spins.

Hold & Spin Super Boost

Parts of Africa can experience intense heat, but the description of the scorching sun may be exaggerated. In the base game, money symbols can show up on reels 2, 3, or 4, and during the Hold & Spin feature, they can appear on all five reels. These symbols hold random values from 1-10 times the bet or one of the five prize values: Mini, Minor, Major, Maxi, or Mega, which are valued at 25x, 50x, 75x, 100x, or 500x the bet. To trigger the Hold & Spin Super Boost feature, at least 3 money symbols are needed, causing all symbols to be removed except for the triggering money symbols, which then move to the center of the grid.

During the bonus game, 3 respins start and are reset when new money symbols land. The value of all money symbols not in the group increases when a new one is added. For example, an 8x becomes 10x, the 10x becomes Mini, a Maxi would become a Mega, and so on. The round continues until respins are used up or all positions are filled. Money symbols that hit but don’t link do not pay out at the end of the round. If all positions are filled and linked, the value of all money symbols on screen is boosted to the Mega.

The 200 Spins The Ultimate 5 Slot Experience

Experience a brief glimpse of the base game grind before the free spins round kicks in at 0:43 in the 3:23-minute highlights video. Following that, witness the Hold & Spin Super Boost feature. If you decide you’re curious about our performance in the 200 spins test session, simply press the play button below.

How To Play

Experience the thrill on a playing field with 5 reels and 20 paylines. Engage the Hold & Spin Super Boost feature, complete with a symbol value boost mechanic for the chance to win big. To embark on this safari adventure, follow these steps:

• Access The Ultimate 5 at your preferred casino
• Navigate to the menu to review the rules
• Select a total bet ranging from €0.20 to €100
• Spin the reels and let the adventure begin!

Similar Slots

The theme featured in The Ultimate 5 online slot is also present in several other fantastic games! You can explore Novomatic’s African Stampede slot for 12 free spins and stick wilds, or check out Barcrest’s Africa Untamed slot for up to 25 free spins and the opportunity to sign up to compete for their Community Cash prize.

The Ultimate 5: Verdict

Upon first glance, The Ultimate 5 doesn’t seem to revolutionize the genre, and after spending some time with it, that initial assessment remains accurate. Nonetheless, The Ultimate 5 does hold a few surprises that enthusiasts may appreciate. This holds true for both the base game and its bonus rounds, although the free spins, which were notably less frequent than the Hold & Spin, tended to be less exhilarating of the two.

The symbol removal feature is present in the free spins, but its random nature makes it less captivating than a collection or upgrade system as seen in, for example, Pink Elephants. Removals occur arbitrarily; there’s no discernible pattern. Furthermore, only low-paying symbols can be removed, which can be advantageous if it helps generate 100x payouts for five animal symbols. These occurrences were more frequent than initially anticipated, although they were still relatively rare.

The Hold & Spin twist feature can be exhilarating with a steady flow of upgrades. The main objective is to fill the board, turning all positions into Mega prizes. However, it’s a bit peculiar because a full grid of Megas would technically be worth 7,500x, but Pragmatic has capped winnings at 5,000x, limiting the payout.

Despite the mass-produced theme and appearance, The Ultimate 5 turned out to be a respectable slot with a hint of novelty. It may not revolutionize the game, but it provides value for players who appreciate a well-crafted Pragmatic Play release with innovative ways to win.

The Ultimate 5 Slot FAQs

Charles Watson

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