Ice Cave Slot
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Ice Cave is a relatively new slot game, released in early 2017 and available at a good number of online casinos. It was created by Playtech, one of the leading companies in the development of online casino software and games. With a history spanning more than two decades, Playtech has a stellar reputation within the online gambling community, and much is expected from its games.
Ice Cave features 5 reels and 20 unique paylines. The betting options in this game are somewhat conservative, with the maximum wager reaching only $20 per spin. Players can bet up to $1.00 on each payline, but that amount can be lowered to just $0.01. This is significantly lower than in other games of the same type, which allow players to wager $200 or more. Ice Cave pays from left to right, which means that any winning combination has to start on the first reel and continue along one of the paylines.
Theme
Ice Cave employs a strong Nordic theme, portraying many aspects of Viking culture. The game is set in an ice cave—hence the name. On the reels, we see various figures associated with Scandinavian mythology, making the experience a joy for fans of Nordic culture. The background music emanates a mystical feel, giving us the impression that it is the work of some Viking deity.
As expected from a Playtech game, the graphics are impeccable, with crisp, sharp textures coupled with smooth animations that bring the game to life. Presentation is one of the game’s greatest strengths, and Playtech is to be commended for its efforts. Overall, Ice Cave is a joy to look at, and we are thankful that this company still adheres to its original standards of quality.
Symbols
The symbols in Ice Cave are quite interesting and somewhat of a departure from the norm. First, we have the low-paying group, which consists of various Norse runes, further reinforcing the game’s theme. These symbols can form winning combinations of three or more identical icons. Next, we come to the high-paying category, where we find figures associated with Viking culture. We see a longship, a raven, a wolf, a shield-maiden, and a Viking warrior. These symbols pay significantly more than the previous group and form winning combinations starting with three of the same kind.
Finally, there is a special category made up of two different types of Wild symbols – the Ice Wild and the Hammer Wild. We will cover their specific roles in the next section, but it is worth mentioning that any Wild symbol can substitute in a winning combination, increasing your chances of scoring a payout.
Jackpots and Combinations
Ice Cave does not feature any progressive jackpots; instead, it relies on its solid array of features to drive the game forward. The Freezing Wild Symbols are a major part of the game and are what make it unique. As mentioned above, there are two Wild symbols in Ice Cave. When an Ice Wild lands anywhere on the reels, it will stay in that particular position. Moreover, Ice Wilds multiply the winnings from any combination they participate in by three. Ice Wilds can appear on the third and fourth reels and stay there until a Hammer Wild lands on the reels.
Hammer Wilds substitute for any symbol on the reels and also multiply the winnings from combinations they participate in by three. Hammer Wilds can land on the second reel, and when this happens they will break any Ice Wilds and remove them from their positions.
All Wild symbols frozen on the reels will be removed if the number of lines is changed or the size of the bet is increased.
Finally, we come to the Feature Bet, which can be toggled on or off at will. This feature increases the wager by 50% but also allows Ice Wilds to appear on the fifth reel.