Fu Chi Slot
2018 is the Year of the Dog in Chinese astrology, so it's understandable to find at least one new online slot based around the theme of man's best friend. Of course, online slots with a Chinese New Year theme are nothing new, but RTG's latest effort, Fu Chi, is definitely one to add to the must-play list.
The game is built on five reels and features a betting range for all players. There are wilds, scatters, free spins, and even progressive jackpots to be triggered. What more could you want when celebrating Chinese New Year, other than a big street party and a hot plate of dim sum? Let's take a closer look and see if the free Fu Chi slot machine is worth lighting the red lantern for.
RTG Jump on the Chinese New Year Bandwagon
According to the Chinese lunar calendar, there are 12 animals derived from people's birth years. Each animal has its own attributes: the dog is loyal and honest, and the most reliable partner. But it can also bring wealth, and it's a popular belief in China that dogs can bring prosperity.
US-facing slot developer RTG (RealTime Gaming) isn't known for its Asian-themed slots, but it has a few in its arsenal. Cai Hong is a good slot with a free spins bonus, while Fucanglong has an exciting 1,024-ways-to-win structure.
With a few bonus features, Fu Chi deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as those RTG games. It's played on five reels and three rows, but there are 50 paylines to spread your bankroll across. Coins start at just 0.01, but you can adjust your wager in increments going up to 5.00. The 50 paylines are adjustable.
Fu Chi is mobile-optimized, and the slot plays well on mobile or tablet. A giant Spin button can be tapped to start the games, or you can simply swipe the reels downwards to get going. Holding the Spin button activates the Autoplay.
Win 10,000x With 5 Super Wild Symbols
If you love online slots with wild symbols, you'll certainly warm to the Fu Chi video slot. The wild is the red dog icon, a positive symbol in Chinese astrology. "Fire dog" people in Chinese astrology are reputed to have the best luck.
You will need some luck to land these elusive wilds, but they will replace any regular symbol to complete a combination. They will also double any real cash combo they complete. By themselves, the wild symbols pay 50x your line bet for two on a win line, 1,000x for three, 5,000x for four, and 10,000x for five.
As for regular symbols, Fu Chi features lots of symbols that represent Yin or Yang or bring good fortune. There are six low-limit Chinese characters with various color schemes. The blue and orange characters pay from 3x to 100x for three to five of a kind, while the green and blue characters pay 5x to 200x if you land three to five of a kind. The green and orange characters pay slightly better for four of a kind (50x the line bet), as opposed to the 25x for the blue and green symbols.
The high-limit symbols pay better but are still volatile. The orange fruit, the red money bag, and the firecrackers pay 15-500x your line bet. The yellow flower and lantern symbols both pay 5-1000x, with two of a kind issuing a payout of 5x.
Land the Zodiac Scatters for Free Spins Fun
Despite there being 50 win lines in the Fu Chi game, the bonus game is pretty hard to trigger. Look out for the green Chinese zodiac, as this is your key to unlocking the feature. The zodiac is the game's scatter, and it will pay out regardless of where it appears on the reels.
Three, four, or five scatters anywhere on the screen will trigger 15, 20, or 30 free spins. If you trigger the spins without a wild symbol, the number of spins is doubled. In addition, all wins you make in the free spins will be tripled. And if that's not enough for gamblers, the free games can be retriggered.
You will find a list of great slots with progressive jackpots on our site. And what's nicer than a progressive that triggers at random? Fu Chi boasts a progressive jackpot that can activate totally at random after any spin. The more you bet, the better your chances of triggering the prize will be. However, the jackpot contribution is stated as being no more than 1.5% of the total return to players.
Stick With RTG for Good Asian-Themed Slots
If you are looking for decent Asian slots to back up Fu Chi, it's worth sticking with RTG. The Fucanglong slot machine is packed with dragons, ancient warriors, and a lot of action. Played with 1,024 ways to win, Fucanglong has a neat Dragon Peral feature which gives players the chance to earn a top prize worth 88x the triggering bet. Bonus free spins can also be won, with the best multiplier worth 888x the player's stake.
You can never go wrong with a Playtech gambling slot. And the Asian-themed Lucky Panda slot machine offers lots of fun to gamblers. Also played with 1,024 ways to win, Lucky Panda features a free spins round where – as in Fu Chi – all wins are doubled. The free spins can be retriggered several times, with 210 games available if you keep retriggering enough times.
Aim for Free Spins, but Enjoy the Wild Ride
If you are lucky enough to trigger the free spins mode in Fu Chi, you could see your profits soar. But in reality, we found that the x2 wild symbol was our best friend during gameplay. With all wild wins doubled, it helped turn our profits around.
Give the Fu Chi game a play for free today and see what you think. It doesn't quite have the action of a game like Lucky Panda or Fucanglong, but there are some decent regular prizes to be had.