Gold Dice Slots
Some slot machines aim to wow players with incredible graphics and epic thematic narratives, but Gold Dice by Yoyougaming aims to do exactly the opposite of that. Because, this 3-reel slot machine is perhaps one of the most basic game you will every come across with its plain game symbols and straightforward bonus features. However, this 5-payline slot might wow some lucky spinners with a possible standard play jackpot worth up to 42,000 game credits.
As Simple as the Come
If you are a connoisseur of dice based gambling games, then you might recognise that this slot machine is very similar in design and gameplay to another Yoyougaming title, Fire Dragon. However, Gold Dice remarkably outdoes that slot machine to be even more unimpressive with only 3 reels – and there isn't even a cool fiery dragon to look at above the game screen. That said, the same multicoloured dice symbols are present and the game's control panel is similarly designed to present some minimal options in the style of a classic arcade game.
The aspect as a whole is somewhat dull, with a colour scheme of brown and beige – apparently inspired by your grandma's wallpaper. Also, the game doesn't involve any particularly interesting sound effects other than a repetitive arcade jingle.
Roll some Big Wins
The 5 lines of this 3-reel slot machine are permanently positioned, meaning that there is a decent chance lining up a winning combination. The stakes are also quite high on Gold Dice, starting at 2 credits and rising up to as much as 100 credits per line. So, the minimum wager that can be placed on any spin is 10 credits while the top possible stake is a hefty 500 credits.
This is perhaps the slot machine's sole redeeming factor, because unlike many other Yoyougaming slots, there are some fairly big wins up for grabs, culminating in a whopping 42,000 jackpot. That prize will be paid whenever the maximum bet is placed and three blue crown symbol dice appear on a payline while three red wind symbol dice make for a 35,000 prize. The other icons are represented as standard dice. Roll three 6s to win up to 20,000, three 5s to win 15,000 and three 4s to get 5,000. The lowest payouts are provided by the 3 dice which offers 2,000, the 2 dice which pays 1,500 and finally, the 1 dice paying 500 credits.
All of those prize values apply to players who put down the maximum bet of 500 credits per spin, so any lower wager will reward smaller wins. However, you can see just how much each combination will fetch you by clicking the (-) and (+) buttons to accordingly alter the on-screen paytable.
A Few Frustrating Factors
OK, so we understand that this slot machine is going for the basic vibes, but there are some quite frustrating elements which may deter many punters – no matter how tolerant they are of retro slots. First of all, there is no autoplay button. Now, we're not lazy, but no one wants to endlessly click an online slot machine time and time again, especially if it is as thematically boring as this one. So, if you are a spinner who likes to let the reels do their own thing while you sit back and relax, then this game isn't for you.
Another annoyance is the lack of any meaningful information provided about the game. In fact, the slot machine doesn't tell us anything about its rules, let alone how the bonus game works. Evidently, they didn't call this feature the “Mystery Bonus” for nothing…
Mystery Games
We do know that players can unlock this mystery bonus by matching up three golden stars on a payline – which is easier said than done since this is the least common game symbol of all. Such an event will trigger up to 18 free goes, giving players every chance to win some big bucks while not having to lay down any bets whatsoever. When the bonus game is triggered, the three golden star dice will turn into ordinary gold dice and each will roll a value to determine to total number of free spins that are awarded.
Worth a punt, or no dice?
Gold Dice is a very difficult game for us to recommend simply for the fact that it actually quite boring and quite frustrating to play. There is no autoplay feature available, no useful information provided and the bonus game is a mystery that doesn't come around very often. However, there is always some chance that players could win up to 42,000 credits, which still makes this slot machine worth a go – as long as you can put up with the lack of visual excitement!