One thing IGT does well is innovate through familiarity. If you look at Zhao Cai Zhu Yo Ho Hog you may get echoes of other games, including their own Regal Riches. But even when things seem familiar, the team that developed this slot machine made sure to introduce something different, so it’s a game that feels comfortable around other games we play, but as you get to know it better you’ll discover a fresh set of experiences.
Let’s take a look at all the elements Zhao Cai Zhu Yo Ho Hog has to offer!
Base Game
Yo Ho Hog is one of two themes in the Zhao Cai Zhu series, with pigs as a core unifying connector to the two themes, and Yo Ho Hog the adorable pirate direction this slot takes with the graphics and theme.
You’ll notice a pig front and center; this is one of those perceived persistence pots, but that pig is cute and even makes noises when you touch him. Like other games with this sort of element, the Pig a Prize bonus awaits at the right time!
But there’s also true persistence counters on the three lanterns, which connect to a Free Games bonus, with each lantern having its own trigger range. Fans of Regal Riches may be familiar with this concept, but although the counters look similar, they upgrade the Free Games differently.
Counters will increase when lanterns appear on reel 5 without the free games symbols on reels 1 and 3 to trigger a Free Games bonus. Free Games is also triggered when the lantern reaches a certain number.
Wilds can appear, and when they do, they expand to fill the reel. They also send a coin up to the pig above, indicating a chance for triggering that Pig a Prize bonus.
Bets start at 88 cents, but like other recent slots IGT has a $1.38 bet option along with $1.88, so it’s not a big leap up from 88 cents if you want to bet a bit higher. Their flexibility in bets on games like Yo Ho Hog, Mystery of the Lamp and Tiger and Dragon is currently unmatched, a small but very important aspect for players.
Pig a Prize
The Pig a Prize bonus breaks the mold of the picking bonuses normally offered in a game structure like this to offer a unique way forward. 24 coins appear, as opposed to the traditional 12. Many can offer credit prizes. But there are also four special prizes that can be revealed:
- Pig Head: This will award credit prizes automatically by selecting coins and revealing the prizes behind them.
- Boost: This will increase prizes already revealed with additional credits.
- Pig Money: The coin will continue to flip, showing bigger and bigger prizes, until it reaches the one you’ll be awarded.
- Grand Chance: You have a chance of winning the Major or Grand progressive jackpots with this coin. It will spin around at the conclusion of the bonus, until it comes to a stop on your prize, which can be a jackpot or a substantial credit prize!
Find a Dragon collect symbol at any time and the bonus is over, awarding the prizes you’ve revealed to that point, and playing out the Grand Chance coin if found.
Side note: They lean heavily on the Pig/Pick pun, even urging you on to “Keep Pigging” – expect 11/10 cuteness here!
Free Games
The Free Games on Zhao Cai Zhu Yo Ho Hog trigger with bonus symbols on reels 1 and 3 and one of the lanterns on reel 5. The color of the lantern awards the counter above the reels that matches that color. Or, as mentioned earlier, the Free Games can be awarded if a counter reaches a certain number.
The Free Games will always award 10 free games, and the counter number is the guaranteed number of frame additions and upgrades that will occur throughout the Free Games bonus.
Pigs dancing above the reels can jump down at the start of any spin to add or upgrade frames. Additional frames or frame upgrades above the amount on the counter are awarded when a special pig symbol appears during the bonus.
While players may be familiar with the idea of frames on the reels and frame upgrades, a few tweaks are present here. First, if a Collect dragon appears during the bonus, it can collect what’s accrued so far. A Collect dragon will always appear on the final spin, to ensure all frames are ultimately collected and prizes awarded, but whether the frames have time to build up, or are collected and reset midway through, will depend on your bonus.
There’s also four frame levels here: Purple, Silver, Gold and Diamond. If you get to the Diamond level, the Grand jackpot is available to win, but like other slots of this format, the better the frame, the better the range of prizes that are available.
Learn More About Zhao Cai Zhu Yo Ho Hog
With lots of new features to check out, we’ve got you covered – we’ve compiled some videos showcasing the gameplay of Yo Ho Hog and its sister theme, Gettin’ Piggy With It. Check out the videos on YouTube:
