ABOUT
Dragon Hero by Pragmatic Play is visually a classic Orient-themed slot but this time containing improved graphics and gameplay. The symbols are shiny yet better illustrated to lose its tacky side, and a new feature called Super Wild injects a much-needed dose of personality into the gameplay.
Betting Options and Bonus Features
With only 5 reels, 4 rows, and 20 paylines, Dragon Hero offers a more explosive gameplay than you may expect. First, the slot’s volatility level is maxed out at 5/5 and it has a 5,000x max win and 96% RTP. The symbols here are very Asian-inspired, namely the gold statues of fish, frogs, and the sycee (ancient Chinese currency) that pays 40x the bet for a full line.
In the base game there is a Wild symbol as expected and it pays 60x for a 5-of-a-kind combo. However, Dragon Hero takes a left turn as it presents a Super Wild symbol which holds from 1 to 3 Wilds. When this symbol hits, all the Wilds inside it are scattered across the reels randomly.
Finally, hitting 3, 4, or 5 Scatters will take you to the bonus game with 6, 8, or 10 bonus wheels respectively. Each bonus wheel awards from 1 to 3 free spins so 10 bonus wheels can offer a maximum of 30 free spins - a number not often seen in most slot games. For this many free spins, understandably, the bonus cannot be retriggered.
During the free spins, every Super Wild that lands will stay in their slot until the end of the round, sending out random Wilds every spin. One interesting feature is that when a Scatter hits, it adds half a wild to a Super Wild in game. When a full Wild is added, the Super Wild will send out one extra Wild for the subsequent spins. In addition, players can buy the bonus for 100x the bet.
Roshtein’s Take
As one more in the sea of Chinese-themed slots, Dragon Hero might look predictable at first glance but it is better than many of its kind. However, compared to the more innovative slots on the iGaming scene, it does lack that extra kick that would catapult its gameplay to the highest possible level.
The game understandably revolves around the Super Wild feature but sometimes 2 Wilds can overlap in the same grid position which is incredibly frustrating! On a good note though, the number of possible free spins the game can give is extremely generous and that I can appreciate.