Bounty of the Beanstalk Slot Review

Children’s fairytales are ripe for reworking as video slots, and Ash Gaming have taken a few liberties in Bounty of the Beanstalk, a 5-reel slot that provides a refreshing take on the magical and mildly terrifying Jack & The Beanstalk.

Looking back on children’s fairy tales as an adult, you’re often struck by how dark they were, and for all its charm there’s no disputing that Jack & The Beanstalk has a sinister side. Ash Gaming certainly aren’t the first developer to tackle Jack & The Beanstalk incidentally – NetEnt’s version seems to be the one all other contenders are measured against. In Bounty of the Beanstalk, Ash Gaming have exercised a degree of artistic licence but without straying too far from the tale’s origins. 50 paylines and five reels provide plenty of excitement in this progressive jackpot game.

Great Graphics

Graphics are a strong point of Ash Gaming and they’ve used their skill set to good effect in Bounty of the Beanstalk, whose backdrop features the house Jack lives in with his mother and the giant beanstalk spiralling its way into the clouds. While the basic playing symbols are generic playing card values, the thematic symbols are beautifully rendered. Look out for Jack, the bean sprouts, the hideous giant and the axe that’s used to fell the oversized beanstalk.

Grab Control

The playing controls are neatly set out below the reels, while the value of the progressive jackpot sits in the top right of the screen above the beanstalk itself. The game features 50 paylines, with a maximum bet of 250.00 per spin. It’s possible to play with less than 50 lines active should you so desire. There’s an autoplay button, where the number of spins can be dictated; alternatively autoplay can be left on until you reach the feature. The other button of note, Turbo Mode, simply makes the action move faster.

Wild Stuff

Of the game’s various symbols, 5x cows are worth 300 and 5x Jack’s mother – who looks awfully young to be his mother – are worth 500. Five wilds are worth 1,000, though you’ll more commonly use these to substitute for the regular playing symbols. Wild appears as the title of the game. In the base game, you’ll typically struggle to generate small wins. Bounty of the Beanstalk is an all or nothing kinda game; you either persevere until you win big, or you give up and go home.

The scatter symbol is played by Jack. When he appears to trigger the bonus game, you’ll be tasked with clambering up the beanstalk and into the giant’s lair. He’ll be fast asleep with the jewels sprawled on the table in front of him, but to scoop the bounty you’ll need to be as sly as a ninja. The jewels that lie furthest from the giant are the easiest to pocket without waking him. Get too close and you’ll rouse him from his slumber, triggering one big, angry giant.

Progressive Jackpot

To scoop the progressive jackpot, you’ll need to collect three golden trinkets. This feat is achieved in the bonus round, when Jack goes picking for jewels. You’ll need to be bold – and lucky – to scoop these treasures, because they’re likely to be extremely close to the sleeping giant.

There are also free spins to be won in Bounty of the Beanstalk, with each one followed by a giant finger that nudges the reels, creating locked wilds at random that remain in place for the remainder of the free spins. The RTP stands at 94%, which is about average, but with medium volatility. One final tip: scatters and wilds will appear on the first three reels only, but Free Spins, featuring the angry giant, can appear anywhere.

Jumping Jack

Ash Gaming have created a great slot here, even if it can be a frustrating one to play at times, demanding a lot of patience until you actually get anywhere. If you’re the sort of player who likes to amass small wins before slinking off with a modest profit, Bounty of the Beanstalk isn’t the game for you. If you’re happy to bet big and bide your time however, this charming slot should appeal.