Lucky Neko in Demo Mode

Lucky Neko by PG Soft is one of the benchmark slots with cluster payouts and ways to win mechanics, which is quite a lot, although it does not quite reach Megaways.

The slot looks quite complex at first glance: small symbols, large symbols, and other design elements that are confusing. In general, the slot has a grid consisting of 6 reels and 4 rows. This layout allows you to win in many ways (up to 32,400 ways). 

The cluster system is a good solution for a slot of this format. Everything is simple here — no paylines, 5 blocks form a cluster, and therefore a win. The slot does not require your high involvement, and even the complexity I mentioned disappears over time, and playing becomes very enjoyable.

The game has medium volatility, which ensures stable gameplay. It is very well suited for beginners or those who want to play without stress. Bets range from $0.60 to $180 and have a flexible setting system. Lucky Neko slot has the same flexible system for autospins, although I recommend playing manually and getting as involved in the gameplay as possible. Moreover, only then can the slot truly delight you with its gameplay and features. 

By the way, the slot is perfectly adapted for mobile phones. So you can play Lucky Neko anywhere and anytime.

Symbols

The symbols in Lucky Neko deserve special attention. The gigabox mechanic is very aptly used here. It adds both visual and gameplay dynamics. When clusters are triggered and symbols disappear, the slot starts to pulsate (you'll understand what I mean when you play). 

The slot also features the now iconic statue of a cat waving its paw. It can be considered the mascot of this slot. It is also a Wild symbol. The rest of the symbols are less interesting and rather trivial, but for those who want to know the payouts for each symbol, here is a table of symbol values.

Drum

650

530

425

320

Lantern

640

530

425

315

Fan

630

520

415

38

Sashimi

615

512

410

36

Sushi

615

512

410

36

A

610

58

46

34

K

610

58

46

34

Q

64

53

42

31

J

64

53

42

31

10

64

53

42

31

Golden Cat

680

550

440

330

Lucky Neko is rich in features, and at the same time, it manages to maintain a balance between simple, easy-to-use features and truly deep features that at first glance seem too complex for a slot. And for this, the Lucky Neko game deserves enormous respect. In addition, the features themselves are interesting, you want to knock them out, and unlike some other slots, the Lucky Neko slot’s features really affect the gameplay, rather than just embellishing it. 

Wilds-on-the-Way — during all spins, some symbols (except Wild and Scatter) in reels 2,3,4, and/or 5 that occupy 2 to 4 symbols’ spaces may have a silver frame around themselves. 

Any silver-framed symbols that were part of a winning combo in the previous round transform into randomly chosen symbols (except Wilds and Scatters) — now wrapped in a golden frame.

Then, on the next round, if those gold-framed symbols take part in another win, they evolve once more — turning into Wilds. It’s a dynamic, chain-reaction mechanic that adds excitement to every spin.

Although it may sound a bit complicated and overwhelming, in practice it only takes 2-3 spins, and you won't even notice when new Wilds appear on the field.

Cat Symbol Multiplier — during any main game spin, whenever 1 or more Cat symbols appear on the reels, the win multiplier will be increased by 2 for each Cat symbol before wins are paid.

During Free Spins, this feature can stack up so much that can significantly increase the win. That's what happened to me when I tested the game.

Free Spins — When 4 Scatter symbols land anywhere on the reels, they ignite the Free Spins Feature, granting 10 Free Spins right away. Each extra Scatter adds even more fuel to the fire — +2 free spins for every one that appears.

The feature kicks off with a x2 win multiplier, but things ramp up quickly. During any free spin, every Cat symbol that appears boosts the multiplier by +2 before your wins are calculated.

And the best part —Free Spins can be retriggered. So, theoretically, you can spin free spins for a very long time, as long as you keep getting new Scatters during the current round.

These are the three key features of the game that will bring you enjoyment and big wins if you are lucky. Spoiler alert: I wasn't very lucky when testing the Lucky Neko slot machine game. But more on that in the testing section. 

To sum up the features: they are well implemented, there are not many of them, and they do not overload your attention.

In addition to being packed with top features, the slot also has very strong winning potential.

Bet Range and Maximum Payouts

The betting range in the slot is really wide, from $0.60 to $180, creating a comfort zone for both players who enjoy slow, strategic, and measured gameplay, as well as high rollers. And the maximum win of x100,000 of the bet makes the slot very juicy. 

Lucky Neko Slot RTP and Volatility 

In this regard, Lucky Neko is more conservative. Lucky Neko volatility is medium, which is generally considered normal. Forgot what volatility means? Don't worry, we explain volatility in detail here. 

You shouldn't expect anything extravagant in terms of payouts from a slot with such volatility. It compensates to some extent for the wide range of bets and the astronomical maximum win. The slot's RTP is within the industry norm at 96.73%.

Hit Frequency

Based on my testing, the hit frequency here is approximately 27%. That means almost every third spin will still give you some kind of reward. This is a fairly strong frequency, which is due to the medium volatility. 

First, set your bet. I recommend playing for $2-4 per spin. This option is the most popular and optimal for winning more or less decent prizes. If you want the slot to spin on its own while you just watch, set up autospin. The settings section is very flexible, so you can calibrate everything to your liking. Then just press spin and hope for luck.

To help you truly grasp the power of the Lucky Neko free slot, I’ll compare it to a few other slots with similar mechanics — that way, the feature doesn’t exist in a vacuum.

And so Lucky Neko wins in the category of highest winning potential. Add to that three well-designed features and easy gameplay with Gigablox, and the decision on what to play is obvious. The other two games are also great, but they are less creative in their choice of theme and have weaker winning potential. But keep in mind, if they were bad or something, they would never have become cult classics. So play each of them in demo mode and choose the one that gives you the most pleasure. You can play any of these games right here on the SlotsUp website.

I started my demo Lucky Neko game with a balance of 200,000 credits and a bet of $4. As I said, the game looks complex, so for the first 10-20 spins, I got used to the pace and watched how it works and how its features work. 

Later, I realized that you shouldn't expect big wins from the basic gameplay. But the thing is, it's not easy to get the bonus round — you need 4 Scatters. Eventually, I was lucky enough to get them and started the bonus round with 12 Free Spins, from which I got a total of $174. Unfortunately, the amount I spent to get this round was higher, and I couldn't come out ahead. In the end, I finished with a balance that was down by almost 200 credits. Of course, it was possible to recoup the loss and come out ahead, but within the 100 credits that the game should be tested for, I didn't do that. 

Briefly about the visuals and sound — they are just OK here. They don't hurt the ears or eyes, but they are not memorable either. The music is calm and measured, and the visuals are quite minimalistic, although done in an interesting oriental theme.