In this 8 Golden Dragon Challenge review, we explore an Asian-themed slot by Reel Kingdom in conjunction with Pragmatic Play. This game, which made its debut in September 2023, features a 5x3 grid with 10 paylines and an 8,800x top prize.
Two exciting bonus features can be found within the slot: the Mini Slot Machine Bonus and the Envelope Bonus. Keep reading our review to learn more about how to trigger these and what they offer.
| Software Provider | Pragmatic Play |
| Release Date | September 2023 |
| RTP | 96.02% |
| Volatility | Medium-High |
| Max Win | 8,800x |
| Reels x Rows | 5 x 3 |
| Minimum – Maximum Bet | $0.10 - $250 |
| Number of Paylines | 10 |
| Themes | Asian, Chinese |
8 Golden Dragon Challenge Details, RTP and Volatility
The 8 Golden Dragon Challenge slot offers players a grid consisting of 5 reels and 3 rows with 10 paylines. This medium to high volatility slot offers rewards that are slightly bigger than average, albeit less frequently. The maximum potential payout is 8,800x, which seems deliberate given the Asian theme and the significance of the lucky number eight.
An RTP of 96.02% should keep most players happy enough. However, doing your research is important, as Pragmatic Play also offers lower RTP versions. These offer values of 95.01% and 94.02%.
Adding to the allure of this China-inspired slot is the wide betting range, which caters to players of all bankrolls. Wagering starts from just $0.10 and rises as high as $250 per spin.
Theme & Graphics in 8 Golden Dragon Challenge
Asian-themed online slots tend to feature similar symbols and colors with traditional-sounding music, because it's a formula that works. And that's exactly what you can expect from the 8 Golden Dragon Challenge slot. Pragmatic Play and Reel Kingdom keep to this classic setup, with a scene of blue skies, mountains and trees in full bloom.
Taking up most of the screen is the 5x3 grid framed by a red-roofed pagoda. Since dragons are a big part of Asian culture too, they are featured here as the three highest-paying symbols. Gold-colored playing card ranks A through 9 make up the rest of the regular symbols.
Animation-wise, the only real excitement happens whenever three gold dragon scatters land and trigger the Mini Slot Machine Bonus round. While there isn't anything that stands out as particularly unique, the graphics and audio are well presented.
8 Golden Dragon Challenge Slot Features
Reel Kingdom has thrown a few innovative features into this slot. Let’s now take a look at what you can expect to see in terms of symbols, features and gameplay.
Regular Symbols
As with many other casino games, the symbols are split into two groups. Playing card symbols from 9 to A are the lowest-paying set, awarding 0.5x or 2x for matching three. Four-of-a-kind earns you from 1x to 5x, while five matches pays 2x up to 10x.
These lower-tier symbols have a distinct Asian influence, but the higher-value dragon coins truly embrace their Chinese origins. You only need to match two of the blue, green and red dragon symbols to earn a prize of 1x, 2x or 5x. However, prizes reach as high as 100x for five red dragons.
Scatters
The gold dragon scatter symbol can only land on reels one, three and five. Hitting three of these symbols takes you to the Mini Slot Machine Bonus game.
Mini Slot Machine Bonus Feature
This feature plays out on eight separate 3x3 reel slots, all of which contain nothing but dragon symbols or blanks. The game is played in stages, with each mini-slot machine spinning one at a time to show a result.
A prize is awarded if a mini slot shows three dragon symbols. All winning mini-slots will spin again in the next round, while losing slots will lock. All slots with one full dragon symbol award +1x to the envelope multiplier. In addition, two dragons add +3x and three dragons are worth +8x
Envelope Feature
This bonus game offers the player eight traditional red Hong Bao envelopes filled with money. Prizes can range from 2x to 10x the bet and will be increased by the multiplier received during the Mini Slot game.
How to Play 8 Golden Dragon Challenge Online
Adjust your bet size using the plus or minus symbols on either side of the spin button in the bottom-right corner. Below this is an autoplay feature that allows you to configure hands-free play.
Unlike many slots found at online casinos, 8 Golden Dragon Challenge offers prizes for matching just two symbols. However, more conventionally, they must line up from left to right.
Try the 8 Golden Dragon Challenge Demo for Free before playing for real money
You'll no doubt be itching to play the game for real money now that you’ve read this 8 Golden Dragon Challenge review. But before stumping up your hard-earned cash, why not give the 8 Golden Dragon Challenge demo game a try? Practicing on free slots is the best way to learn the rules, controls and features without any risk.
8 Golden Dragon Challenge Review – Our Final Verdict
Every developer has a collection of titles which cater to everyone, but are really aimed at novice players. That's exactly where you'd place the 8 Golden Dragon Challenge slot. This Asian culture-inspired game has decent-enough graphics and a pleasant soundtrack, but there is nothing especially attention-grabbing about it.
Two different bonus rounds add a little spice to the mix, at least. The Mini Slot Machine Bonus is the main game and the gatekeeper to the Envelope Bonus round. The former can lead to impressive cash prizes, should you manage to keep enough doors open on the mini three-reel slots.
Mathematically, the 8 Golden Dragon Challenge is right on the money. A 96.02% RTP is fair, while the medium to high variance level gives things a balanced feel, supplying fairly regular wins. Finally, the 8,800x max win is perfectly suited to a slot of this caliber and the gaming demographic it's aimed at.
Similar Slot Games
If our 8 Golden Dragon Challenge review has you wondering what other Asian-themed slots are out there, try the following:
- Dragon Hero: A Pragmatic Play slot with high variance and many bonuses, including sticky wilds, free spins and a symbol collection feature.
- 5 Rabbits Megaways: With a slightly different take on the Oriental theme, this game offers a possible 117,649 ways to win and random multipliers of up to 40x.
- Sword of Shoguns: Developed by Thunderkick, this 6x7 slot has a 25,200x top prize, beautiful graphics and dynamic gameplay.
