The Wild Life Online Slot Game

If an African safari is out of reach, you can still experience the excitement of The Wild Life through the IGT online slot game of the same name.

As you travel, you will encounter lions, jaguars, elephants, rhinos, giraffes, and zebras, and gather many exciting rewards along the way.

The Wild Life basics

The Wild Life is an online slot game developed by the renowned casino games developer IGT. It includes five reels, three rows, and 10 fixed paylines.

If you’re a newcomer to this slot game and see that it only offers 10 paylines, you may assume it will be dull to play. However, in actuality, that couldn’t be more wrong.

The theme of this slot game is African wildlife, as evident from its title. The vast sandy landscape with splashes of green, lush foliage, and a vibrant red-orange backdrop beautifully captures the essence of a sunset over the Serengeti plains.

The soft, vibrant background colors complement the colorful game symbols without overpowering them. Every aspect of this slot game, including the animal images and tree designs, showcases a careful eye for detail. Even the letters on the playing cards are adorned with a unique flourish reminiscent of animal skin. The picturesque scenery on the reels sets the perfect backdrop for the game’s exciting gameplay.

Fortunately, the game is not disappointing, so all the artistry put into it has not been in vain. The visuals and sounds of wild animals are captivating, but what truly makes the game exciting are the winning combinations that can be formed in both directions, expanding wilds that cover entire reels, and a special free spins feature that keeps the gameplay engaging.

Where The Wild Life falls short

However, there are areas where this slot could be enhanced.

So-so RTP and high volatility

Although The Wild Life slot game does not offer a progressive jackpot, this is not a drawback as there are numerous other ways to have fun with online slots. Some progressive jackpot slots have less frequent and lower payouts, leading to a subpar return to player (RTP).

Although The Wild Life does not have a substantial progressive jackpot to strive for, it still disappoints with its mediocre RTP. The game has a theoretical RTP that varies from 92.16% to 96.16%, with an average of only 94.20%. In contrast, numerous online slots in Pennsylvania offer higher RTP percentages.

The results of your individual gaming sessions may differ greatly from the expected long-term RTP. If your bankroll experiences a substantial loss, you may not have sufficient funds to bounce back.

The problem is exacerbated by the large fluctuations associated with this slot machine. It makes sense to classify this game as a high-risk slot because of its African safari theme. Each safari is special as you venture into uncharted territories full of unexpected surprises. But if the journey proves to be fruitless, you may not have the means to keep going indefinitely.

Only one bonus feature

One disappointment is the lack of variety in bonus features in this slot game. Although getting 10, 15, or 20 free spins is fun, it would be better if the game had more bonuses, like a pick’em game that involves players for a more interactive experience.

The manufacturer claims that the free spins can be retriggered multiple times, giving players the chance to win up to 200 free spins. However, after playing three demo sessions, I discovered that triggering the free spins was incredibly challenging, let alone retriggering them. While waiting for the bonus feature to activate, it is likely that your playing stake will decrease unless you are lucky in the base game.

The Wild Life bet size

Just like many other modern online slots, The Wild Life provides the choice to play in a demo mode or for actual cash.

This slot game appeals to a wide range of players, offering a minimum bet of only 10 cents and a maximum bet of $200 per spin. Whether you’re a casual bettor or a high roller, all 10 paylines are active regardless of your bet size. Your payouts are calculated by dividing your total bet by 10.

Pay Both Ways feature

Some IGT online slots, like The Wild Life, come with a special Pay Both Ways feature that sets them apart.

Not only do they payout for matching symbols lining up adjacently on consecutive reels starting from reel 1, but they also payout for the same combinations in the opposite direction, starting from reel 5. To win, three or more matching symbols must line up adjacently on consecutive reels, starting from the farthest reel on the right.

In other words, successful combinations can be formed in either direction: from left to right or from right to left.

Even though the Pay Both Ways feature increases the frequency of payouts compared to the standard slot game, the winnings are usually small and may not be enough to cover the bet placed.

The Wild Life symbols

The Wild Life features a total of 11 symbols, comprising 9 regular symbols, a wild symbol, and a bonus symbol. The wild symbol is limited to reels 2, 3, and 4, whereas the bonus symbol is a scatter symbol that can show up anywhere on the reels.

Regular symbols

The standard symbols that pay the most in this game feature animals typically seen on an African safari. Below is a list of these symbols in order of highest to lowest value.

• Jaguar
• Elephant
• Rhino
• Giraffe
• Zebra

The lower paying standard symbols include the playing cards Jack through Ace.

The table below shows the payouts for getting winning combinations of 3, 4, or 5 symbols.

The Wild Life paytable

The amount of coins awarded for different winning combinations.

Special symbols

Wild symbol

Naturally, a slot game called The Wild Life wouldn’t be complete without a wild symbol. And in this game, the wild symbol is not only present, but it’s also larger than life. This expanding wild has the power to greatly boost your winnings.

The game’s wild symbol is the lion, famously known as the King of the Jungle, and can only show up on reels 2, 3, or 4. Although it doesn’t have a value of its own, it plays a vital role in the game by substituting for all other symbols (except the bonus scatter symbol) to assist in forming or improving winning combinations.

Every time the wild symbol shows up and combines with other symbols to light up the screen with winnings, your excitement will escalate. The entire reel will turn wild for that spin, boosting your opportunities to hit multiple winning combinations!

I was playing in demo mode, betting $10 per spin, when I hit a moment in the base game where two reels went completely wild, leading to a $240 win on that single spin!

When you activate the free spins bonus, you have the chance to win a much larger amount. This is because any wild symbols that create winning combinations during the free spins will expand to cover the whole reel and become sticky wilds, staying in place for the entire bonus round.

Bonus scatter symbol

The bonus symbol, representing a map of Africa, may appear on any reel and is frequently seen in pairs. However, simply having two symbols will not be advantageous. To trigger the highly sought-after free spins bonus round, you must have a minimum of three symbols.

Free spins bonus

When you land 3, 4, or 5 scattered bonus symbols simultaneously on the reels, you will be awarded 10, 15, or 20 free spins.

More scatter symbols can show up in the free spins round, giving you an additional two free spins for each one that appears. While rare, it is possible to have three or more scatter symbols land multiple times, triggering the full bonus again and again.

In the free spins round, special reels are activated with the same bet as the spin that triggered them. Any wild symbols that contribute to winning combinations during the free spins will expand and remain fixed in place.

The free spins bonus is without a doubt the most lucrative feature of the game.

The bottom line

The Wild Life online slot is a highly enjoyable game, but it’s crucial to recognize when to walk away with your winnings. To increase your profits, it’s wise to stop playing before the game can reclaim them. This will leave you excited to come back to The Wild Life for more exciting adventures.