Savanna Roar

Savanna Roar: Slot Overview

In October 2020, it was announced that Yggdrasil Jelly, a budding developer focused on mobile gaming, was brought into the fold through Yggdrasil's YGS Masters Programme. About a year later, they debuted their first slot game. The YGS Masters Programme has been known for its diverse output, releasing games of varied styles, themes, and quality. With Savanna Roar, Jelly seems to have aimed for a balanced approach, creating a safe and reliable game that avoids major pitfalls.

Predicting what's next from the varied studios under YGS is near impossible, but the title Savanna Roar gives away some clues. Set in the rich, warm lands of Africa, the game depicts a sun-drenched savanna teeming with wildlife, hills, acacia trees, and flocks of birds. It's a familiar scene for seasoned players, which Jelly manages to recreate adequately. However, the colors might not be as vibrant as other African-themed slots, though they become more vivid during free spins. The background music is uplifting and choral, enhancing the overall experience.

To cater to its audience, Savanna Roar's math model is tuned to a medium to high level, with a theoretical return to player percentage of 96.5%. There’s significant winning potential, bolstered by free spins and half a dozen animal-themed modifiers. Gameplay unfolds across a 5x4 grid offering 1024 ways to win, with betting ranges from 25 pence/cents to $100/€100 per spin.

Winning occurs about once every three spins whenever matching symbols land from the first reel on consecutive reels. Jelly keeps it straightforward with a grid filled with 8 standard pay symbols, split between high card values and four high-paying animal symbols. These animals include buffalo, rhinos, leopards, and elephants, with payouts ranging from 0.8 to 8 times the bet for five matching symbols. In addition, the king of the jungle, or the lion, appears as a wild symbol, substituting for other symbols to complete winning combinations.

Savanna Roar: Slot Features

Jelly's objective was to deliver a game with straightforward mechanics, which they achieved, though there are plenty of features to keep things interesting. Players will discover four base game modifiers, a respin feature, and a free spins bonus game. In the base game, the modifiers can be triggered randomly during any paid spin:

• Rhino Stampede! – converts random positions to mystery symbols that transform into matching symbols.
• Wild Leopard Spotted! – all leopard symbols appearing turn wild.
• Buffalo Charge! – nearby positions are spread with buffalo symbols.
• Untamed Elephant Spotted! – expands any elephant symbol into an impressive 3x3-sized symbol.

When the respins feature is activated, reels with bonus symbols are locked, awarding a respin. Additional bonus symbols appearing will also lock, granting another respin. This continues until no more symbols appear, potentially leading to free spins.

By landing 6 or more bonus symbols, the free spins game is triggered, awarding between 10 to 25 free spins depending on the number of symbols secured. During these spins, additional modifiers can appear. One such modifier, the Wild Leopard Multiplier, transforms leopard symbols wild and multiplies wins by up to x3. If 5 or fewer bonus symbols appear, the Savage Lion modifier activates, turning bonus symbols wild.

Savanna Roar: Slot Verdict

Savanna Roar does not push the boundaries of game design but serves as a solid first introduction from Jelly. While not exceptionally innovative or creative, the game has been carefully constructed. This makes sense for Jelly’s initial release, as they aim to make a positive first impression without revealing every secret. Even so, a bit more character from Jelly might lead to greater individuality.

On the bright side, Savanna Roar offers a wealth of features, providing plenty of entertainment. Although these features are familiar tropes in the slot realm, their abundance helps maintain player interest. Acquiring 6 scatter symbols for free spins may seem daunting, but they tend to appear in stacks, making it less challenging than expected. During testing, they frequently landed in groups of three, often requiring only two reels to initiate the bonus game plus players have the added benefit of the locking respins feature.

The winning potential of Savanna Roar is one area that certainly delivers, with the game achieving a maximum win equating to 10,459 times the stake during extensive testing by Jelly.

Jelly crafted Savanna Roar by incorporating a straightforward approach and a theme that players recognize, successfully reaching its target audience. However, being so similar to other offerings makes it easily forgettable. With this initial venture complete, there is hope that Jelly will exhibit more of their creative flair in future releases.