It’s no secret that slots with Asian themes are globally popular, not only among eastern communities but also with the western audience. Some games take Asian symbols in general and make a mix of oriental elements, while others target a specific theme from the Asian culture of folklore. Tianlong video slot by GamesLab (for NextGen Gaming) originates from an ancient Chinese folklore legend of Tianlong, a mythological long dragon. The name literally translates to "heavenly dragon; celestial dragon" or "holy dragon; divine dragon". There are 5 reels and 3 rows in the game, and payouts are won across 10 betways.
The slot benefits from breath-taking graphics. The reels are set against a backdrop that appears almost mythical. You can see cherry blossoms, mountaintops in the distance, a trail that leads up to a mysterious portal. The sky is strangely lit, and it’s hard to make out whether it is day or night. The symbols include stones inscribed with letters, an amber necklace or bracelet, a jade ornament, a bonsai tree a lantern and an image of a temple on a mountain top with a rainbow above in the sky.
Where is Tianlong? – you may ask. The flying dragon is the Wild symbol, and it appears on reels 2, 3 and 4. It replaces every symbol from the paytable except the Scatter represented by a phoenix bird. The Wild only shows the head of the creature, but when it lands it expands to cover all the positions on the given reel.
The Wild is simultaneously a trigger for a re-spin feature. The expanded Wild stays in place and the remaining reels rotate again (regular pays are previously awarded). With further Tianlong dragons on the reels, the player can obtain more re-spins possibilities. To activate the Free Spins bonus, the player needs to land at least 3 phoenix icons on the middle reels. The prize is 15 freebies with all wins doubled during the free play round. There are no restrictions regarding Wild re-spins; they can happen during free play and the whole round can also be retriggered.
Tianlong is not a feature-packed video slot, but there’s enough action to keep one entertained. The graphics and animations are superb, and the game has a win potential to boot. The RTP is a bit lower than we’d like to see and barely above average, and the volatility is low, too. The trip to ancient China is worth it, though, for the inspiring visuals. The legend of Tianlong is so old, that it might very well appear fresh, new and intriguing to most new-generation punters.
