How Does This NetEnt Slot Compare with Bounty of the Beanstalk?
Just to ensure no build up or drama, I’m declaring Jack from NetEnt my favourite ‘Beanstalk’ slot. The competition – Bounty of the Beanstalk from Ash Gaming – is also a great slot. I’ll review the NetEnt game here, though mention the similarities and differences as we go through.
Some slot intro videos should be skipped without much thought. I recommend watching this one. You’ll see a sequence where Jack escapes from a giant. That giant has two purple heads and looks annoyed! There is an even better video sequence when you trigger the free spins bonus game. More on that below.
As well as those free spins, you’ll get ‘walking wilds’ on the reels. This is a series of free respins, with the wild moving left by one reel each time. With 2 or more of these in play, you can line up several wins.
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Sell Me the Family Cow, and I’ll Tell You How the Jack and the Beanstalk Slot Works…
As lavish as you’ll find the production, the backbone of this slot is a classic NetEnt setup. If you are not familiar, this is 5 reels, 3 rows of symbols on each, and 20 (not adjustable) pay lines. You can set a coin value per line of between 1c and 50c. You can also add a multiplier of up to 10x on this bet per line. Auto-play spins the reels a set number of times (you choose) without needing to hit the spin button.
Regular Wins Really Get My Goat!
I always thought it was a cow that Jack sold in exchange for the magic beans. On the reels of this slot, you’ll find a goat – or at least its head. It manages to look quite characterful!
That goat is in 3rd place when it comes to the prize. Top spot goes to jack, who has an oversized head and a cheeky smile. This symbol is worth 1000 coins for 3 of a kind. That purple-headed giant comes next at 750 coins for the full 5, with the goat 3rd at 250. That prize is shared with an axe, and a battered looking watering can completes the unique symbols.
Playing card filler symbols have been given a beanstalk design. These are detailed, with swirls and different shades of green making them easy to distinguish.
Walking Wild Symbols
Wilds kick off a series of respins, which come at no extra costs. These are the logo / title of this slot, in a golden frame.
Ideally, you’ll hit a wild in reel 5. This maximizes you free respins. After each spin, the wild will ‘walk’ (move) one reel over, and remain in place while the reels spin. You get respins until this wild drops off the reels on the left-hand side.
If you get another one on the reels, then the respins continue until all of them have dropped off the reels.
As an extra, all wins that involve a wild are multiplied by 3x compared to the pay table.
Treasure Chest Free Spins
Scattered treasure chests can kick off the free spins game, along with that amazing animation when the beanstalk grows. You’ll get 10 free spins for 3 or more of these symbols.
During the free spins, a new progressive element of the game kicks in. You collect keys, which add up below the reels. At certain points, new wild symbols will be added to the reels. It is hard to collect too many with just 10 spins. You are hoping to get retriggers of 5 more spins for 3 chests at least once during your bonus.
The new wilds show a golden money bag, hen and harp. Once you get the bag, the next wild on the reels becomes stacked 2 high. The hens (shouldn’t that be a goose!), will expand the reels 3 high – and the harp will also expand 3 high – and also sideways. These are walking wilds, in the same way they work in the base game.
After the free spins, you’ll see yet another stunning graphic, featuring Jack.
Detailed Design with Lots of Small Animations
While the overall feel is a little more ramshackle than the Ash Gaming Bounty of the Beanstalk game – NetEnt win with the small details. Look around the reels, and you’ll spot many small things. 3 birds will fly in on occasion, landing on top the reels and looking around, before flying off. Jack pokes his head out of the cottage door, and butterflies cross the reels too.
There is a chirping of birds as an ambient track. When you hit a walking wild a woodwind style tune kicks in.
Animations for wins are smaller, with the big paying symbols involved. My favourite character is the giant. This does look different to the one I remember from the childhood stories.
Will This Slot Prove to Be Your Golden Hen (Goose!)?
This is classic NetEnt. The production is spot on, the game play includes new elements, though overall is solid – and the chance of a big win is always lurking. I enjoyed those walking wilds. You’ll get 2 or 3 respins frequently, and the resulting wins can start to add up.
The big money comes from the free spins game. It is not easy to collect the keys. Those times you do you can be rewarded with a lot of interesting walking wilds – which can bring in win after win.
This slot is worth checking out for the animations and graphics, though once you play it, you’ll find an engaging and enjoyable game.
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More Detalied Reviews of Net Entertainment Slots
- Starburst from NetEnt (this is the one you can get 200 free spins on!)
- Main NetEnt Slots Page (many more listed!)