Circus of Cash is one of the IGT slot machines, and even though that generally means a great design, it’s clearly not the case here. The game’s circus theme will appeal to many, I’m sure of it, but the design is the weakest link. The slot uses plenty of fun bonus games that it can trigger when certain things happen, but more on that part below. The theme choice is a pretty normal one, nothing unusual about a circus slot machine, there are enough of them on the market already.
This game gives you 5 reels, 25 win lines and as features about nine different bonus games and a wild. It looks good on paper, especially with a progressive jackpot that it offers, along with a $50,000 regular prize.
Features of Circus of Cash
First of all, the game relies on a wild symbol, represented by the Lion. Next, we have the bonus features, a total of 9 of them being present and capable of being triggered if you get the right lights to activate.
If you see the image of the Lion on the reels, you will also notice the word Wild written in green at the bottom. This is the wild symbol, and as such it is responsible for giving you extra chances to get paid and to form combinations of symbols. Unfortunately, a wild symbol is not allowed to form up its own combo, but it will still be useful at any other time. There are no symbols which the wild can’t substitute for.
Bonus Games
The slot’s bonus games are triggered in the same way, with the help of the five lights which have labels on them with the letters of the word BONUS. Each spin of the game, you will notice that some of those lights will be lit. It depends on your luck and it doesn’t take into account the situation on the reels. To get the bonus game triggered, you need all five lights to be lit. Once this happens, a hammer hits the button beneath the ladder of features. Depending on how high the lights go, you can trigger one of the 9 bonus games, three being used for each of the three categories.
We have in-reel features, caravan features and main event features. The odds of getting a better payout are better for the features found closer to the top of the feature ladder.
Fire Breather Feature
The first of the 9 bonus games, Fire Breather brings such a character (a fire breather) on the reels. It will move around and when it stops it blows flames over the reel underneath which it’s located. The entire reel will turn into a wild as a result.
Lion Tamer Feature
Next, we get the Lion Tamer option, where the lady with the whip appears next to the reels and whips 1 to 5 symbols from the game, turning them to wilds.
Rampaging Elephant
The third feature on the ladder is this one, Rampaging Elephant, and it brings you one of these huge beasts. The elephant knocks some of the symbols of the game out from the reels. Symbols found on top of the missing spots will fall down, occupying empty spots and allowing new ones to come in from the top.
Bearded Lady Feature
The fourth option on the feature ladder, it’s the first one to be part of the Caravan portion. You see the caravan wagon on the screen instead of the reels, and the curtain opens up to show you two bearded ladies. You need to pick one of the ladies, and if you find the beautiful one you get paid better.
Strongman Contest Feature
The second Caravan feature and the fifth option on the ladder, it shows off three strongmen. You pick the one that you want to lift weights, and you get a prize that depends on how much he can work out with.
Knife Throwing Feature
Here, you are asked to throw five knives towards the balloons that surround the beautiful assistant. You get a prize from each balloon you pop with a knife.
Clown Car Free Games
This is the seventh feature and the first to be part of the main event section on the ladder. You see a clown car that’s coming on the screen. Clowns will start coming out of it, holding balloons. They can bring you free spins, multipliers for them and even a progressive jackpot (if a gold clown is among the ones on the screen).
Tightrope Motor Bear
During the eighth bonus feature you get this crazy bear that’s riding a bike across a tightrope. The prize value depends on how far on the rope he makes it. There are six areas that he goes through along the way. This feature can also bring you a progressive jackpot.
Captain Cannon Feature
The last of the nine features, it shows you the Captain Cannon character, as he’s about to be blasted out of a cannon. He gets you prizes each time he collides with another object as he flies. To get the progressive jackpot, you need the feature’s character to fly past the Golden Clown.
Betting options and jackpots
The slot’s 25 lines can each get a single coin as part of the wager. The coin is the one that you use to modify the wager, being worth anywhere between $0.01 and $10. You can spend a maximum of $250 on a single spin.
The rewards can be impressive as well. The fixed prizes will offer you 5,000 coins, or up to $50,000. An alternative would be a progressive jackpot which can also be won inside, with the help of one of the three top bonus games.
Design and symbols
The least impressive part about this game is clearly the design, only good enough if you’re particularly happy with slot machines from about 10 years ago. Still, it makes up for it with other parts of the game. The bonus games, which are especially fun, are shown on the right side, as part of a ladder with nine steps. The reels are on the left, with both cartoonish characters and poker cards.
Symbols: Lion (wild), Captain Cannon (5,000 coins), Ringmaster (1,000 coins), Clown (300 coins), Seal (200 coins), Ace (100 coins), King (80 coins), Queen (50 coins), Jack (30 coins) and Ten (20 coins).
Is It Worth Playing?
You might be annoyed by that design, especially since there are a few much better looking circus themed slots out there, but I’d still recommend you try it out. The nine bonus games are the ones that make the difference, along with the progressive jackpot.
This Circus of Cash slot is offered by all online casinos with IGT software, playable either in practice or in real money mode.
