The New Year celebrations are amongst the most colorful and lively you can find in modern China, and the tradition is literally centuries old. Happy New Year is a video slot game by Microgaming that focuses on the traditional Chinese New Year celebrations just like they take place even in modern China every year in February. Get ready for fireworks and plenty of fun, not to mention big wins and luck for the entire year to come. Stick around and discover our complete review of this unique reeled machine to make sure that you are ready for the epic celebrations ahead.

Happy New Year Slot Machine [with Max 2,400 Coin Jackpot] Reviewed

EXPLOSIONS IN THE SKY

The Chinese New Year celebrations are famous for their exuberant fireworks displays that light up the night sky in a multitude of colors.

Happy New Year recreates this tradition by featuring beautiful, yet static, fireworks in the background. The result is rather striking, yet partially covered by the buttons and displays that clutter the game screen quite a bit.

The sounds or background music is nothing special, but to some, this is a bonus as you are not interrupted with overpowering music. The subtle sound effects do add to the Chinese theme. You will be spinning the reels to the usual Chinese New Year symbols like lanterns, firecrackers, and Chinese writing. Although a New Year Dragon symbol would have been good to add. Overall, the game does not overload the player with too many symbols to work out.

This slot offers another incentive, if you spin up any combination/color of the firecracker symbols on a payline, this will be a winning combination. The great part about the way this game has been created is that no space on your screen is wasted. All the paytable information you need to know about this slot is on the one screen.

PAYTABLE EXPLAINED

The basic rules of Happy New Year are the same as in most standard slot games, and the gameplay gives enough opportunities for players to happily customize each of their spins.

The game matrix contains 3 reels and 5 paylines in total, and all you need to do is make sure that winning combinations of symbols land on these paylines, as advertised in the paytable on the right-hand side of the screen. Click on the buttons in the command bar below the reels in order to adjust your wager and activate as many paylines as you want.

Players can place bets by adjusting the coin size from 1.00 to 25.00 credits and activate up to 5 paylines. The number of coins per line is fixed at 1 and the maximum bet is 125.00 credits per spin.

Use the bet max button to go all-in and bet all that you have on all 5 paylines on the next spin. A bold move that could prove worth taking the risk if luck is on your side. Alternatively, you can activate the auto spin mode and let the reels spin loose for as long as you want. Feel free to play with the settings and find your perfect wager, the one that corresponds exactly to the level of risk you are willing to take. And remember that you need to take some risks if you are willing to land the game’s jackpot.

The game has a very convenient AutoPlay function which accelerates the movement of the reels and up to 10 automatic spins may be enabled.

SPECIAL ICONS

• The secret reel symbol of Happy New Year is the game logo, four Chinese ideograms arranged in a square meaning “Happy New Year”. This symbol has two distinct functions. First, the logo serves as a wild card in Happy New Year. This means that you can use it instead of any other symbol and still score a cash prize. A welcome joker card that can prove quite rewarding during the game. Logo combinations are also, and by far, the most valuable of the entire game. Their value depends on the payline on which they land and can vary from 1,000 to 2,400x the value of your wager. Lining up three logos can literally turn the entire game around and make you considerably richer in a second.

REGULAR SYMBOLS

The paytable of Happy New Year is always clearly on display on the screen , so do keep an eye on it to see what sort of rewards you could be entitled to.

• Most of the symbols available are exploding fireworks. They come in either yellow, red, or green, and you need to combine them to win up to 80x your wager. Combinations of mixed fireworks also trigger a small cash prize.
• The paper lantern symbol tops the list of basic symbols. With a reward equivalent to 160x your initial bet, you probably do not want to miss out on this icon. The lantern is worth next to nothing compared to the last symbol of Happy New Year.

BONUS AND ADDITIONAL POSSIBILITIES

Happy New Year bears little resemblance to other classic slots where the symbols are usually fruits, lucky 7s, or bar symbols. The reason behind this is, of course, the Chinese theme, but the game remains a classic slot. Therefore, it offers no bonus features like free spins, additional games, etc. It does not need to, especially with the presence of the Wild symbol.

Indeed, the Wild Chinese characters are actually a great addition to the classic slot, as they not only stand for the rest of the symbols but also bring a multiplier to every combination they complete. It is also the Wild that rewards the jackpot in the game and the line the Wild combination lands on determines the size of the jackpot.

BEST CASINOS TO PLAY HAPPY NEW YEAR SLOT MACHINE AT

If you want to celebrate New Year every day, head over to four below-mentioned recommended betting locations to try this pokie out.

• Mr Green was established in 2008 and runs on a multi-software platform, offering games from a wide number of suppliers. The company is operated by Mr Green Ltd. and is under the jurisdiction of the UK Gambling Commission and Malta Gaming Authority. Banking options include all major credit and debit cards, bank transfers, and e-wallets.

• Royal Vegas was established in 2000 and powered by Microgaming. It is licensed and regulated by the MGA. In order to fund your account, you can use a wide range of options, such as Visa, MasterCard, Neteller, Visa Electron, Skrill, and PaySafeCard.
• 32Red is registered in Gibraltar. You can transfer money to and from the website with several payment methods. You can keep it simple by using your credit card or you can make a quick transaction via an e-wallet.
• Lucky Emperor is licensed in the United Kingdom and Kahnawake. The site has plenty of different banking options available including bank cards, e-wallets, bank transfers, and pre-paid vouchers. The brand was opened in the early 2000s. It is powered by Microgaming, All41 Studios, Evolution Gaming, Foxium, and much more.

MORE GAMES BY MICROGAMING

• 7 Oceans is a 3-reel, 1-payline retro slot set deep at the bottom of the sea, where players can spot a nice big chest of treasure sitting among the corals and the fishes. And what better way to find your own treasure hoard than by spinning this simple game for line wins of up to 20,000 game credits?
• Totem Treasure has a Native American theme, as indicated by its colorful symbols of campfires, teepees, dreamcatchers, and feathered peace pipes. You will be rewarded with payouts stretching from one coin to 12,000 coins, and along the way, there is a wild symbol to help you match up winning icons.
• Santa's Wild Ride features an incredible 243 ways to win and allows you to use up to 1,215 coins per spin. Three or more Blitzin’ Harley keys will award 25 free spins. The free gifts bonus is triggered when Santa’s gift appears on reels two and four. You will get to choose from a selection of presents that reveal instant prizes.

WE RECOMMEND

Immerse yourself into a holiday celebration by visiting one of the games below.

• Jingle Bells by Red Tiger has 4 randomly triggered mini features with wilds, a giant 3x3 wild, and a multiplier up to 20x. There’s also the Santa’s Bonus feature where you pick from presents to win up to 800x your stake. The Free Spins feature gives you up to 20 free spins with more free spins to be won.
• Santa`s Kiss by Booming Games is full of festive fun and some top-notch prizes, presenting you with the prospect of winning up to 15,000 coins. It also offers some Christmas bonus cheer thanks to a round of free spins and a special “Kissing Win” gameplay feature.

Wish Upon a Star by Green Tube comes with 5x3 reels and the setup with 243 ways to win. Through them, you get to form your combinations up to 200x the stake. Stacked Wilds appear on reels two and four. They are your key to triggering bonus spins round.