Cleo's Wish from NextGen Gaming: Slot Review - an oasis of riches await you!

Ancient Egypt is a popular theme when it comes to online slots. It has been explored many times already by multiple software developers as it invites players to gaze in wonder at the awe-inspiring pyramids and of course offer a chance to glimpse at the magnificent River Nile. This latest release from acclaimed software studio NextGen Gaming is set in Ancient Egypt but at a time when the beautiful and fearless leader Cleo (Cleopatra) ruled the land. Let’s see if Cleo will be kind enough to share her vast fortune of riches with you when you play this slot!

Cleo's Wish is a 5 reel slot with 25 paylines that includes Free Games, Stacked Wilds, Super Spins, and Wild Reels.

Special Features

The first feature to highlight is the Wild symbol and this is represented by an image of Cleo. Like most Wild symbols, the main function of this symbol is to substitute for other symbols except the Scatter to help forming winning combinations on the reels. Keep a very close eye on this symbol when spinning the reels as it is the highest paying symbol in the game. Land 5 of these symbols on an active payline and you will bag yourself a cash prize worth 500 coins!

Cleo’s Wish features 3 randomly triggered bonus features. The first one is Sands of Fortune and when it is activated all logo, scarab, bracelet and ankh symbols will transform into the same randomly chosen symbol to really boost your chances of landing a big win. The second one is Guaranteed Wild Reels and when this feature triggers, up to 5 reels starting from the left-most reel may turn Wild and appear stacked for a single spin. The last random feature is Added Wilds and when this feature kicks in, more Wild symbols are simply added to any positions on the reels.

The Scatter symbol is depicted by a bunch of pyramids with a purple sky in the background. Land 3 of these symbols anywhere on the reels to trigger the Free Games feature. Once triggered, you will be given 125 coins as a nice cash bonus and the chance to play from two very different Free Games bonus games. The games are as follows:

• Cleo’s Parade: Stacked Wilds appear on the 5th reel and move one reel to the left with each free spin. Land 3 more Scatters to retrigger this feature and receive extra Wild Reels. This feature ends when the last stack of Wilds reach the leftmost reel.

• Eternal Riches: You are given between 5 - 10 Free Games and every time a Wild or Scatter shows up then it will contribute 3 points to the Super Spins Win Multiplier. The maximum Super Spins Win Multiplier is 20X. When this feature ends, the Super Spins feature kicks in and awards payouts based on the number of Super Spins multiplied by the Win Multiplier. Unfortunately, the Super Spins feature cannot be retriggered.

Theme, Graphics and Sound

The graphics are bright and cartoonish which is quite refreshing as it feels like a whole new take on the Ancient Egypt theme. The game is set in front of the river Nile with a bunch of beautiful pyramids in the distance and you’ll notice the star of the slot Cleo can be found standing next to the reels on the left-hand side. The symbols are beautifully designed and consist of Cleo, a Pyramid, an Ankh, a Scarab, a Bracelet, and the standard A – 9 icons. The animations are impressive as symbols sparkle and glow when part of a winning payline. I especially liked how Cleo holds a small star in her hand and magically waves it away when her symbol is part of a winning combination on the reels.

The music is lounge-style with lots of soft piano sounds. It complements the fast-paced nature of the game nicely.

Win lines, Payouts and Jackpots

The game has 25 paylines, a reasonable RTP of 95.15%, and a maximum payout worth 1,200X your stake.

Below is a summary taken from the PayOut Table from the game. The amount won for each combination depends on the value of the bet when you spin the reels.

Bet Range: 0.30, 0.60, 0.90, 1.20, 1.50, 3.00, 6.00, 7.50, 15.00, 30.00, 60.00

• Cleo Wild Symbol: 5 for 2X, 100 for 3X, 250 for 4X, 500 for 5X
• Pyramid Scatter Symbol: 125 for 3X
• Cleo’s Wish Symbol: 50 for 3X, 200 for 4X, 400 for 5X
• Scarab Symbol: 25 for 3X, 100 for 4X, 300 for 5X
• Ankh Symbol: 15 for 3X, 50 for 4X, 200 for 5X
• Bracelet Symbol: 15 for 3X, 50 for 4X, 200 for 5X
• A Symbol: 10 for 3X, 25 for 4X, 100 for 5X
• K Symbol: 10 for 3X, 25 for 4X, 100 for 5X
• Q Symbol: 5 for 3X, 20 for 4X, 100 for 5X
• J Symbol: 5 for 3X, 20 for 4X, 100 for 5X
• 10 Symbol: 5 for 3X, 15 for 4X, 100 for 5X
• 9 Symbol: 5 for 3X, 15 for 4X, 100 for 5X

Our Verdict on Cleo's Wish

This game is created by NextGen Gaming and is hands down of the best ancient Egyptian themed slots that we've ever played. It features some amazing graphics, is very easy to play thanks to an intuitive user-friendly layout, and is absolutely crammed with bonus features that provide excellent replay value. The random bonus features keep the excitement levels ticking along nicely and it’s just great there is a bit of variety when it comes to Free Spins. Of the Free Games features, the Super Spins is the most lucrative as it is possible to win up to 1,200X your initial wager on every Super Spin! I found this slot to be of Medium variance as big payouts do not occur that often. For slots with a similar Egyptian theme, check out Cleopatra and Lady of Egypt.

Land a pyramid-sized fortune when you play Cleo's Wish!