Updated
Lisa Michaels
Journey to the West is regarded as one of the great Chinese novels, and many consider it the most famous literary work in East Asia. The story follows the fantastical journey of a Buddhist monk and his interactions with characters from various myths and folklore. Since its first release in the 16th century, it has been adapted countless times, including by Pragmatic Play for this Asian-themed slot.
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You can join the characters on the legendary journey to China as they seek enlightenment. Although the Buddhist path to enlightenment is long and complex, playing Journey to the West is as simple as following these steps:
When you load up Journey to the West, the 5x3 reels sit in the centre of the screen, while the controls are all found beneath the reels. The control panel features the following:
Open the paytable before playing to see the various symbols, their values and the game's rules. There are a total of ten symbols, with eight regular paying symbols and two bonus symbols:
This slot has twenty-five paylines, and you’ll need to match at least three symbols along one of these lines to land a win. Your matching lines need to start from the left-most reel, and the payout you receive is determined by symbol value and your current bet.
The two bonus symbols, the wild and the scatter are your key to triggering special features and bigger wins. Look out for them as you spin the reels:
On every spin, symbols can land stacked, covering the entire reel and giving you a better chance of landing a big win. When the game’s four main characters land stacked, they can pay from just two on a line.
The engraved jade coin is the game’s wild symbol, appearing across the reels and substituting for any other symbol to help form winning lines. It’s also the highest-paying symbol in the game, offering up to 16x your stake. The wild is the only symbol that will payout from just two on a line.
Landing three or more of the golden dragon free spins symbol anywhere on the reels will unlock the bonus round. You’ll get five free spins, but you’ll gain three additional spins every time three scatters land on the reels at once.
At the start of the free spins bonus, you can choose one of five options that will affect which reel is stacked and the win multiplier:
This slot’s maximum win is worth 10,000 of your bet. If you’re playing at the highest possible bet of $125, this would give you an impressive win worth $1,250,000.
The RTP rate for Journey to the West is measured at 96.47%. This is above average, although it’s important to note that RTP ranges mean this rate could be lower depending on the casino where you play.
The volatility is medium, implying average win frequency and payout sizes. While playing Journey to the West, I had a lot of fun but ended up with a slight loss after failing to trigger the bonus features. The base game is enjoyable, but the big wins happen once you trigger some win multipliers during the free spins.
Remember that the RTP and volatility ratings are measured over thousands of spins. As a result, your standard playing session could result in higher or lower returns based on how much luck you have.
The graphics in Journey to the West aren’t bad at all, with bright colours and clever designs helping to bring the characters and setting to life. While it’s not hyper-realistic, it stands out on the screen, and the reels and animations all look great as you spin. The reels are set against the backdrop of a city at night, with a traditional Chinese building supporting the playing grid.
I also enjoyed the Journey to the West music, with Asian instrumental music playing in the background. It’s very relaxing, and even though I usually mute the sounds, I kept it on for my entire playing session this time. The overall effect was a chilled and enjoyable gaming experience that fit with the East Asian theme perfectly.
I recommend giving the free demo a spin before you play for real money at an online casino. It’s available on this page and will allow you to spin the reels as much as you like without risking any money. This way, you’ll experience the stacked symbols, wilds and free spins for free.
Once you’ve experienced the demo, you’ll better understand how the game works, and it’s also a great way to decide whether you like it. We write these reviews to help players know what to expect, but spinning the reels a few times is the best way to see if you’ll enjoy it.
Asia is a massive continent filled with incredible history, culture and traditions. Journey to the West might be the most well-known and adapted Chinese story, but it’s not the only thing that has inspired slot developers over the years.
For example, if you love Asian martial arts, you might enjoy Bruce Lee from WMS. Monkey King Rush by Pragmatic Play is another popular game inspired by Journey to the West. Floating Dragon is more of a traditional Asian slot but bursting with bonus features. Here’s how they compare:
I think Journey to the West is a real-made game, and it perfectly fits the theme and subject matter it’s inspired by. The music, graphics and designs are great, but some players might feel disappointed by the bonus features. The base game isn’t bad; it struggles to get going without any high-paying symbols. That said, if you hit the free spins round, there’s a much higher chance of a big win, thanks to the multipliers.
Lisa started off as a croupier at her local casino. However she found her niche in writing and has subsequently used her real-world gambling experiences to help produce and review the many online slots that are released monthly. Lisa also contributes to keeping you up to date with Canadian newsworthy stories.
