Eagle's Wings Slot
What eagles have to do with slot games is anyone’s guess, but in the case of Microgaming’s excellent Eagle’s Wings, those majestic sharp-eyed birds of prey are important.
Rather than sampling the fresh air and bounteous nature of the American wilderness, why not pull up a pew and play a game that takes its inspiration from the storied landscape? OK, OK, there’s a gazillion reasons why you’d rather explore the great outdoors than play a lurid video slot; but if you want at least a chance to win some quick cash, this game could be the way forward.
Find The Eagles
Since the Eagle’s Wings symbol is wild, and can thus substitute for all other symbols except the scatter, you’re gonna want to find as many of those icons as you can. Especially when you take into consideration the fact that it doubles pay-outs when helping to configure winning combinations. But these are not regular wilds – they are stacked, meaning they can appear doubled or tripled on the reels. The wilds are also the highest-paying in the game, with 5-in-a-line yielding 1,000 credits.
The eagles are important, then. But what about the gameplay? On the surface, this game accords to Microgaming’s well-worn formula, with 5 reels, 25 paylines, the aforementioned stacked wilds, free spins and solid animations.
The symbols in the game stick strictly with the eagle theme. As well as the Eagle’s Wings symbol, there is a gold coin scatter, an eagle motif marked upon it, a salmon leaping out of a lake, a pair of hatching eagles in a nest, a squawking eagle and an eagle in flight; there are also playing card symbols, from 10 through to Ace. All wins pay left-to-right except for scatters, which grant free spins in any position.
When kicking the game into action, players can wager up to five coins per pay-line, resulting in a jackpot of 1,000 credits. This isn’t a kitty that’s likely to appeal to high-rollers, so it’s safe to say Eagle’s Wings is targeted at the average slot fan. Three matching symbols in a row will be enough to bag yourself a win, though four and five-in-a-row combos obviously result in greater pay-outs.
Old-School Slot
You might have ruled Eagle’s Wings out when you heard about the modest jackpot, but there’s no disputing the game’s arresting design. Glinting golds, bodacious playing card symbols and colourful graphics accurately convey the American wilderness. Neat animations also abound: the salmon performs a smooth little dive into the lake whenever you use it in a winning line, and the opening montage portrays the flight of the eagle as it soars over coniferous forests.
Spinning Coins
To activate the bonus feature, you’ll need to land three or more scattered eagle coins. In this game, the bonus is certainly generous, with as many as 60 free spins up for grabs. After hitting the scatters you’ll be shown three coins, each of which holds a different spin value. The combination of plenteous free spins and stacked wilds means your winnings can quickly multiply during this feature, especially since the multiplier changes from 2x to 3x in bonus play. Winnings in the bonus round are capped at 15,000 coins.
Given the odds seem stacked (if you’ll excuse the pun) in the player’s favour, it might come as a surprise that the free spins bonus can be re-triggered. It’s conceivable, then, to hit solid run of winning free spins – though it’s unlikely you’ll pick the correct coin to unlock the maximum of 60 free spins every time.
Eye Of The Eagle
Microgaming is one of the most respected software developers in the biz, so it comes as no surprise that Eagle’s Wings is both well designed and fun. Unlike some titles, Eagle’s Wings doesn’t rely on its bonus feature to make up for a bland base game. With stacked wilds, multipliers and atmospheric symbols, the bog-standard base game is surprisingly enjoyable. Of course, that doesn’t mean you won’t be looking forward to winning as many as 60 free spins.
If you experience a feeling of deja vu when sampling Eagle’s Wings, you may well have played Aristocrat’s Buffalo slot, which shares more than a few similarities with this one. It’s also comparable to another title from Microgaming’s suite, Alaskan Fishing. If there are negatives, it’s that the scatter doesn’t pay out by itself (its sole purpose is to grant free spins), but really, it’s a minor quibble. Eagle’s Wings is an excellent mid-market slot.
