Slot Review: Aloha! Christmas by NetEnt
Published November 1, 2021 by Elana K
Aloha! Christmas from NetEnt is a remake of its 2016 slot, Aloha! Cluster Pays. NetEnt’s upgrade includes respins, free spins, multiplier wilds, and a fun cluster pays system.
Aloha! Christmas from NetEnt is a remake of its 2016 slot, Aloha! Cluster Pays. On the surface, choosing a Hawaiin-themed slot for a holiday remake might seem like an odd choice, but then again, it’s definitely different from the typical Christmas slots. NetEnt’s upgrade includes respins, free spins, multiplier wilds, and a fun cluster pays system. The maximum win is 1750x the stake, which isn't massive but at least has the potential to be a nice stocking stuffer. Aloha! Christmas can be played at NetEnt casinos, online and on mobile.
Slot Specs
Aloha! Christmas is played on a 6x6 grid surrounded by a tiki statue with a Santa hat on one side and a pile of presents on the other side. The background is warm and sunny as opposed to cold and snowy. Bets range between $.10 and $200 per spin and the RTP is 96%. The cluster pays system is still in play here, just like in the original slot. When 9 matching symbols touch vertically or horizontally, a winning cluster is formed.
Symbols include flowers, clams, coconuts, pineapples, various colored tiki masks, mystery symbols, and scatters.
Mystery symbols appear in clusters randomly in the base game and bonus game and they reveal the same matching symbol. Also randomly, one mystery symbol can turn into a multiplier wild that goes up to 7x in the base game.
Sticky Win Respin Feature
When a cluster win is scored, the Sticky Win Respin feature can be randomly activated. The cluster that created the winning combo and any other matching symbols on the grid remain stuck in place while the other symbols spin. Respins go on until no new matching symbols land. At the end of the respins, a multiplier of up to 9x is applied to the winnings.
Free Spins
When 3 or more scatters land on the reels, the Free Spins feature is triggered. There are 2 ways this feature can be played out: Players can choose the Tiki Bar, which grants 10 free spins and multipliers of 2x, 3x, and 4x. Or, players can choose the more volatile Tiki Bar MAX, which offers 6 free spins and multipliers of 4x, 5x, and 7x.
During either mode, when starfish symbols land, they are collected. For every 3 collected starfish, players get 2 more free spins and 1 low-paying symbol is removed from the grid. Players can ultimately get to a point in which there are only higher-paying symbols on the reels.
Bottom Line
NetEnt is going out on a limb calling its tropical-island-themed game a Christmas slot just by adding a Santa hat and some presents. However, this move may also be a stroke of genius, allowing players to play something Christmas-y without getting hit over the head with all the typical graphics like snow, reindeer, etc. Whether you buy into the Christmas theme or not, the game itself has merit with its respins, free spins, and multipliers. The cluster pays system is also a fun departure from the typical payout methods.
