Winter isn’t often the first time that comes to mind when you think of berries. Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and so on are only some of the berries that come into season throughout the summer. The cooler months aren’t out of the question, either, for berry fans. An online search revealed that juniper berries, rowan berries (which are edible raw but are rather sour), and hawthorn berries (which are edible raw or made into jellies, wine, or even ketchup) are all accessible for gathering in the winter. Do we have any hungry guests? Winterberries 2, an online slot game developed by Yggdrasil Gaming, similarly centers on berries. The inclusion of a number two in the title designates Winterberries 2 as a sequel to the original Yggdrasil Gaming slot of the same name. Grab a dish of your preferred berries and dig in to see if you can identify them.
To begin with, Winterberries 2 has a more updated aesthetic than the first installment, and the seasons are seemingly split between the cold of winter on the left and the warmth of an almost autumnal landscape on the right. Perhaps the contrast between the classic and modern elements of Winterberries 2 inspired this split. The grid of the game is supported by a leafless Whomping Willow-type tree, with multipliers along the top and a vine-encircled sixth reel. Because of the frosty symbols, I was reminded of ELK Studios’ Tropicool 2, however Winterberries 2 wasn’t quite as vibrant as other games.
Released in 2016, Winterberries is an older slot that was made before the trend of eye-popping volatility and goose-pimple causing maximum winnings. Winterberries 2 is an updated slot machine in every respect. As a result, a mathematical model with a ‘Super High’ volatility rating would be required to generate RTP variants with odds of 86%, 90.5%, 94%, and 96%, respectively. There are two options available to players when selecting a stake. Both the standard bet (which can range from 10 percent to 100 pounds) and the Golden Bet feature are optional. The Golden Bet doubles the wager to enable the sixth reel, improves the possibility of triggering free spins, enables 6-of-a-kind winnings, and enables the highest multipliers.
To increase your chances of winning, Winterberries 2 has a 6-reel, 20-payline game grid. Clubs, diamonds, hearts, and spades with realistic designs stand in for the low payouts and pay 2x the wager for five of a kind and 6x the stake for six of a kind. The next four symbols are the high-paying berry icons, which pay 6x to 10x for five of a kind and 18x to 30x the wager for six of a kind.
Slot Functions in Winterberries 2
Each win in Winterberries 2 activates a respin, a fundamental feature of the game. When a winning line is produced, the symbols that comprise it remain fixed in place while the remaining symbols continue to spin. If further matching symbols appear during the respin, they too will lock in place. When no more symbols can be frozen during the respin, the jackpot is paid out. Scatters do not activate respin rounds on their own, but as part of a winning combination they are locked in place along with the other tiles involved.
Multiplying by Columns
Additionally, the multiplier above the column is activated by simultaneously freezing several columns from the left. Above the reels in the main game, you’ll see multipliers of 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, and 32. For instance, in order to trigger the reel three multiplier, you must first have frozen symbols cover reels 1 and 2.
No Risk Turns
When there are at least three scatter symbols anywhere on the screen, the player advances to a bonus round. Free games worth 10, 12, 15, or 20 spins are awarded for landing 3, 4, 5, or 6 of them (six when the Golden Bet is enabled). The multipliers above the reels (2x, 4x, 8x, 16x, 32x, and 64x) are doubled in value during free spins. The silver scatter provides 1-3 extra free spins, the gold scatter adds 4-8 free spins, and the diamond scatter adds 10-15 free spins when it lands throughout the round.
Spend Money on a Bonus
Players in different regions can choose from four different bonus purchase choices. You may get 10-20 free spins with 6 columns for 150x your wager, 15 free spins with 5 columns for 200x your bet, or 20 free spins with 6 columns for 300x your stake.
Slot Verdict, Winterberries 2
When we reviewed Winterberries 2, a variety of hold and respin mechanisms based on winning symbols were all the rage. It’s possible that NetEnt’s Jack Hammer was the spark that set off the movement; later in Serial, Nolimit City reignited the fire, and titles from a variety of developers—including Pragmatic Play’s Monster Superlanche and Thunderkick’s Dionysus Golden Feast, among others—added to the momentum. Our point is that games with locked winning symbols and respin features are becoming increasingly popular, and Yggdrasil Gaming has responded appropriately with Winterberries 2.
A little part of me wondered if Yggdrasil Gaming developed Winterberries 2 in order to cash in on the burgeoning popularity of respin video slots rather than just because they wanted to release a sequel to the first game. Since we lack the ability to read minds, verifying this hypothesis is difficult. Winterberries 2 is a good representation of this genre of video games, and its unique multiplier reels help set it out from the pack. Free spins and the base game also benefit from multipliers, which are doubled or even multiplied further when scatters appear. The possibility that the Golden Bet has to be activated in order to maximize its potential is the source of much debate in Winterberries 2. While the Golden Bet has been used in a few other slots, seldom has it had such a profound effect on so many features. The Golden Bet offers so many advantages that it’s difficult to see players not taking advantage of it whenever it’s on the table.
Since the maximum payout has been increased along with the rest of the settings, it comes as no surprise that it now stands at 10,000 times the initial wager. Players interested in hold and respin mechanisms should be pleased when gathering or attempting to gather Winterberries 2’s kind of amusement, unless the Golden Bet idea turns them off.