Playing China River. As Bally slots go, China River is very standard in the setup. The 30 win-lines are over 5 reels with 3 rows of symbols and are not changeable by the user. Real money bets per line are flexible and start at just 1c per spin, you can choose auto-play for up to 25 spins each time. China Mystery features five slots and 30 paylines that are set on the side of your game screen. Players can bet between 30 and 300 coins. This game features the potential to win up to 450 free spins, so it’s no mystery why so many online slot players are attracted to China Mystery. China River Slot Machine The first version of China River is still found in land based casinos. Little has changed since Bally’s first introduced this slot to casino floors, but there are a few subtle differences. First off, the golden pheasant animation is different since you look into the bird’s eye and see it fly towards a river boat. Super big win on China River by Bally. This is somewhat a copy of Konami's China Shores where you can get a screen full of bonus symbols awarding mega spins at 2X pay (no Balance of Fortune.

Votes

Upon entering China River, one of the most popular Bally slots, you’ll notice that the game brings up visions of the Orient, the slot set on a background of a Sampan on a river, the banks of which feature colourful trees, where an animated pheasant sits.

The scene sounds somewhat idyllic, however the animation of the pheasant doesn’t look fantastic, it looks a little stiff and this could have been much better. What sets this game apart is the stacking, each spin featuring one randomly assigned stacked symbol.

The symbols on the slot also transport you to the Far East, with Lotus flowers, emerald frogs, golden coins and pots and Chinese lettering. These are set on a dark purple background which is actually very effective, the symbols coming to life when part of a win line. The background sound of the game is suitably oriental, ideal for the game.

The main feature of the game is the free spins round, where it’s actually possible to win a huge amount of spins.

China River Slots

The best standard symbol in the game is the Chinese lettering, and landing 5 in a row will see you winning 1,000x your coin amount. The red lantern, the golden pot and the emerald frog win you 500x, 250x and 200x respectively. You’ll also find the playing card symbols from 9 to Ace. You’ll win at this slot by landing consecutive symbols on a win line from left to right, each symbol paying out for at least 3, although you’ll win if landing the Chinese lettering on just reels one and two.

The wild symbol is the same pheasant that sits above the reels (still rather stiffly) and will replace other symbols to gain you extra wins.

This slot differs slightly to many in the fact that every spin you’ll find one of the symbols will be become stacked – this applies to all of the symbols apart from the wild symbol. At first, this might not seem particularly exciting, but this can become very interesting when it comes to the free spins bonus round.

I wouldn’t rank this slot in my top twenty online casino games, but it certainly wouldn’t rank in the bottom twenty either. It will appeal to the slot player who likes lot of small wins without too many long losing runs – the free spins potentially giving the player some welcome extra high points.

There are scores of Asian themed slots to play. Casinos in Vegas and around the country usually have several – and online that number rises significantly. My question is whether China River from Bally has anything to make it stand out in this crowded niche?

Well, for a start this is the only Asian themed slot which includes a beautifully produced red bird with a yellow head moving above the reels. While the overall design is on the plain side (though professionally produced as you would expect from Bally), this bird really does stand out. There is a free spins game, where you can enjoy up to 15 spins with stacked symbols in play too. While this is not particularly unique, it can add some nice wins.

You’ll find many of the hallmarks of Bally slots in use. These include the familiar sounds, fixed number of win lines (40 in this case) and wins that come in groups – rather than single big wins.

Ways to Win with China River

Pay tables on Bally slots can sometimes confuse first time players. For a start the wins are shown as multiples of your total bet, and not in coins like many other manufacturers use. These can also appear a little low – for example the single biggest win on China River is 33x your bet amount.

Don’t be fooled, these slots do have big win potential. What you will find is that single wins simply keep your bankroll in play. You are waiting for one of two things – multiple wins at the same time (thanks to the wild symbols) or the bonus game where stacked symbols add a lot more possibilities.

Those times you trigger 5+ of the 40 win-lines will quickly erase any thoughts about ‘low payouts’.

The main way to win in China River is via the free spins. You’ll also get to see a nice effect where the screen gets covered in cherry blossoms. When you get to the spins, day has turned to night and the red background has become dark blue. Symbols are stacked, which means they come in groups on the reels. If you are lucky you’ll get several reels of the same symbol – which will often produce a windfall. Add in the occasional wild to the mix (the red and yellow bird also appears on the reels in this capacity) and your bonus game can turn into a big payday. As a side note, the usually quiet slot will play a traditional Chinese style tune while the bonus game is running.

Play China River Free

Like on all Bally slots, the only decision you will need to make before you spin is how much to bet. There are 30 win-lines (not adjustable), and bets from 1c per line. One small quirk of having bets increment by 1c is that you’ll miss out the popular round numbers of $1 and $2 per spin (the closest is 90c and $2.10c). This is not a big problem of course, more of a curiosity. The maximum spin amount is $1 per line, or $30.

The best paying regular symbol is the Chinese writing, which pays 33x your bet for 5 on a line. The lily comes after that at 16x for all 5 with the golden urn and jade frog following from there. There are six playing card symbols in play, ace down to 9.

Bird symbols (the same one as above the reels) are wild in China River. These only appear on the center 3 reels. Wilds substitute for all of the other symbols to create winning combinations.

If you hit a win with the golden coins (which do come stacked on the reels), then you will trigger the free spins bonus game. The number of spins you receive depends how many coins are included in your win. This is 5 spins for 3, 10 for 4 and 15 spins for 5.

Overall Experience with China River

China River Free Slots

This is a solid slot and carries off the Asian theme very well. The graphics are mostly plain, though the red and yellow bird stands out – looking wonderful above the reels. There are no particularly unique features in this game. The free spins round with night-time view is the only time you’ll be away from the standard game. If you enjoy straightforward slots and in particular the Asian themed games – then China River is one for your shortlist.