Asgardian Stones

If you have ever fancied taking a trip to the realm of Norse mythology without the inconvenience of freezing temperatures or angry Vikings, NetEnt has paved the way with Asgardian Stones. Released in 2018, this slot takes players to a magical place where colossal stones guard the gates of Asgard.

Visually, we have to kick things off by stating the obvious: NetEnt has produced a stunner. The graphics are jaw-dropping, featuring stone faces of old Gods and ancient runic signs that pulse with raw energy. But as any seasoned spinner knows, you cannot build a long-lasting relationship on looks alone, so does the gameplay hold up?

Asgardian Stones Game Details

Let the Avalanche Begin

Forget about spinning reels; Asgardian Stones utilises the Avalanche™ feature. Symbols fall into position, and when you hit a winning combination, those symbols explode and disappear, leaving space for a second avalanche of symbols to tumble down. This continues until there are no new wins, meaning you can stack up multiple payouts from a single spin.

The game is played on a standard 5-reel, 3-row grid, but the symbols are anything but standard. You will find carved stone faces of various colours acting as the premium symbols (the orange/red face pays the most), while Q, K, and A royals make up the lower values.

Colossal Symbols & The Crush

What truly sets this game apart is the Colossal Symbols. All symbols (except the Wild in the base game) can randomly land as massive 2×2 or 3×3 blocks. These giants can land fully or partially visible, increasing your chances of a decent cluster of wins.

But wait, it gets heavier. The Colossal Crush Feature is where the magic happens. After an initial avalanche, a Colossal symbol may fall and randomly crush the rows of symbols beneath it. It is incredibly satisfying to watch the stone giant smash its way to the bottom of the screen.

Even better, for every row crushed, the multiplier increases by x1, up to a maximum of x4. This multiplier applies to the next win evaluation, potentially turning a mediocre spin into a big win.

Free Spins: Colossal Wilds Unleashed

If the gods favour you and the Bonus Wheel grants you entry to the bonus round, you will start with 5, 10, or 15 Free Spins. While 5 spins might sound like the bonus is over before it starts, you can retrigger the wheel up to three times for a maximum of 25 additional spins. The real game-changer here is the Wild Symbol. 

In the base game, Wilds are standard size, but during Free Spins, the Wild can appear as a Colossal Symbol. If this massive Wild forms part of a win, it splits into 1×1 Wild symbols; the ones involved in the win explode, while the others stay on the reels for the next avalanche. This mechanic can create long chains of wins.

The Colossal Mechanic

In Asgardian Stones, the Bonus Wheel isn’t just a generic pie chart tucked away in a corner; it is a massive 3×3 block that spins directly on the reels. Here is the breakdown of how this feature works and what loot you can expect to grab.

The Basics: A Colossal Wheel

The Bonus Wheel is a colossal 3×3 symbol that only appears on the last three reels (reels 3, 4, and 5). It can land in both the main game and during Free Spins. Just like the other stone giants, it might land fully visible or only partially peek onto the screen. This is crucial because you are awarded one prize for every visible row of the wheel. If the whole 3×3 block lands, you get three prizes.

Once the dust settles from your Avalanches and all other wins are paid out, the wheel stops spinning to reveal your fate.

The Prizes 

The wheel contains various segments offering two types of rewards:

• Coin Wins: These are instant cash prizes. The segments offer wins of 1x, 2x, or 5x your total bet. The maximum coin win you can hit from a single wheel spin is 36 times your total bet.

• Free Spins: There are three specific fields on the wheel dedicated to Free Spins, each awarding 5 spins. This means, depending on how the wheel lands, you could trigger the bonus round with 5, 10, or a maximum of 15 Free Spins.

The Multiplier Boost

Here is where things get proper “lekker.” If the Colossal Crush feature (that giant stone smashing rows) was active during the spin, its multiplier applies to the coin wins on the Bonus Wheel as well. Even better, this multiplier does not reset immediately if another Avalanche occurs after the wheel spins; if the multiplier grows further, your coin wins get an even bigger boost.

Re-triggering the Magic

The Bonus Wheel isn’t done with you once the Free Spins start. It can appear again during the bonus round to top up your tally. You can reactivate the wheel up to three times during Free Spins, potentially adding a maximum of 25 additional spins to your total.

Unlike standard winning symbols, the Bonus Wheel does not explode or disappear after awarding a prize, so it does not trigger a fresh Avalanche immediately after its evaluation.

Summary

Asgardian Stones is a polished production that stands out from competitors thanks to its spectacular visual design and epic Norse soundtrack. The combination of Avalanche mechanics and Colossal Symbols makes gameplay smooth and engaging.

It is a visually stunning journey to Valhalla that is definitely worth a spin, especially if you enjoy unique mechanics like crushing multipliers and giant symbols. Will you gain entrance to the realm of the gods, or be denied?

Pros & Cons

FAQ’s