Every year, people across the globe celebrate Chinese New Year. Also called Lunar New Year, the 15-day festival is held annually in China and Chinese communities around the world. The festival begins with the new moon that happens sometime between January and February each year. This year, the celebrations begin on Friday the 12th of February.
Origins of Chinese New Year
Like many festivals, the origins of Chinese New Year are often debated. One legend suggests that thousands of years ago a monster would attack the village people at the start of each new year. The monster was afraid of bright lights, loud noises and the colour red, so those things were used to chase him away. This may be why people still use fireworks, firecrackers, and red decorations to welcome in the new year. At the start of the festival, young people are often given money in red envelopes.
2021 – Year of the Ox
There are 12 Chinese zodiac signs: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig. Each Zodiac sign is believed to have certain personality traits. The Chinese Zodiac sign for 2021 is the Ox, which is known for being diligent, dependable, strong and determined. Women Oxes are thought to be traditional and faithful wives, who believe in the importance of their children’s education. Male Oxes are known for being patriotic and having ideals and ambitions for life. They also attach importance to family and work.
Popular Chinese slot machines
If you can’t get out and celebrate this Chinese New Year, why not celebrate the festival with some Chinese casino slots. Below, we explore some of the top Chinese slot machines to play on Chinese New Year 2021.
Chinese New Year Slot
The first Chinese slot on the list is Chinese New Year, a popular release from Play ‘N Go. As the name suggests, the game is inspired by Chinese New Year and features dragons, tigers and monkeys. The action takes places across 5 reels and 15 paylines, so there’s plenty of chances to form a winning combination. Visually, the game is gorgeous. You’ll see plenty of red, green and yellow across the screen, which represent good fortune and joy, prosperity, and good luck respectively. One of the best things about the slot is the Firework’s Bonus feature, where you pick a firework in an attempt to win up to 150 times your total stake. Chinese New Year also benefits from a Free Spins round with scatters to help maximise your winnings.
9 Lions Slot
9 Lions is the next Chinese slots machine on the list. Powered by Wazdan Games, the slot benefits from top-quality graphics and a gorgeous Oriental soundtrack that brings the action to life. The game is a little different from your standard slot when it comes to set up – instead of having paylines, this game has nine reels and no fixed paylines. To form a win, you just need to land four or more matching symbols anywhere on the grid. The Chinese slot machine comes with a Lion Bonus that awards 9 free spins and a Dragon bonus with jaw-dropping cash prizes. You can adjust the volatility to suit your preference, which makes the game suitable for players of all sorts! Better still, it’s playable across all devices, making gambling on-the-go easier than ever.
88 Fortunes Chinese slot machine
88 Fortunes is a Chinese slot machine with 5 reels and 243 ways to win. It comes with plenty of bonus features to keep you on your toes, including a Fu-Bat jackpot where gamblers need to match 3 Baby symbols in order to win a jackpot prize. The game also benefits from a Free Spins feature that awards 10 free spins. This can be re-triggered an unlimited number of times, which is a nice touch. During the Free Spins round, low-value symbols are replaced by higher-paying ones for bigger prizes. Keeping in theme with the game’s name, players can bet anywhere between 88p per spin and £88 per spin. Like most Chinese fortune slots, 88 Fortunes features various theme-fitting symbols including golden gongs, golden turtles, golden ships and golden eagles. The low paying symbols are represented by stylised playing cards.
The Legend of Shangri La Cluster Pays
The Legend of Shangri La Cluster Pays is the next Chinese slots machine on the list. Powered by NetEnt, this slot has a unique format to mix things up a bit. This is ideal for regular gamblers who are bored with the standard setup. In terms of bonus features, you’ll find free spins, re-spins and nudged symbols to increase your winning potential. Instead of using paylines, The Legend of Shangri La Cluster Pays uses a Cluster Pays mechanic. This means that winnings combinations are formed by landing matching symbols in a cluster. The more symbols in the cluster, the bigger the payout! A wide range of wagers is available from just £1 per spin, making the game suitable for high and low rollers alike.
Dragon Chase Slot
The final Chinese slots machine on the list is Dragon Chase, a 5 reel, 20 payline game from Quickspin. Interestingly, this is Quickspin’s first ever jackpot slot. There are four different jackpots available, with the ‘Grand Jackpot’ being progressive. Like most Chinese dragon slots, the game comes with a few key bonus features including Wildfire symbols, a Free Spins round and a Pearl Respin feature where you collect Dragon Pearl icons to win one of the jackpots.
So, there you have it – the best Chinese slots games to play on Chinese New Year 2021. Want to try the games for yourself? You can do! At NetBet we have a wide selection of slots and live casino games for you to enjoy.
