The Golden Empire is a popular online casino slot developed by Microgaming, one of the most renowned game providers in the industry. Released in 2015, this five-reel, ten-payline video slot has been widely praised for its engaging theme, stunning graphics, and lucrative payouts.
Theme and Design
Set against the backdrop of ancient China’s imperial era, Golden Empire is an opulent celebration of luxury, power, and riches. The game takes players on a journey through majestic temples, intricately carved palaces, and Golden Empire bustling marketplaces, all while surrounded by ornate decorations, silks, and jade stones. The slot’s colorful and immersive design immerses the player in an atmosphere reminiscent of ancient Chinese empires.
Symbols
The Golden Empire is populated with 11 unique symbols divided into two categories: standard and premium. Standard symbols include playing card values from Ace to Nine as well as four Asian-themed icons depicting a dragon, a tiger, a phoenix, and a snake. These are complemented by the five premium symbols featuring members of an imperial family, including an Emperor, an Empress, a Prince, a Princess, and their loyal advisor.
Payouts
As one might expect from a Microgaming title, Golden Empire boasts a competitive payout structure, rewarding players for landing combinations of three or more matching symbols anywhere on the reels. Wins range from 5x to 2000x the player’s stake per line, with payouts distributed as follows:
- Low-paying card values (A, K, Q) pay between 2 and 100 times the bet
- Medium-value Asian-themed icons pay between 25 and 250 times the bet
- High-paying imperial symbols offer up to 2000x for a five-symbol combination
Wilds
The Golden Dragon is the game’s wild symbol, able to substitute all standard symbols to create winning combinations. As an additional bonus, landing three or more dragon icons anywhere on the reels triggers a payout of between 10 and 100 times the player’s bet.
Scatters
Meanwhile, the Scatter icon – featuring an Imperial Crest emblem – rewards players with free spins when two or more appear. With each spin featuring a guaranteed win, scatters can be landed up to five times on any given reel.
Bonus Features
Golden Empire offers three distinct bonus features:
- The Royal Family Bonus : Three or four Scatters trigger 8-20 free spins
- Dragon’s Den Free Spins : Five Scatter icons award a whopping 50 free games, plus double the initial bet multiplied by any wins during this round
Free Spins
In addition to those offered through the Imperial Crest scatter, players can access two more types of free spin rounds:
- Standard Free Spin Round : Awarded when three or four dragon Scatters are landed on a single reel
- Dragon’s Den Free Spins : Triggered by five Imperial Crest Scatters
RTP and Volatility
The Return to Player (RTP) rate for the Golden Empire is an impressive 96% – unusually high in today’s online slots landscape. The slot’s medium-low volatility, meanwhile, ensures a steady flow of smaller wins punctuated by the occasional bigger score.
Betting Range
Players can adjust their stake per spin between €0.10 and €5, with all prizes paid out according to the chosen bet.
Max Win The maximum payout for Golden Empire is capped at an astonishing 250000 coins – equivalent to approximately €1 million based on a maximum bet of €5.