The Portal Link pokie machines, developed by IGT, form a series designed with progressive jackpots and interconnected gameplay mechanics.
The series comprises four games – Wild Wolf, Wild Deer, Wild Treasure, and Wild Whale – each sharing a common jackpot system.
These pokies generally feature 5 reels and 3 rows, with themes and gameplay that are largely similar across the games.
The symbols differ primarily in reflecting the specific game’s theme.
While the grand jackpot increases progressively with each bet placed, the Major, Minor, and Mini jackpots remain fixed for all machines.
As a modern addition to casino floors, this series aims to offer a cohesive and interesting gaming experience.
Table of Contents
Portal Link Overview
The Portal Link Jackpot series by IGT includes four interconnected games:
- Wild Wolf
- Wild Deer
- Wild Treasure
- Wild Whale
In New Zealand, players can access Wild Deer, Wild Treasure, and Wild Whale, while Wild Wolf is unavailable.
All games share a progressive grand jackpot that grows with every player’s wager, along with fixed Minor, Major, and Mini jackpots.
Although the themes vary slightly, the core gameplay remains consistent, with symbols reflecting each game’s unique concept.
IGT supplies these pokies to various countries, including
- New Zealand
- Australian regions
- Capital Territory
- Northern Territory
- Queensland
- Tasmania
- Victoria
Symbols
The symbols across the series vary slightly but follow a thematic consistency.
For instance, Wild Wolf includes wolf-related symbols, while Wild Whale incorporates sea creatures like whales, octopuses, and starfish.
All versions share two key symbols:
- Blue Bonus Symbol – Triggers the Portal Link feature.
- Golden Coin Symbol – Activates the Respin or Hold & Spin feature.
The other symbols on the reels align with the game’s specific theme but offer relatively low payouts.
How’s the Gameplay?
The gameplay is easy and the same across all Portal Link pokies.
The basic gameplay theme doesn’t offer much to attract players, but the Portal Link feature is just awesome. It’s completely different from other pokies and adds excitement.
All you need to do is credit money to the machine, choose your denominations, place your bet, and spin the reel.
The goal is to wait for either the bonus symbols or the golden coins, as these two symbols can trigger huge winnings by activating the bonus feature and making the gameplay exciting.
Other symbols on the paylines don’t pay much.
The pay in the basic game is very low, but the payout during bonus features can be massive.
One important point is that notes are not accepted if credits are equal to or exceed $100, in all the machines linked.
Portal Link Bonus Features
All the pokies in the Portal Link series feature three bonus options:
- The Respin (Hold & Spin) feature
- The Portal Link feature
- The Second Chances feature
Each of these features brings something exciting to the gameplay.
The Respin feature is unique, while the Portal Link and Second Chance features are connected.
1. Respin Feature (Hold & Spin)
In all the games, golden coins roll on the reels. If you land 6 or more golden coins anywhere on the reels, it triggers the respin feature, granting 3 free spins.
The coins that land stay on the reels, and if more coins land during the respins, you get an additional 3 spins.
At the end of the feature, all the golden coins reveal their values, and the total amount collected becomes the winning for this feature.
2. Portal Link Feature
This feature is the same across all the pokies in the series. There’s a shining blue bonus symbol in all the games that triggers the Portal feature.
Unlike the hold and spin feature, this one works a bit differently. The feature is triggered when you land 6 or more bonus symbols, which changes the display.
The upper and lower screens combine, and the reel is reflected on the lower screen, surrounded by a blue border.
The winnings are similar to other games – symbols landing on active paylines will pay out, and the winnings will fill the border with golden colour.
You start with 6 spins, and whenever a golden symbol lands, the spin count resets to 6.
The goal is to turn the blue border completely golden, and once that happens, the winnings during that gameplay are multiplied, which can be huge.
However, if the border doesn’t turn fully golden, there’s no need to worry, as the game also offers a Second Chance feature. It offers another opportunity for rewards.
Second Chance
After losing in the Portal Link feature, the machine offers a second chance with a different interface.
It features golden coin symbols, and you need to match any three coins. Whatever you match will determine your reward.
The possible rewards include a
- Major shot
- Minor shot
- Mini shot
- Bet multiplier
- Credit prize – with the chance to win anywhere between 750 and 1500
There are no set limits – just match three coins. Once you get the three matching coins, you’ll choose from the prizes, and the revealed amount will be your winning.
This machine is new, and these features make it stimulating, adding an extra layer of anticipation and opportunity to the gameplay.
Our View
Portal Link is a new series supplied by IGT to land-based casinos in New Zealand. It has only 4 games linked, and Wild Wolf isn’t available in New Zealand.
We found the bonus features to be unique, making it stand out from other games on the floor. The rules are different, the payouts are different, and in short, it offers a unique experience.
The Portal feature is fantastic, and the payouts can be huge. We also checked reviews from other players, and they were equally impressed by this feature.
The machine displays the rules and the symbols needed to trigger each feature very clearly.
However, whenever the credits exceed $100, the machine doesn’t accept any further credits, which limits the range.
This is a positive step in promoting responsible gambling. Overall, it’s a great initiative by IGT and a solid new series.