Spring Carnival Pokie Machine is a new machine launched by Aristocrat, added to the Cash Express Luxury Line chain.
The same family has two other members linked to the same jackpot: 50 Lions, Where’s The Gold and Geisha Pokie.
The game’s theme gives the feel of trains, completely justifying the name of the game, i.e., Cash Express. It is released by Aristocrat Gaming.
However, we found that this machine does not work in New Zealand’s jurisdiction and only operates in six jurisdictions, including the Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia, and Victoria.
It is available as a SAP and Link machine. It’s a new machine and is yet to hit many betting venues in regions where pokies are popular, especially in New Zealand.
The other features, such as the look, feel, bonus games, free spins, and symbols, are just standard, and there’s no need to expect much from the machine.
Apart from some graphics, there’s nothing particularly exciting about it as a new machine.
In this review
Overview
The Spring Carnival, a new machine in the line having 5 reels and 20 payline concepts, is newly created, and they have tried to add some new features to it.
The symbols of the game are general, do not feel appealing, and offer standard winnings that every other machine has.
As it is linked to the Cash Express Luxury Line, the cash prize is rewarded via a train, staying true to its name.
The game features bonus games and a unique way of rewarding cash prizes through the train.
The carts on the train have credits listed, and the number of carts appearing depends on the credit value of the triggering symbols on the reels.
It can be played with $1 or $2 denominations. The MarsX Cabinet could hit the New Zealand venue soon. However, it is taking time as it is new and has mostly launched in the US.
When we tried the machine in the US, we found that the bonus symbols appeared very rarely.
Spring Carnival Symbols
At the Spring Carnival machine, we found the usual low-paying symbols like A, 9, J, K, and Q, which appear frequently on the reels. These symbols are common and don’t offer much in terms of payouts.
The high-paying symbols, however, include the
- Clown
- Carnival Lady
- Carnival Trumpet
- Carnival Banner
These symbols fit the carnival theme and offer better payouts when they land on the reels.
The Carnival Lady symbol acts as a scatter, and it can replace all other symbols except the Bonus and Wild symbols.
Each symbol in the game has its own payout value, adding some variety to the winnings.
How To Play Spring Carnival Machine?
Spring Carnival is a machine that can be found on the first floor of casino venues. While it is mostly located in Australia, it will soon be available in New Zealand venues.
The betting range starts from 1 cent and goes up to $1. The number of paylines depends on the denomination used:
- 1 cent: 50 lines
- 2 cents: 50 lines
- 5 cents: 25 lines
- 10 cents: 25 lines
- $1: 5 lines
Higher denominations offer fewer paylines but higher bets per line, while lower denominations provide more paylines and a broader range of betting options.
The machines are presented in a MarsX Cabinet, with all features cleverly designed. The buttons, information, symbols, screens, and everything else are well-placed and visually appealing.
To play, simply enter credits and choose your bet amount and denomination.
Based on the paylines selected, spin the reel and aim to land the most valuable high-paying symbols. If high-paying symbols don’t land, look out for bonus or gold cash coins to unlock spins or free games.
The prompts and rules for the game are clear, and it features Mini, Minor, Major, and Grand Jackpots.
Bonus Feature and Free Games
This machine has two features for special winnings, apart from the standard symbol payouts. Certain pairs of symbols landing on the active paylines provide winnings.
The two special features are:
- Hold & Spins Feature
- Bonus Feature with Bonus Symbol
1. Hold & Spins Feature
This feature is quite common and similar to those in other pokies. It involves Gold and Red coins, each with credits displayed on them.
When six or more of these coins appear anywhere on the reels, they trigger 3 free spins. The coins that appeared hold their place while the remaining reels spin.
If more coins appear during the spins, the number of free spins resets to 3. This continues until you receive no more coins in all 3 spins.
After that, a train appears on the upper screen, rewarding you with credits and amounts.
During the Hold & Spin feature, there is a chance to hit a Jackpot if the respective jackpot symbol appears on the reels.
2. Bonus Feature
The Bonus Feature is triggered by the scatter symbol, represented by Money Bags. Landing 3, 4, or 5 scattered Money Bags anywhere on the reels rewards you with 15 free games.
The Carnival Lady substitutes for all symbols except the Money Bag scatter. Free games can be retriggered during this feature.
All prizes are tripled during the free games. Additionally, any win with the Carnival Lady substituting doubles the prize.
Graphics & Mechanics
The visuals in Spring Carnival are based on a carnival theme, using bold and colourful designs commonly associated with such events.
The inclusion of train-related imagery ties the game to the Cash Express theme, maintaining consistency throughout.
The background music and sound effects are crafted to reflect the festive carnival mood, with energetic tunes and sound bites intended to improve the atmosphere.
These combined elements contribute to the overall experience, though they align with the familiar tone of other pokie machines featuring similar themes.
Our View
Spring Carnival machine is another member of the Cash Express Luxury Line developed by Aristocrat Gaming.
It’s a 5-reel, 20-payline presentation of the game. The symbols are mindfully depicted in a well-fashioned carnival theme.
However, what we observed is that the Hold & Spin feature triggers more frequently than the other bonus feature.
The Gold Coin Credits symbol lands more often on the reel, increasing the chances of triggering the feature. The other features are standard and don’t offer anything additional.