Layout, Betting & Multipliers
Shinobi Spirit is an unusual slot game that has an interesting layout, although it is quite standard at first glance. You will be playing in a 5 reels and 4 rows setting, resulting in a common grid of 5×4. The rows are not too obviously split, but once you give the game some time, you will get the hang of it. Other than the grid, you will be playing in an environment with 26 different paylines.
The vast variety of betting options, from as low as $0.10 up to $20, makes the game accessible to players of varying financial resources and risk tolerances. Some slot machines accept bets of up to $200, so Shinobi Spirit might have a bit too low a max bet for the more serious players. The biggest bet in this game could potentially bring you a jackpot of $400,000, utilizing the greatest possible multiplier of 20,000.
RTP & Volatility
In all honesty, if you’re new to the iGaming industry or you are looking for a new slot to play, our reviews are a great way to start. That’s because we recognize that the game’s return to player percentage and volatility are crucial to its overall quality, therefore we prioritize explaining those even if the gameplay is the more fun part. The return-to-player (RTP) is a simple indicator of the proportion of wagers that will be paid out to players over time. You should be aware that the industry average is now around 96%, and that anything below that is normally to be avoided.
Shinobi Spirit has a fixed RTP of 96.26%, which is very good since it is a quarter of a percent higher than what’s standard. These are the types of games you should be looking for. As for the volatility of the game, it is high, but that is perfectly understandable when you consider the size of the deposit and the overall gameplay.
Theme & Symbols
Although certain concepts are completely overused, there are always new games that come up with a unique approach so it won’t feel too dull. And interestingly enough, because nowadays studios are pushing the boundaries, the players have higher expectations of the games they play. This is absolutely fantastic, as this is one of the ways players can encourage studios to make even better games.
Certainly, Shinobi Spirit has accomplished this, being a game with a premise and mechanics that are mostly original. This ensures you will have an absolutely fantastic time when it comes to the visuals and audio effects. As for the symbols you will be coming across, they are also unique. There are the low-paying symbols which are basically differently colored and shaped stones, then there are the special symbols, and, of course, the Shinobi symbols.
Bonus Features
One of the things you will notice is missing that most games have is a Wild Symbol. However, Shinobi Spirit compensates with a lot more, especially when it comes to the unique mechanics it has. The first one we will go over is the more casual Bamboo Power, after which, we will be going over the Shinobi Bonus. There’s a lot to cover, so let’s take a look.
For the Bamboo Power feature, you will notice how there are a ton of Bamboo Prize symbols that can land between the 1st and 4th reels, included. There is a number in the middle of the symbol, which shows how big the multiplier you could win is. To win the multiplier, what needs to happen is that you need to land a Shinobi on the 5th or 1st reels. The Shinobi can slash multiple bamboos on the same row and award their prize to you.
Now, for the absolutely unique feature – the Shinobi Bonus. You will notice the mask symbol, which is actually a Scatter symbol. If you land 3 to 5 of these during a single spin, you trigger the Shinobi Bonus. This will spawn Shinobis who have 3 lives, just like in retro video games. They lose 1 life for every spin that happens. But it also heals for 1 life when it slashes a bamboo. Also, the bamboo values are doubled during this feature.
During this mode, there is one more thing that happens and that is the Hidden Powers feature. Basically, there are four different symbols, through which when the Shinobi slashes, you get a different bonus.
The green box is first and it adds the number that comes with it to all remaining bamboo symbols. Next up is the red mask, which makes your Shinobi go into a frenzy. This basically makes your shinobi start from the position of the red mask and slash until the edge of the grid. After that, if there is a bamboo symbol above or below him, he slashes again. This is repeated until there are no more bamboos to slash.
The third power-up is the blue shuriken, which triggers your shinobi to slash in the best direction perpendicular to his current position. Finally, the fourth power-up is the dragon flaming katana, which makes any bamboo prize symbol that your Shinobi slash to be triggered twice.
And lastly, you can potentially land the Golden Shinobi, whose only difference is that he has 6 lives, but also, whenever he slashes a bamboo, the bamboo’s multiplier gets added to every other bamboo prize out there.
Mobile Support
The game was developed with mobile users in mind, so you won’t have trouble playing it from any of your mobile devices, whether they are Android or iOS. There aren’t any other differences aside from the button placement too, which means that the graphics remain intact for both the smaller screens and desktop.
Shinobi Spirit VS 3 Japanese Slots
Slot name | Developer | Release Date | RTP | Max. Multiplier |
Shinobi Spirit | Print Studios | July 13th, 2023 | 96.26% | 20,000x |
Rising Samurai | iSoftBet | April 13th, 2022 | 95.98% | 16,215x |
Sakura Fortune 2 | Quickspin | April 12th, 2022 | 96.03% | 19,664x |
Neko Night Dream Drop | Yggdrasil | June 24th, 2020 | 96.4% | 6,953x |
Closing Words
Shinobi Spirit is an absolutely mesmerizing slot game, which makes it one of our favorites for 2023. It has great gameplay, visuals, and audio, but it also has very rewarding mechanics and features. There is an abundance of what could happen when you play it. And the RTP will ensure the game is completely fair to you, as it covers the standard of 96% and then adds some more on top.