Our rating of 88 Fortunes:
Get ready to strike gold with 88 Fortunes, a fun Chinese-inspired online pokie boasting four fixed jackpots with a top prize of just under $200,000. This 2016 release from SHFL Entertainment promises plenty of excitement with its lucrative free spins bonus and the option to set five different payout levels.
88 Fortunes is an online pokie celebrating Chinese culture, which is based on the iconic land-based slot machine that has been popular in Macau for years. It uses a 5x3 reel layout sporting 243 paylines with a return to player (RTP) rate of 96%. With 8 traditionally being considered a lucky number in Asia, it appropriately accepts a wide range of betting limits from $0.08 up to $88 per spin.
It’s easy to play 88 Fortunes at top-rated online casino sites in New Zealand. Follow the steps below to get started:
88 Fortunes is highly influenced by Chinese culture and has a vibrant red and gold theme featuring various Asian icons. Despite the fact that the animations and graphics are relatively simple, the pokie is busy and stimulating and bursts with colour whenever you’re lucky enough to land a win. The soundtrack playing throughout is led by banjos and flutes that also help to immerse you in the exotic atmosphere.
There are a total 13 different symbols that can appear on the reels in 88 Fortunes, comprised of a dozen standard symbols and the fu bat wild.
The former is divided between the lower-value playing card values (9, 10, J, Q, K, and A), and the higher-value Chinese-inspired symbols (the mandala, vase, turtle, ship, eagle and gong). The gong also serves as the scatter, which triggers the free spins bonus if you get three or more on a spin. Meanwhile, the fu bat wild substitutes for all standard symbols to help form winning combinations and can randomly activate the jackpot mini game.
An important feature of 88 Fortunes’ paytable is that you can set the payout values for high-value symbols by choosing how many gold symbols out of five you want active on every spin. This also determines whether you can trigger the fixed jackpots and the highest-tier one available. The more gold symbols you have activated, the higher your bet amount also.
On spins with the maximum five gold symbols in play, the paytable is as follows:
| Symbol | 3 symbols | 4 symbols | 5 symbols |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gong (scatter) | 5x | 10x | 50x |
| Eagle | 1.13x | 2.27x | 11.36x |
| Ship | 0.56x | 1.13x | 5.68x |
| Turtle | 0.45x | 0.91x | 4.54x |
| Vase | 0.28x | 0.57x | 2.84x |
| Mandala | 0.11x | 0.23x | 1.13x |
| A | 0.06x | 0.11x | 0.28x |
| K | 0.06x | 0.11x | 0.28x |
| Q | 0.06x | 0.11x | 0.28x |
| J | 0.06x | 0.11x | 0.28x |
| 10 | 0.06x | 0.11x | 0.28x |
| 9 | 0.06x | 0.11x | 0.28x |
88 Fortunes has two bonus mini games, featuring free spins and the chance to win one of four fixed jackpots respectively:
Landing three or more gong scatters on the same spin will award you with 10 free spins. During the free spins round, low-value symbols (the A and lower) do not appear, which greatly boosts your odds of securing big payouts. If you get another set of three or more scatters, you’ll re-trigger a further 10 free spins. You can also activate the jackpot mini game at any time during free spins.
88 Fortunes has four fixed and tiered jackpots featuring prizes as follows:
The jackpot mini game can be randomly activated whenever at least one fu bat wild appears on the reels. This involves a grid of 12 coins, which you must select until you pick three of the same to decide the jackpot you’ve won.
An important thing to remember is that the largest jackpot available depends on how many gold symbols you have activated. You must have all five in play for the chance to win the Grand jackpot, four to potentially land the Major, three to get the Minor, and two to receive the Mini.
88 Fortunes has an RTP of exactly 96%, which is the industry average for online pokies. However, the slot also comes with high volatility, meaning payouts tend to be infrequent, but lucrative when they do land. With a maximum wager of $88 per spin and top payout of 2,272x your bet, the largest amount of money you can win on a single spin is a sizeable $199,936.
As with any online pokies, 88 Fortunes is a game of chance, so you can never guarantee a winning spin. Even so, you can follow the tips below to enhance your gameplay:
If you enjoy 88 Fortunes, we recommend also trying out these spin-offs and other popular pokies with a similar theme:
88 Fortunes has been designed with HTML5 technology, making it seamless to play at mobile casinos. You can enjoy the pokie on all smartphone devices and screen sizes with high-quality graphics and speedy loading times, making it a great game to play while you’re on the move.
The 88 Fortunes online pokie is undoubtedly fun to play and keeps you engaged with exciting bonuses and chances to land multiple jackpots sporting eye-catching top prizes. While fans of more modern slots may find the gameplay simple, the action is fast-paced and elevated by the colourful graphics and well-designed theme. Overall, there are numerous reasons why we keep coming back to it.
Laura is a writer who focuses on both the iGaming and land-based gambling sectors. With years of experience covering the New Zealand market, she’s always seeking the latest updates and insights into the gambling world. A keen backgammon player, Laura particularly enjoys writing about the newest pokie releases and legislation changes.
If you enjoy playing 88 Fortunes, make sure to check out our reviews of other popular real money pokies available at top casinos in New Zealand:
