By Quickspin
RTP 96.84%
Min bet $0.25
Max bet $100
Max Win bet x 819
Popularity Medium
Min bet $0.25
Max bet $100
Max Win bet x 819
Gamble Feature Freespins, Multiplier wilds, Multiplier, Random wilds, Wilds
Layout 5x3
Devices Support all devices
Configurable Winlines No
Volatility Medium
Progressive Jackpot No
Polar Paws brings us to the North Pole and Santa’s Workshop, but the focus this time is on the polar bears who are surely living nearby. The game features a selection of cute bears as well as multiplier wilds, free spins and random wilds.
The game was developed by Quickspin and became available to players in 2020. The Christmas theme is very clearly injected into the game as we can see Christmas lights everywhere as well as a cosy cabin in the background and an Elf acts as a special symbol. The slot uses a 5-reel, 3-row playing field which means the different symbols get a lot of room, showing off their level of detail.
While the low-paying symbols are only card letters, the high-paying symbols are what seems to be a family of polar bears. They all have their own characteristics as well as their own colour scheme, helping to keep them apart. The game further features a number of animations that help bring them alive. Getting a win on one of the 25 bet lines will often trigger a brief animation, even though not all of them are as intricate.
The sound-design is focused on the Christmas setting as can be expected. The slot features a soft Christmas jingle in the background with sleigh bells. Wins are enhanced with a chirpy little tune while the free spins mode celebrates the season with some more dramatic music.
Polar Paws features quite a few different symbols which make it a bit trickier to win. This is compensated by the fact that the features are pretty common and especially the free spins mode can award big wins. As a result, the game lands on Medium Volatility. Unfortunately, this also means that the jackpot is smaller, with the max. win of 819x your bet pretty low when compared to similar games.
As I played the game, it would grant me regular wins pretty often even though these wouldn’t have a very high payout. The bigger wins were dependent on the free spins mode, which adds multipliers and extra wilds to the screen. The volatility is perfect for players that like getting some bigger wins but don’t want to spend most time not getting anything, as is common with high volatility slots.
The symbols in the game include:
Polar Paws does not have a lot of features, which can leave the gameplay feel a little stale. The majority of features are only activated during the free spins mode as well, making it very important for that mode to trigger in order to fully enjoy the game’s possibilities.
The features in the game are:
While playing in the base game, the slot only introduces the regular and multiplier wilds. The regular Wilds are pretty common during this part and also help create wins pretty often. The downside here is that the payouts are very low so even getting a number of wins is not guaranteed to make back your bet.
The Multiplier Wilds function the same as regular Wilds except that they increase that spin’s multiplier by 1 for every Multiplier Wild on the screen. This can increase to a maximum of 4x your win, but it was not common for me to see more than 1 at a time.
If the player gets 3 Scatter symbols on the screen, the free spins mode is activated. The Wild and Multiplier Wild are also present here and function the same way. The Multiplier is only active for that spin, and not during the entire free spins mode.
The big change is that the Elf symbol will be counted to unlock Random Wilds and extra free spins. The polar bears will be turned into Wilds as the counter increases, and at certain points, additional free spins are awarded. This can result in some major wins at the end of the free spins mode, but it’s not certain this will be enough to make back your spins.
Bonus type: No Deposit, Low Wagering, Free Play, Sign Up, Free Money, Welcome Bonus, Registration
Min Deposit: No Deposit
Bonus type: Coupon, Code, Welcome Bonus, Registration, Sign Up, Deposit Bonus, First Deposit Bonus
Min Deposit: $10
Wagering: 60x
Polar Paws is a nice-looking slot with some smooth gameplay. Players will not have to spend a lot of time trying to figure out the game as it is very much a standard experience. The graphics are a very appealing part, with a tonne of detail and character. If you are in a Christmas mood, this will surely help you out.
The features are simple but effective and can grant some big wins. Unfortunately, during my time playing, I found that my funds simply dropped and never recovered. They didn’t go down very fast but I never felt like I had a shot at getting into the positives. The game does allow players to change their bet to between $0.25 and $100 per spin.
If you want to play a simple slot with some effective features and enjoy the visuals of the North Pole, Polar Paws will surely deliver that to you. Be aware that getting big enough wins to come out positive will not be as simple.
