Ashoka Free Play in Demo Mode by ELK Studios

Ashoka review

Theme and Storyline

Ashoka is a uniquely themed slot game from ELK Studios. The game is based around Ashoka the Great, a ruler that spread the teaching of Budha around parts of Asia.

At first glance, the slot is similar in tone and design to some of the Kane slot games by ELK. The set-up of the game looks similar to slots like Zulu Gold and Pacific Gold. However, there is no handsome explorer on site here, instead, the game is focused on a multi-armed God and some undefined ancient treasures.

Graphics, Sounds and Animations

The Ashoka slot is a great example of ELK Studios flexing its muscles when it comes to design and theme. Ashoka is themed around Ashoka the Great, an empire that was key to spreading Buddhism on the Indian subcontinent.

It’s a unique theme for a slot and one that pays off with the design. A wheel bearing a skull and crossbones gives the slot an almost Mayan-like vibe, with branches dropping down, suggesting this could be set in some sort of jungle.

It all helps to create a sense of mystery in the game, one that makes the plot feel quite unique in its theme and design.

Gameplay

When you load up the slot, you will immediately notice that the action is taking place on a bigger game grid than standard. The slot has six reels, each of which can play host to up to eight symbols. However, at the start of the game, not all of the positions on the reels are active.

There are no paylines in the game. Instead, it uses a scatter-pay mechanic, with winning combinations being made up of eight or more matching symbols landing anywhere across the grid.

The slot uses an avalanche mechanic, with winning symbols being removed from the grid and new ones falling into their place. This continues until no new wins are formed. Whenever wins are formed, any blocks close to winning symbols can be destroyed, opening out the game-grid. This will reset at the end of a sequence.

Wilds, Bonuses and Free Spins

A lot of the action in Ashoka is built around Wild symbols. The game has three types: standard Wilds, large Wilds, which are 3x3 in size, and Charged Wilds. Charged Wilds will remain on the grid for up to three Avalanche spins.

As well as Wilds, there are special Multipliers. Standard Multipliers are activated if they are present on the reels with a win, while Super Multipliers do this but are persistent through any Avalanche sequences.

The Free Drops bonus is triggered whenever players activate three Skull symbols. These are activated when they are next to any winning symbols. The game rewards 10 Free Drops. Super Multipliers remain persistent throughout the entire Free Drops bonus.

Bet Sizes, RTP and Variance

The Ashoka slot is extremely volatile, which is something we recommend seeking out in slot strategy. However, the RTP in the game is 94%, which is lower than the industry average of 96%, and it is not something we would advise playing. The maximum win in the slot is 25,000x your bet.

Conclusion

The Ashoka slot is a mixed bag. On one hand, there is some extremely fun and volatile gameplay on offer here, with the Wilds, Multipliers, Avalanches, and Free Drops combining at different times to create some great sequences and wins. On the other, the slot has a very low RTP, and we can’t recommend approaching it with such a low percentage.