Carol of the Elves Free Play in Demo Mode by Yggdrasil Gaming

Carol of the Elves review

Theme and Storyline

This slot is a tribute to Christmas elves. However, despite its cheery theme, something about this game feels unsettling. Players are greeted by smiley elves clinging to symbols.

The setting is a Yuletide-ready room adorned with garlands and gifts. Unfortunately, the shadowy lighting and grinning animals create more of a haunted house vibe.

Some players may love diving into the retro Christmas spirit or they might embrace the eerie-festive atmosphere.

Players with more sensitivity to the ominous tone may prefer to avoid this game, or play it closer to Halloween than Christmas.

Graphics, Sounds and Animations

The hosting elves have an inescapable creepy-doll vibe. Meanwhile, the playful animals among the symbols are simultaneously cute and unnervingly smiley.

The macabre undertones of the aesthetic seem unintentional, but nonetheless may appeal to some players.

The animation style feels like something from a retro video game. The characters are somewhat pixelated and mechanical in their movements. Leaning into ‘90s nostalgia can make this quality charming, but probably will disappoint players looking for a more immersive experience.

The snow falling behind the reels is pretty and pleasant. It provides the illusion that the reels are panes of glass in a window.

The unobtrusive soundtrack is reminiscent of a music box. It fades easily into the background and players will be happy to leave it on.

Overall, players will need to be in the right headspace to enjoy this slot.

Gameplay

Carol of the Elves is a five reel, five row slot.

Wins are given for landing three or more matching symbols on adjacent reels, starting from the left and going to the right. As a result, this slot offers 3,125 possible ways to win.

The reels have a number of blank squares called Blockers which can be added to the reels as part of the bonuses (details below).

Wilds, Bonuses and Free Spins

This game does not include Wild symbols.

Players can win Magic Stars to destroy Blockers on the reels. The blockers take up positions on the reels, preventing symbols from landing. When all Blockers are destroyed, the player activates both Lantern Collections.

The Lantern Collections sit either side of the reels and monitor player’s progress towards Multipliers. Any subsequent wins while the Lantern Collections are unlocked will add lanterns to either the red or green counter.

When both Lantern Collections are activated players receive a x2 Win Multipliers. Players can also obtain +1 Multipliers every time 5 Green Lanterns are lit. Multipliers are applied to the next wins in a round.

Players can also receive +1 Extra life for every 5 Red Lanterns lit. This keeps the respins going even after a spin without a win.

Bet Sizes, RTP and Variance

The return to player of this game is 96.2%, pretty close to our yardstick for average of roughly 96%.

The range of bets on the site we tested ran from a minimum bet per spin of $/£/€0.10 up to a maximum of $/£/€150 per spin.

The volatility of this game is medium, which makes it a less than ideal match for our preferred slot machine strategies. Our slot strategies target the highest possible volatility.

Conclusion

We do not recommend this average RTP, Christmas Elf-themed slot.

The accidental creepy atmosphere and the low quality graphics make this game an unpleasant experience.

From the point of view of our preferred strategies, this game offers nothing attractive either. The medium volatility simply doesn’t go with our slot strategies.

Unfortunately, players will find it easy to see why this unsettling slot has remained unpopular.