Play Heart of Rio for Free in Demo Mode by Pragmatic Play

Heart of Rio review

Theme and Storyline

Heart of Rio is themed around the iconic Rio Carnival festival.

Players will step into a night filled with fireworks, feathers, and mysterious masks. A gorgeous lineup of dancers in ornate costumes will guide players through the festival.

The warm evening air is apparent as players get swept up in the world of the party. This is a game for players looking for an exotic escape.

Graphics, Sounds and Animations

In line with Heart of Rio’s theme, a lively dance song plays in the background, infused with South American flavour. The music is mixed with the sounds of a cheering crowd, which adds an uplifting sense of camaraderie.

The dancer symbols are without a doubt the stars of the reels. Animated beautifully, each one wears a glittering headdress with a plume of feathers. Each woman has her own personality and their smiles range from playful to seductive.

Other symbols include cocktails, masks, and drums, while behind the reels, players will see a festive scene. Fireworks burst in the night sky and tropical birds perch among the party decorations. The animation of the gentle sway of the feather ornaments suggests a refreshing breeze.

Overall, the animation and soundtrack create an alluring atmosphere that will make players want to join in the party.

Gameplay

Heart of Rio is a four reel, three row slot with 25 win lines.

Wilds, Bonuses and Free Spins

The Wild symbol substitutes for all symbols except the Bonus symbol, Money symbol, and the Collect symbol.

The Wild symbol appears only on reels 2, 3, 4, and 5. Meanwhile, the Bonus symbol appears only on reels 2, 3, and 4. Finally, the Money symbol appears only on reels 1, 2, 3, and 4.

The game has a total of five types of Collect symbols, each associated with a type of Bonus, as mentioned later. These types are: Collect, Extra Credit Collect, Multiplier Collect, Expanding Collect, and Respin Collect.

The Money symbol takes on a randomised value for each spin. When at least one Money symbol lands and any Collect symbol lands on reel 5, players are awarded one of five special bonuses:

The Free Spins feature is triggered when players land Bonus symbols on reels 2, 3, and 4. They begin with a total of 8 free spins.

While in the Free Spins feature, all Money symbols are collected in a pot and returned at the end of the feature in the form of a giant Money symbol on reels 1-4. A final respin is then triggered and if a Collect symbol lands, the bonus pot is paid out.

The Free Spins feature can be retriggered.

Bet Sizes, RTP and Variance

The return to player of this game is 96.5%, decisively above our yardstick for average of roughly 96%.

The range of bets on the site we tested ran from a minimum bet per spin of $/£/€0.25 up to a maximum of $/£/€125 per spin.

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

Conclusion

We recommend this high RTP, medium volatility Carnival-themed slot.

Though the volatility is not a major draw for strategy-conscious players, Heart of Rio’s robust RTP and beautiful animation still make it a game worth visiting.

The variety of bonus features ensures that the gameplay of Heart of Rio stays engaging.