Golden Chief Slot Machine

Golden Chief is a Barcrest video slot released in 2017, offering players a 5x4 playing field with anywhere between 10 to 100 paylines active depending on your active wager. You can play the game for $0.10 up to $500 per spin, but the title incentivises you to play at larger bets by increasing the RTP and active paylines. This Barcrest release has many bonuses, including expanding Wilds, Mystery Symbol upgrades, Bonus Wheels with their own minor special features, and Big Bet spins that you pay up front to unlock features right away.

The slot takes place in a sunny valley inhabited by native Americans, with the sun's glow radiating around the reel's edges, while the golden hue of the reels themselves prevent you from staring into the sun. Beyond the golden background of the reels, you also have a lightly decorated border around the edges, giving it a more native American look. The user interface is rather clean and easy to navigate, with each button being self-explanatory.

Symbols include playing card symbols like 10, J, Q, K, and A, as well as unique artwork depicting a large grizzly bear, a majestic white eagle and the chief's daughter. The chief and a separate colourful symbol both act as Wilds, which can substitute for all icons except for the Scatter, shown as a pair of crossed axes on a purple background.

The amount of active paylines changes depending on your wager. During normal gameplay, betting below $1 per spin gives access to 10 paylines, upgrading to 20 paylines for bets above $1 per spin. During the expanding Wild bonus, 50 paylines are available to players betting below $1 per spin, while 100 paylines are available to players betting above $1 per spin.

The chief himself acts as an expanding Wild. When he lands, he has a chance to expand and cover the entire reel, increasing the number of active paylines according to the rules above.

The Mystery Upgrade symbol can select all symbols of one type and upgrade them to a better paying icon, up to the chief's daughter symbol.

Collecting three or four Scatters activates the Golden Bonus Wheel or Super Golden Bonus Wheel. Collecting five Scatters rewards a cash prize. The Golden Bonus Wheel can award Cash Canyon, Totem Riches, or five free spins. The Super version of this bonus has enhanced features and ten free spins instead of five.

Gameplay and Features

Totem Riches allows you to select a totem pole and reveal a cash multiplier that continues to climb as you ascend. The climb stops when you reach the top or a collect symbol appears, at which point you are awarded the current value reached. The super version has stronger multipliers and an extra life, allowing you to bypass one collect. In the Big Bet version, multipliers are awarded by stake per line instead of total bet.

Cash Canyon plays like a board game. You spin a wheel that determines how many moves you make on the board, and the farther you reach, the bigger the cash prize. If the wheel lands on the stop symbol or you reach the end, you are awarded your current win. The super version has increased wins. The Big Bet version awards multipliers by stake per line instead of total bet.

When you win five or ten free spins, you have the option to gamble them to increase the number of extra turns up to 30 maximum. While free spins are active, collecting one, two, three, or four Scatters rewards one, two, five or ten extra free spins added to the total. Also during free spins, a heap Wild may appear which can expand to be 5 reels tall.

Big Bet plays five linked spins at $20, $30 or $50 per spin. The $20 version has increased awards and doubles the height of the Scatter. The $30 version also includes expanding Wilds that remain in place until the Big Bet spins end, and Totem Riches includes an extra life. The $50 version includes all previous bonuses and is played at 100 paylines at all times.

The largest jackpot you can expect from Golden Chief is 500x your stake. The title has medium variance, with an RTP of 94.12% for below $2 wagers, 96.02% for above $2 wagers, and 98.14% for Big Bet spins.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Golden Chief slots?

Golden Chief is a 5x4, native American-themed video slot developed by Barcrest and released in 2017. The game features between 10 and 100 active paylines depending on your bet level, along with expanding Wilds, Mystery Symbol upgrades, a Golden Bonus Wheel, and Big Bet spins that unlock enhanced features upfront.

What is the RTP of Golden Chief slots?

Golden Chief has a tiered RTP structure: 94.12% for bets below $2 per spin, 96.02% for bets above $2 per spin, and 98.14% for Big Bet spins. Players looking for the best long-term return should consider placing higher bets or using the Big Bet feature, which also unlocks more paylines and enhanced bonuses.

Can I play Golden Chief for real money?

Yes, Golden Chief is available as a real money slots game at online casinos offering Barcrest titles. Bets range from $0.10 to $500 per spin, with Big Bet options at $20, $30 or $50 for linked bonus spins. Higher bets unlock more paylines and a significantly better RTP of up to 98.14%.

How do paylines work in Golden Chief slots?

The number of active paylines in Golden Chief scales with your bet. Bets below $1 per spin activate 10 paylines in the base game and 50 during the expanding Wild bonus. Bets above $1 activate 20 paylines in the base game and up to 100 during the expanding Wild bonus. Big Bet spins at $50 always play at 100 paylines.

What is the Golden Bonus Wheel in Golden Chief slots?

The Golden Bonus Wheel is triggered by landing three or four Scatter symbols (crossed axes). It can award Cash Canyon, Totem Riches, or free spins. Landing four Scatters activates the Super Golden Bonus Wheel with enhanced versions of all features and ten free spins instead of five. Landing five Scatters awards a direct cash prize.

What are the Big Bet spins in Golden Chief slots?

Big Bet spins in Golden Chief cost $20, $30 or $50 per spin and link five consecutive spins together with enhanced features. The $20 option increases awards and doubles Scatter height, the $30 option adds persistent expanding Wilds, and the $50 option includes all bonuses at 100 paylines throughout — and carries the best RTP of 98.14%.