Cygnus 4 Slot Review
We are becoming time travellers in today’s Cygnus 4 slot review so join us as we take a trip to eighteenth-century London with the latest release in the Cygnus slot series from ELK Studios. With avalanches providing a total of 262,144 possibilities to win, the fourth instalment of the series is played on six reels and offers 4,096 ways to win. Featuring innovative elements like the Multiplayer Pillar, Cygnus 4 can award players with a weighty top prize of 50,000x their total wager. So, without further ado, let us explore the Cygnus 4 slot more closely in our comprehensive review.
Cygnus 4
Cygnus 4 RTP and Wagering
When first loaded, players will see 4,096 ways to win, 6 reels, and 4 rows used in the Cygnus 4 game. However, thanks to the avalanche feature, the reel set can expand to up to 262,144 win ways, expanding each time when three or more identical symbols show up on consecutive reels, starting from the leftmost reel, causing a cascade to occur - but more on this later.
The Cygnus 4 slot uses a stake range of 20p to £100 for each spin which should cover most punters' budgets. On the desktop version of the slot, players can use the 'Coins' icon located in the lower left corner to view all 12 stake options and configure their wager. There is an Auto Spin function that enables up to 100 automatic spins, and quick spins can also be activated by all players outside of the UK.
The Cygnus 4 slot machine, like all recent ELK Studios slots, has a 94% RTP rate. This is pretty disappointing, especially when considering the current market average adhered to by almost all slot games is 96% or more. However, one positive is that the 94% RTP rating is universal across all sites in the UK so players do not have to be concerned with playing the game at a casino which uses the most favourable maths model.
The Cygnus 4 slot machine has a 27% hit frequency rate which indicates that an average of 3.7 spins will result in a winning combination. Elk Studios has rated the volatility of the Cygnus 4 game at 7 out of 10, placing it in the medium to high range when compared to other games in their portfolio.
While the RTP of the Cynus 4 slot machine is pretty disappointing at first, it is worth remembering that the game has a top prize of 50,000 times a player's total bet, meaning that this slot could be viewed as slipping into the jackpot slot category. This top prize is the same as Cygnus 4 and is five times larger than the first and third iterations of the franchise. The maximum win on Cygnus 4 is 50,000 times the wager. This is five times higher than the first and third excursions, and it has the same win potential as Cygnus 2.
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Cygnus 4 Symbols and Audio & Video Design
The overarching theme of the Cygnus slot series has always stood out as unique when compared to other popular slot series. As we mentioned earlier, to play the Cygnus 4 slot, you will need to time-travel to Victorian London. In the case of the Cygnus 4 slot game, the reels are set directly in front of the iconic Tower of London - a feature of the city for over 1000 years. The game takes place in the dead of light with the Victorian style street lamps, and old-school style galleon ship (found to the left of the reel set) indicating the era.
The graphics used in Cygnus 4 are the best yet, and in the sky, players see a full moon, a plethora of twinkling stars, and the Cygnus constellation. Cygnus means ‘Swan’ and numerous cultures have the view that the Cygnus constellation serves as a portal to the hereafter but the constellation was also seen as a symbol of wealth and good fortune in various cultures meaning it makes perfect sense as an inspiration for a slot series. But why the added Victorian theme? Well, the Victorian Era was an age of discovery, where hobbies such as stargazing and mysticism became all the rage.
Moving on to the reels themselves, if you have played one of the Cygnus slots before, you will know exactly what to expect, if you are new to this series, however, then be prepared for a reel set unlike those you have seen before. With no set paylines the reels of the Cygnus 4 slot looks like one of those ‘bubble shooter’ games that were all the rage in the early 2000s. To the left of the game grid players will see a black obelisk with the numbers 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, and 16. This is known as the multiplier pillar, and we will explore this later on in our review. The gameplay is accompanied by a tranquil yet mysterious soundtrack, which sets the scene but can be toggled on or off depending on your preference.
The symbols used in Cygnus 4 each have a rounded bubble shape and gemstones in the colours blue, green, and red as well as gold gryphons, serpents, unicorns, and the Eye of Ra pyramid appearing as symbols (and enhancing the mysticism theme). The highest paying symbol is the Eye of Ra pyramid, which pays out 1, 2, 5, or 10 times your total wager for combinations of 3, 4, 5, or 6.
Additionally, any base game symbol can be substituted for by the Wild symbol. Additional symbols on the reels include Level Up, Bonus Scatter, and Multiplier which all play a part in the game’s bonus features.
The full paytable for the Cynus 4 slot is as follows:
Blue Gemstone
3, 4, 5 or 6 awards 0.05, 0.1, 0.15 or 0.2 x total bet
Green Gemstone
3, 4, 5 or 6 awards 0.05, 0.1, 0.15 or 0.2 x total bet
Red Gemstone
3, 4, 5 or 6 awards 0.05, 0.1, 0.15 or 0.2 x total bet
Gold Serpent
3, 4, 5 or 6 awards 0.1, 0.15, 0.2 or 0.3 x total bet
Gold Unicorn
3, 4, 5 or 6 awards 0.15, 0.2, 0.25 or 0.4 x total bet
Gold Gryphon
3, 4, 5 or 6 awards 0.2, 0.25, 0.3 or 0.5 x total bet
Eye of Ra Pyramid
3, 4, 5 or 6 awards 1, 2, 5 or 10 x total bet
Wild
Substitutes for all base game symbols to form winning combinations.
Multiplier
Increases active multiplier when reaching the leftmost column or the bottom of the grid
Level Up
The Multiplier Pillar level will increase when this symbol reaches the leftmost column or bottom of the grid
Bonus Scatter
Triggers Free Drops feature when reaching the leftmost column
Cygnus 4 Mobile Features
As a new 2024 slot, Cygnus 4 is fully optimised compatible with mobile, tablet, and desktop computers including both Android and iOS systems. Being a mobile-first service, ELK Studios prioritises play on smartphones and has ensured this game is easy to play and enjoyable no matter the screen size.
Cygnus 4 Bonus Features
The Cygnus 4 slot machine has five extra features. Avalanches give you more rows and winning combinations (up to 262,144). The Multiplier Pillar's multiplier is increased by multiplier symbols. When a sign with a level up appears, the Multiplier Pillar rotates to a new level with more multipliers. Lastly, you can use the multipliers from the base game and the Multiplier Pillar during the free spins. These bonus features are explored in more detail in the following sections.
Avalanche Feature
The Avalanche function activates when you land a winning combination. Winning symbols vanish, and fresh symbols roll left or right due to the gravity mechanism. With one more row, there are more opportunities to win.
As long as fresh winning combinations are made, avalanches will keep happening. You can achieve 262,144 ways to win if the reels become fully expanded to 8 rows.
The win ways structure and expansion via avalanches are as follows:
- 4 rows (this is the base game reel configuration) award 4,096 ways to win
- 5 rows award 15,625 ways to win
- 6 rows award 46,656 ways to win
- 7 rows award 117,649 ways to win
- 8 rows (this is the maximum expansion size) award 262,144 ways to win
Multiplier Pillar
A Multiplier Pillar that displays the active multiplier at the moment is located to the left of the reels. The active multiplier grows by 1 along the multiplier pillar when a multiplier symbol falls on the reels and reaches the bottom of the grid or the leftmost column. Next, the Multiplier symbol turns into a Wild symbol and can be used to substitute for any other base game symbol to form winning combinations.
Level Up Feature
A Level Up on the Multiplier Pillar is activated and it turns into a Wild when a Level Up symbol hits the bottom of the grid or the leftmost column. The multiplier values on the Multiplier Pillar rise as it rotates.
The Multiplier Pillar levels up first and the active multiplier moves forward one step along the Multiplier Pillar if the Level Up and Multiplier symbols appear at the same time.
Free Drops
There is a Free Drops feature on the Cygnus 4 slot machine which is essentially its take on a free spins feature. When a Bonus Scatter enters the farthest left column, it activates. The Multiplier Pillar's current level and active multiplier are carried over into the feature, which awards seven free spins or drops.
Each fresh drop or free spin starts with four rows, or 4,096 opportunities to win. Bonus Scatter symbols award extra free spins (three each time they land in the leftmost column).
X-iter Feature (Non-UK Only)
This is essentially ELK Studio’s version of a bonus buy feature and is therefore disallowed in the UK. In eligible regions the X-iter Feature allows players to fast-track their way to the various bonus elements of the Cygnus 4 slot, by paying 3-500x their total stake.
Cygnus 4 Final Thoughts
The Cygnus 4 slot machine feels like a return to form after the reduced payout potential seen in Cygnus 3. On paper, it is clear that ELK Studios is relying on the dazzling top prize of 50,000x a player's total bet, and hoping that players do not pay too much attention to the dismal RTP of just 94%. Overall it is very frustrating that ELK Studios has not decided to up the return to player percentage nearer to the market average, as this is sure to put off some punters, especially when you consider just how good-looking, and how unique both the design elements and bonus features of the Cygnus 4 slot machine is. All in all though, if you are a player that does not pay too much mind to statistics, and has loved previous slots in this series, the Cygnus 4 slot machine is sure to entertain.
Rating: 7.5
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Cygnus 4 FAQ
Here are some of the most common questions we get asked about Cygnus 4.
