Gold Link Express: Running Wins Slot Review

In 2017, a Japanese train company issued a formal public apology because one of their express services left a station 20 seconds early. We’re talking 20 seconds here, folks, not 20 minutes! They apologised anyway. 🇯🇵

Hell, where I live, you’re lucky if the train 🚂 arrives at all! I’m hoping that when the train in Golden Link Express: Running Wins slot from Fugaso pulls in, it’ll be loaded with cash rather than apologies! 💰

Gameplay

The grid's got a Wild West railway thing going on, and, of course, there’s a gold locomotive chugging across the top. Strange for fruity, but I welcome the break from tradition.

The 5x3 grid has 5 paylines. The RTPRTP stands for “Return to Player.” The RTP describes the total bet amount that a game returns to players over millions of spins, and that figure is represented by a percentage. Table games, such as Roulette, typically have higher RTPs than many slots.

RTP needs to be considered in conjunction with a game’s volatility rate. is 96.15%, volatility is high, and the max multiplier is 10,000x. The max win is $250,000, with bets ranging from $0.20 to $25. Bitcoin Cash isn't accepted (sorry).

The hit frequency is 16%, so roughly 1 win every 6.25 spins.

Now let’s talk payouts. An orange, a lemon, a plum, and cherries all pay the same: 1x for 3-of-a-kind, 3x for 4-of-a-kind, and 10x for 5-of-a-kind. The watermelon and grapes both pay 2.5x for 3-of-a-kind, 7.5x for 4-of-a-kind, and 25x for 5-of-a-kind.

The bell and BAR symbols share the top regular spot at 4x for 3-of-a-kind, 10x for 4-of-a-kind, and 50x for 5-of-a-kind. The Wild is a red 7 that replaces everything except Bonus and Super Bonus symbols, and pays 75x for 5-of-a-kind only.

Bonus symbols are gold coins with cash values of 1x to 20x. When the Super Bonus (a golden train, middle reel only) lands on the same spin, it collects all Bonus coin values and pays them instantly.

Land 4 or more Bonus symbols alongside a Super Bonus and you'll trigger the Running Wins Bonus Game instead of a simple collection.

There are 4 static jackpots in this game, too: Mini (25x), Minor (50x), Major (150x), and Grand (1,000x).

Features

RUNNING WINS BONUS GAME:

The main event is a Hold and WinThis feature plays out on a new screen. Typically, you get 3 re-spins (which could be re-triggered), and the triggering symbols usually stick to the position on which they land. Your objective is to land as many symbols as possible on the grid (you could land blank tiles, too).. You need 4 or more Bonus coins and at least 1 Super Bonus symbol on the same spin to trigger it.

You start with 3 re-spins. Every time a new Bonus or Super Bonus symbol lands, the counter resets. All Super Bonus symbols stay locked for the entire feature, and each one collects the values from every Bonus coin that shows up.

RUNNING WINS SUPER BONUS GAME:

Same rules, but you kick off with 3 Super Bonus symbols already locked on the middle reel. Every Bonus coin that lands gets collected immediately - no waiting around for a collector to appear.

MULTIPLYING WILDS:

During Running Wins, each Wild that lands on a cell slaps a 2x multiplier on it. If another Wild hits the same cell, the multiplier goes up by 1 (2x becomes 3x, then 4x, and so on).

Any Bonus coin landing on a multiplied cell gets its value boosted accordingly. The multipliers stick around until the feature ends.

LUCKY RICHES FEATURE:

This is a random bailout. Whenever a Bonus or Super Bonus symbol lands in the base game, there's a chance Lucky Riches kicks in and adds enough symbols to trigger Running Wins on the spot.

RUNNING WINS JACKPOTS:

The 4 jackpots trigger randomly when bonus symbols appear during Running Wins. They're static, so the values don't budge.

BUY BONUS:

The Bonus Game costs 70x your bet and drops you straight into Running Wins. The Super Bonus Game costs 150x and starts you with 3 Super Bonus symbols pre-loaded on the middle reel.

BONUS UP - RUNNING SPINS:

This is the ante bet. Toggle it on and each spin costs 3x your normal bet, but you're 5x more likely to trigger Running Wins. It stays active until you switch it off.

Performance

For a game that has "Express" in the title, I’m happy to report that the loading times lived up to the name.

Maximum Win

At the max bet of $25, the max multiplier of 10,000x means you can scoop the max win of $250,000. Bets start at $0.20.

Conclusion

The Running Wins feature is the big boy; specifically thanks to the Multiplying Wilds. Stacking multipliers on cells where Bonus coins land is how this game reaches its 10,000x ceiling.

The Super Bonus Game is the express lane because you start with 3 collectors already locked in.

When it comes to this game's weaknesses, the base game payouts are merely decorative. Five paylines and a paytable that tops out at 50x for regular symbols doesn't build any real bankroll between features.

Running Spins (Ante BetAn Ante Bet is an option that costs a percentage of your bet but increases your chances of landing triggering symbols that initiate a feature.) is the slow-burn option for players who want better odds without committing a lump sum.

The Super Bonus is the better value because starting with 3 locked collectors means every Bonus coin contributes from re-spin one, and the Multiplying Wilds have more time to compound.

Low-risk players should stick to Running Spins for the gradual boost. Balanced players will find the 70x Buy Bonus a solid middle ground. High-risk players should go straight for the 150x Super Bonus Game where the math has room to work.

Slot Details

Game Provider: Fugaso
Game Type: Video Slots
PaylinesPaylines are preset lines that run across the reels, and when you land matching symbols on them, that will result in a payout. The more paylines, the more ways you can win, but also the higher your bet per spin.: 5
RTPRTP stands for “Return to Player.” The RTP describes the total bet amount that a game returns to players over millions of spins, and that figure is represented by a percentage. Table games, such as Roulette, typically have higher RTPs than many slots.

RTP needs to be considered in conjunction with a game’s volatility rate.: 96.15%
Volatility RateSlot games can have low, medium, high, or extremely high volatility rates (or a combination thereof).

The less volatile the game, the more often it should pay out, but the lower the amount, the less the payout, as this is in keeping with the risk you’re taking. Volatility rate should be considered in conjunction with a game’s RTP.: High
Bonus Round: Yes
Progressive: No
Free Rounds: Re-spins
Max Multiplier: 10,000x
Max Win: $250,000
Published by
BitStarz, award-winning Bitcoin Casino