3Oaks has a reputation for being unrivaled in the Hold and Win genre, with only Playson giving them competition. They have added another Hold and Win slot to their collection with Rio Gems. The game takes place on a standard playing field with five reels, three rows, and 25 win lines. The Rio Gems slot combines the classic gems theme with carnival motifs and includes some animated symbols. The graphics are more colorful than usual, but somewhat unexciting.
The game’s math model is highly volatile, with the top Royal jackpot worth up to 10,000x your bet. The minimum bet is £0.25, and the maximum bet is £25 per round. However, the theoretical RTP of Rio Gems is slightly low at 95.69%.
There are 8 pay symbols in Rio Gems, divided into 4 low pays and 4 high pays. The low-paying symbols are basic card ranks, which pay 2x your bet for a five-of-a-kind combination. High-paying symbols are carnival dancers, with the highest paying one yielding 10x your bet for a full set. Special symbols include Wilds, Scatters, and Diamond symbols.
The game features a Free Spins feature, triggered by landing 3 Scatters, and a Hold and Win feature, activated by landing at least 6 Diamond symbols. The Super Hold and Win mode, which includes more valuable Diamond symbols, can also be triggered.
There are four jackpots in total, called Mini, Minor, Major, and Grand, worth 20x, 50x, 150x, and 2,000x your bet, respectively. To win the top Royal jackpot, you must fill the entire board with symbols before the respins run out.
In summary, Rio Gems is a sophisticated Hold and Win slot from 3Oaks, offering several jackpots and free spins without low-paying symbols. However, its theoretical RTP is below average. Pros and Cons.
