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Beta Version
You know what surprised me about Big Top? After throwing a few hundred spins at different bet levels, this slot isn't quite what I expected. I've been putting it through its paces for the last couple of weeks, testing everything from €0.20 bets to some bigger €100 spins, and I've got plenty to share about this circus-themed slot from Chilli Games.
At first glance, Big Top looks like your typical circus-themed slot – bright colors, carnival music, and all the usual suspects like clowns and acrobats. But after diving in, I quickly realized there's more to this game than meets the eye. The 5x3 grid with 20 paylines is pretty standard, but the features and volatility really set it apart from other circus slots I've played.
The moment you load up Big Top, you're hit with a wave of nostalgia. The big red and white striped tent in the background immediately took me back to childhood circus visits. What really caught my eye, though, were the detailed character symbols. The strongman, in particular, looks like he could step right off the reels.
The atmosphere is spot-on, with twinkling lights and a subtle crowd murmur in the background. It's not overpowering, which I appreciated during longer sessions. Chilli Games has done a great job executing the theme without making it feel cheesy or overdone.
Big Top uses a fairly straightforward win system – match 3 or more symbols on a payline from left to right. What kept things interesting for me was the expanding wild feature. Several times, I'd hit what looked like a mediocre win, only to have the wild expand and turn it into something much more substantial.
The 5x3 grid feels pretty standard, but I found the game really shines when you trigger the bonus features. Speaking of which, it took me about 150 spins at €1 per spin before I hit my first bonus round. The wait was worth it though – I walked away with a 280x win from that feature alone.
After playing for a while, I got pretty familiar with the symbol hierarchy. The high-value symbols – the strongman, acrobat, clown, and lion – can pay out nicely. I hit a 5-of-a-kind strongman win during one session that paid 25x my bet.
The low-value symbols are your typical card suits, but they're designed to fit the circus theme. As for special symbols, keep an eye out for the wild (the Big Top logo) and the scatter (a circus ticket). I found scatters to be somewhat rare – it took me over 200 spins to trigger free spins at one point.
The expanding wild feature is where I saw most of my bigger base game wins. It doesn't trigger super often – maybe once every 30-40 spins in my experience – but when it does, it can really boost your balance. My biggest win from this feature was about 75x my bet.
There's also a Pick'em Bonus game that I triggered a few times. It's a simple "pick until you match" style game, but I found it to be a nice break from the main gameplay. My results varied wildly here – I won as little as 5x and as much as 50x my bet from this feature.
The free spins bonus was a bit of a rollercoaster for me. It took forever to trigger sometimes – my longest drought was about 300 spins. But when I did get in, the potential was clear. All wins are multiplied by 3x during free spins, which led to my biggest win of 500x during one particularly lucky bonus round.
On the flip side, I also had a few free spin rounds that paid next to nothing. It's definitely a high volatility feature. One tip – if you retrigger free spins (which I managed to do twice), the multiplier increases to 6x. That's when things can get really exciting.
Big Top is definitely on the higher end of the volatility scale. I had sessions where I'd go 100+ spins without a significant win, followed by a massive hit that put me well into profit. The RTP is stated at 96.5%, which feels about right based on my experience.
I found my bankroll could swing pretty wildly during a session. There were times I was down 50% of my starting balance before a bonus hit and brought me back. It's not a slot for the faint of heart, that's for sure.
Based on my testing, I'd recommend starting with lower bets until you get a feel for the game's volatility. I found €0.40 to €1 per spin to be a good range for longer sessions. If you're feature hunting, be prepared for some dry spells – it might be worth setting a loss limit and coming back another day if you're not hitting bonuses.
One strategy I found effective was increasing my bet size slightly after a long period without a bonus. It seemed to work a few times, though that could just be coincidence.
I tested Big Top on both my iPhone and iPad, and I'm happy to report it runs smoothly on both. The touch controls are responsive, and I didn't experience any lag or crashes. The only minor issue I noticed was that on my phone, some of the paytable text was a bit small and hard to read.
The graphics held up well during long play sessions. Animations are smooth, especially during the expanding wild feature. The soundtrack is appropriately circus-like without being annoying – I didn't feel the need to mute it even after hours of play.
One small gripe – I wish there was a bit more variation in the sound effects for regular wins. They started to feel a bit repetitive after a while.
Pros:
Cons:
Bankroll management is key with Big Top. I found setting a session budget and sticking to it helped me weather the high volatility. Also, don't be afraid to lower your bet size if you're not hitting features – I had more success with longer sessions at lower stakes than trying to force big wins with high bets.
Compared to other circus-themed slots I've played, like Circus of Cash or Golden Ticket, Big Top feels more volatile but also more exciting. The potential for big wins is higher, but so is the risk of long losing streaks.
I tested Big Top at several online casinos, but had the best experience at Casino X (not its real name). The game loaded quickly, and I had no issues with payments or withdrawals. Their support team was also helpful when I had a question about the bonus terms.
After two weeks of intense testing, I can say that Big Top is a solid offering from Chilli Games. It's not without its flaws – the high volatility and sometimes elusive bonuses can be frustrating. But when everything lines up, it can be an exhilarating ride.
I'd recommend Big Top to experienced players who enjoy high volatility slots and don't mind weathering some dry spells for the chance at big wins. If you're looking for a more relaxed, low-stakes experience, you might want to look elsewhere.
How often do the free spins trigger?
In my experience, it varied widely. Sometimes within 100 spins, other times it took 300+.
What's the maximum win potential?
The highest win I saw was 500x during free spins, but theoretically, it could go higher.
Is there an autoplay feature?
Yes, and it includes options to set loss and single win limits.
Can you play Big Top for free?
Most casinos I tried offered a demo version to play for free.
How does the Pick'em Bonus work?
You select circus props until you match three of the same prize amount. It's simple but can be quite rewarding.