Santa vs Rudolf review
A comical and entertaining festive slot featuring a belligerent Santa and pugilistic Rudolf causing mayhem on the reels, setting up free spins with walking wilds, random wilds and pick-me bonus features. A better way to pass the time than board games this Xmas.
RATING: 8.3
GAME PROFILE
Supplier
NetEnt
Release Date
12/2019
RTP
96.35%
Variance
Medium
Payout Potential
1,000x
Stakes
20p to £100
Reels
5
Rows
3
Features
Free Spins, Re-Spins, Walking Wilds, Random Wilds, Pick-Me Bonus Round
WHERE CAN I PLAY Santa vs Rudolf?
100% up to £100
And 10% Cashback On All Deposits
SIGNIFICANT TERMS:
18+, New customers only, min deposit £20, wagering 35x, max bet £5 with bonus funds. Max bonus is 100% up to £100. No max cash out on deposit offers. Welcome bonus excluded for players depositing with Skrill or Neteller. Cashback is cash with no restriction. Terms apply. BeGambleAware.org.
Up To £300 Bonus
And 300 NetEnt Spins
SIGNIFICANT TERMS:
18+, New Players Only, £10 Min Deposit, £5 max bet using bonus. 40x wagering applies. Bonus valid for 14 days. 30 Spins on pre-selected games will be credited instantly + then 30 per day for 9 days. Free Spins valid for 72 hours from credit. Max Free Spins winnings £100. Skrill + Neteller exlcluded. Always refer to bonus terms. Terms apply. BeGambleAware.org.
100% Up To £100
And 10% Lifetime Cashback
SIGNIFICANT TERMS:
18+, Welcome Bonus for New Players Only, Maximum bonus is 100% up to £100, Min deposit is £20, No max cashout, Wagering is 35x bonus, Maximum bet while playing with a bonus is £5, Eligibility is restricted for suspected abuse, cashback is cash with no restrictions, Skrill and Neteller deposits excluded, Cashback applies to deposits where no bonus is included. Terms apply. BeGambleAware.org.
100% Up To £400
And 50 Bonus Spins
SIGNIFICANT TERMS:
18+, New players only, 1 bonus offer per play. Minimum deposit £20. Max bonus bet is £%. Bonus spins on selected games only and must be used within 72 hours. Bonus funds must be used within 30 days otherwise any unused bonus shall be removed. Bonus funds are 100% match up to £400 on your 1st deposit. 40% match up to £3,000 on your second deposit, and 60% match up to £1,500 on your third deposit. Bonus funds are separate to Cash funds, and are subject to 35x wagering the total bonus & cash. Only bonus funds count towards any wagering requirements. Terms apply. BeGambleAware.org.
50 Bonus Spins
No Wagering Requirements
SIGNIFICANT TERMS:
18+, first time depositors only. Min deposit £10, Maximum amount of free spins is 50. Free spins valued at £0.10 per spin. Excluding new players in Northern Ireland. OJO’s Reward and Game Play Policy Applies. Terms apply. BeGambleAware.org.
100% Up To £100
And 33 Spins on Lights
SIGNIFICANT TERMS:
18+, New Players Only, Min Deposit £10, Wagering 45x Bonus, Max Bet £5 With Bonus Funds, Live Casino Play Excluded With Bonus. 100% Up To £100 on 1st Deposit, 50% up to £200 on 2nd Deposit, Welcome Bonus excluded for players depositing with Skrill or Neteller. No Max Cashout on deposit offers. Eligibility is restricted for suspected abuse. Terms apply. BeGambleAware.org.
100% Up To £300
And 90 Bonus Spins (Book of Dead)
SIGNIFICANT TERMS:
18+, New players only, Min Deposit £20, Bonus spins are valid on Book of Dead only. Bonus funds are 100% up to £300 and separate to cash funds. 35x bonus wagering requirements apply. Only bonus funds count towards wagering requirement. £5 max bet with bonus. Bonus funds must be used within 30 days, spins within 10 days otherwise any unused shall be removed. Terms apply. BeGambleAware.org.
100% Up To £100
And 300 Bonus Spins
SIGNIFICANT TERMS:
18+, Full T and Cs Apply. New players Only. £10 min deposit. £5 max bet using bonus. 40 x wagering applies. Bonus valid for 14 days. 30 Spins on Starburst games will be credited per day for 9 days after qualifying deposit/wager is met. Free Spins valid for 72 hours from credit. Max Free Spins winnings £100. Skrill + Neteller excluded. Always refer to Bonus Terms Terms apply. BeGambleAware.org.
50% Up To £500
And 100 NetEnt Spins
SIGNIFICANT TERMS:
New customers only, min deposit £10, wagering 50x, max bet £5 with bonus funds. 11 Free Spins on registration (max withdrawal is £100). 50% up to £499 bonus + 100 Free Spins on 1st deposit. 50% up to £499 bonus on 2nd deposit. No max cash out on deposit offers. Welcome bonus excluded for players depositing with Skrill or Neteller. Terms apply. BeGambleAware.org.
100% Up To £100
And 50 Bonus Spins
SIGNIFICANT TERMS:
18+. New players Only. £10 minimum deposit. 40 x wagering applies. Bonus valid for 14 days. Minimum £5 wager required to activate 50 Free Spins. 10 Free Spins will be credited per day for 5 days after qualifying deposit/wager is met. Free Spins valid for 72 hours from credit. Terms apply. BeGambleAware.org.
£5 No Deposit Bonus
200% Up To £50 + 50 Spins
SIGNIFICANT TERMS:
New customers only, 18+, Verification needed for UK players, No Deposit, Max bonus £5, Valid on: Shamrock n Roll, Mayan Marvels and Candy Swap. Wagering 100x, Max Winnings capped at £20. First 3 deposits only, Min deposit $/€/£10, Max bonus $/€/£ 500 + 50 Free Spins on Starburst, Selected slots only, 4x conversion, 40x wagering. Terms apply. BeGambleAware.org.
Up To £500 Bonus
And 150 IGT Spins
SIGNIFICANT TERMS:
First 3 deposits only. Min deposit £10, Max total bonus £500 and 150 Spins, Spin value varies, 30x wagering (deposit and bonus), 30x on spins, 5x conversion, Selected slots only. Terms apply. BeGambleAware.org.
100% Up To £200
And 200 Starburst Spins
SIGNIFICANT TERMS:
18+, New players Only. £10 min deposit. £5 max bet using bonus. 40 x wagering applies. Bonus valid for 14 days. 20 Spins on Starburst games will be credited instantly + then 20 per day for 9 days. Free Spins valid for 72 hours from credit. Max Free Spins winnings £100. Skrill + Neteller excluded. Terms apply. BeGambleAware.org.
100% Up To £500
And 30 Bonus Spins
SIGNIFICANT TERMS:
18+. New players only. 1 bonus offer per player. Min. deposit £20. Max bonus bet £5. Extra spins on selected games only- must be used within 72 hours. Bonus funds expire in 30 days, unused bonus shall be removed. Bonus funds are 100% match up to £500 + 30 extra spins on 1st deposit, 25% match up to £800 + 25 extra spins on 2nd deposit, and 50% match up to £200 + 50 extra spins on 3rd deposit. Bonus funds are separate to Cash funds, and are subject to 40x wagering the total bonus & cash. Only bonus funds count towards wagering contribution. Terms apply. BeGambleAware.org.
Up To 500 Wish Spins
To Play Starburst Slot
SIGNIFICANT TERMS:
18+, New customers only, Min deposit £10/£50 (excl. Neteller and Skrill). Claim period is 14 days. Daily spins claim period is 1 day. Winnings from spins 40x wagering within 7 days. Max 500 spins total. Max winnnings on all spins £1,000. Max bet £5. Game weightings apply. Terms apply. BeGambleAware.org.
100% Up To £100
20 Spins on NetEnt’s Fruit Shop
SIGNIFICANT TERMS:
18+, New Customers Only, Minimum Deposit £10, Bonus spins are valid on Fruit Shop only and subject to a 35x wagering requirement, and must be used within 10 days, otherwise any unused bonus spins will be removed. Bonus funds are 100% up to £100 and separate to cash funds. 35x bonus wagering requirements and only bonus funds count towards wagering contribution. £5 max bet with bonus funds. Bonus must be used within 30 days otherwise any unused bonus will be removed. Terms apply. BeGambleAware.org.
Up To 300 Wager Free Spins
+ 2x Your Deposit in Volt Crystals
SIGNIFICANT TERMS:
For players registering from 24/02/2020 to 31/05/2020. Registration = 100 Crystals & 500 Vollars. Max Rewards on 1st Dep = 300 Starburst cash Spins, 2,500 Vollars & 1,000 Crystals. Only on 1st Dep of min €20. Dep needs to be wagered x1. Every £10 on 1st Dep = 10 Cash Spins, x5 Vollars & x2 Crystals. No wagering On Cash Spins wins. Max wins = £300. Neteller & Skrill deposits excluded. Listed gameplay excluded on 1st dep. Terms apply. BeGambleAware.org.
100% Up To £300
100 Zee Spins + 500 Zee Points
SIGNIFICANT TERMS:
18+, New Customers Only, Valid for 15 days after 1st deposit. Min Deposit £20 Max Bonus Bet £5 Winnings from spins capped at £50 First 100 Zee spins 10/day. Spins must be used within 24 hours, Funds within 30 days. Bonus funds are separate to Cash funds, and are subject to 35 wagering (bonus + cash). Game weighting restrictions apply. Terms apply. Begambleaware.org. Terms apply. BeGambleAware.org.
WHAT WE LIKE
Classic comedy caper
Medium variance with wide appeal
Walking Wilds
Free Spins and Re-Spins
Multipliers in Pick-Me Round
WHAT WE DON'T LIKE
Could have more features
ABOUT THIS SLOT
What is Christmas about? Well for slots fans, Christmas is traditionally a time for dubious games that will get played for 4 weeks of the year and then stuffed in a drawer and forgotten about until next December! Yes, truth is we don’t always expect our festive slots to be of a particularly high quality. But this time around NetEnt must have been feeling flush because they’ve put quite some work into this little effort, with some great production that shows hilarious scenes of Santa and Rudolf going at each other on the reels (maybe over the last mince pie after too much brandy). Indeed this is a fine game which will keep you entertained for a few hours whilst your relatives fall asleep in front of the fire or fight over the TV remote. It’s medium variance action with low potential but the regular re-spins and the chance of landing free spins with walking wilds and random wilds thrown into the mix are engaging enough and as Xmas slots go, Santa vs Rudolf is a blast.
SYMBOLS AND GRAPHICS
In an effort to appeal to a broad base, NetEnt have avoided going down the route of a high risk game and have hit the center ground instead. The variance is set to medium and the action plays out on a 5 reel by 3 row set with 20 fixed paylines. The scene is a snowy Lapland and to the left of the reels is an irate Santa, demanding Rundolf’s attention. To the right our rebel reindeer is refusing to play ball. Surely this can’t go on?! Get playing and you’ll find out. …. You’ll also see the lower value symbols of 10 through to Ace, and the premium symbols of wish lists, reindeer collars, presents and the sleigh (worth 25x for five on a payline).
Look out as well for the Rudolf Wild and the Santa Wild, both of whom roam across the reels on a re-spin when they appear.
GAMEPLAY AND FEATURES
Free Spins
The key feature in this game is the Free Spins round. It gets triggered when both Santa and Rudolf land on the same row after a spin. When they do, the two feisty characters go at each other, and in the ensuing scuffle, 10 spins are set up. It is possible during the bonus round to trigger 4 more, and 4 more again, in the same way, up to a maximum of 30 free spins.
During the free spins round the wilds appear more often and the walking wilds are also in play.
Walking Wilds, Meters and Encore Bonuses
So, during our free spins round it is also possible to stack up an encore bonus. This is triggered by filling a meter at the top of the screen. There are two meters, one for Rudolf and one for Santa. Each has 8 spaces, one of which is filled each time a corresponding Walking Wild completes its journey and drops off the end of the reel set. When this happens, one of the following Encore Bonuses is triggered:
Santa’s Gift – Fill Santa’s meter to enter a Pick-Me bonus and win either a multiplier or a cash prize. Or reveal Santa’s hat to end the round.
Rudolf Spins – Your best chance at hitting a big win with THREE free spins with FIVE Rudolf Wilds added to the reel set each time.
OUR VERDICT
Santa vs Rudolf is an Xmas slot that we thought we’d never see. It’s genuinely entertaining, with a comic edge and some engaging gameplay. High risk slots fans will shun this game in favor of the competition no doubt, but casual gamers will love it – the wins are relatively frequent, the graphics are excellent and the features are exciting. Merry Xmas from NetEnt indeed!
MORE SLOTS FROM NetEnt
RTP: 96.8% | VARIANCE: High
PAYOUT POTENTIAL: 100,000x
RTP: 96.1% | VARIANCE: Low
PAYOUT POTENTIAL: 1,000x +
RTP: 96.67% | VARIANCE: Medium
PAYOUT POTENTIAL: 10,000x +
RTP: 96.35% | VARIANCE: Medium
PAYOUT POTENTIAL: 1,000x
RTP: 95.71% | VARIANCE: High
PAYOUT POTENTIAL: 10,000x
RECOMMENDED UK CASINO SITES
New customers only, 18+, Verification needed for UK players, No Deposit, Max bonus £5, Valid on: Shamrock n Roll, Mayan Marvels and Candy Swap. Wagering 100x, Max Winnings capped at £20. First 3 deposits only, Min deposit $/€/£10, Max bonus $/€/£ 500 + 50 Free Spins on Starburst, Selected slots only, 4x conversion, 40x wagering. Terms apply. BeGambleAware.org.
18+, New Players Only, Min Deposit £10, Wagering 45x Bonus, Max Bet £5 With Bonus Funds, Live Casino Play Excluded With Bonus. 100% Up To £100 on 1st Deposit, 50% up to £200 on 2nd Deposit, Welcome Bonus excluded for players depositing with Skrill or Neteller. No Max Cashout on deposit offers. Eligibility is restricted for suspected abuse. Terms apply. BeGambleAware.org.
New customers only, min deposit £10, wagering 50x, max bet £5 with bonus funds. 11 Free Spins on registration (max withdrawal is £100). 50% up to £499 bonus + 100 Free Spins on 1st deposit. 50% up to £499 bonus on 2nd deposit. No max cash out on deposit offers. Welcome bonus excluded for players depositing with Skrill or Neteller. Terms apply. BeGambleAware.org.
18+, New players only, Min Deposit £20, Bonus spins are valid on Book of Dead only. Bonus funds are 100% up to £300 and separate to cash funds. 35x bonus wagering requirements apply. Only bonus funds count towards wagering requirement. £5 max bet with bonus. Bonus funds must be used within 30 days, spins within 10 days otherwise any unused shall be removed. Terms apply. BeGambleAware.org.
18+. New players only. 1 bonus offer per player. Min. deposit £20. Max bonus bet £5. Extra spins on selected games only- must be used within 72 hours. Bonus funds expire in 30 days, unused bonus shall be removed. Bonus funds are 100% match up to £500 + 30 extra spins on 1st deposit, 25% match up to £800 + 25 extra spins on 2nd deposit, and 50% match up to £200 + 50 extra spins on 3rd deposit. Bonus funds are separate to Cash funds, and are subject to 40x wagering the total bonus & cash. Only bonus funds count towards wagering contribution. Terms apply. BeGambleAware.org.