The Gonzo’s Series - One of the Most Iconic Slot Series of All Time
As video slot fans, you will have come across many popular series over the years.
The list must have titles such as Playtech’s Age of the Gods, Pragmatic Play’s John Hunter range of slots, or Play’n Go’s Rich/Cat Wilde titles (think Book of Dead).
Well, if there is another series that deserves a mention in the same breath as the above, it has to be the one centered on Gonzo, the intrepid Spanish conquistador and his many expeditions.
Most of you will know all about the original title that has spawned a handful of other casino games. Gonzo’s Quest to this day is one of the most popular online slots of all time. That is despite launching as far back as 2013. To mark that epic title’s 10th birthday, we thought it fitting to take a closer look at each of the casino games featuring Gonzo (or Gonzita in the most recent release).
Gonzo’s Quest (2013)
When the original Gonzo’s Quest launched, it is difficult to imagine even NetEnt believing it would still be among the most-played video slots a decade later. It became an instant hit thanks to its top-of-the-line graphics and animations and lucrative bonus features.
This 5-reel, 3-row, and 20-payline slot worked differently from many others at the time. It offered an Avalanche (cascading symbols) feature that we now see in many slots today. Winning symbols disappear so that new ones can drop into play. If they create another win, the same process repeats. That can lead to multiple wins from a single spin. During the free spins round, consecutive avalanches even increase a multiplier up to a maximum of 15x.
- RTP: 95.97%
- Variance: Medium
- Max Win: 3,750x
- Developer: NetEnt
Gonzo’s Quest Megaways (2020)
Next off the production line was Gonzo’s Quest Megaways. This time it was developed by Red Tiger Gaming, an iGaming company that NetEnt had acquired. Effectively, for the sequel, NetEnt handed over the reins to another talented developer operating under its umbrella. A big reason for this was because of Red Tiger having a license from Big Time Gaming to use its popular Megaways mechanic.
They gave the graphics a modern touch, but it was the Megaways mechanic which proved a perfect fit for such an iconic sequel. Players could now enjoy up to 117,649 ways to win, that same avalanche feature, multipliers, and a new Earthquake feature that triggers randomly by destroying all low-paying symbols so that high-paying symbols can drop into their place.
- RTP: 96%
- Variance: High
- Max Win: 21,000x
- Developer: Red Tiger Gaming
Gonzo’s Treasure Hunt (2021)
Just to confuse things further, Gonzo’s Treasure Hunt is a casino game developed by Evolution. That’s right, the undisputed king of live casino games. If you’re wondering how, Evolution acquired NetEnt (and Red Tiger Gaming alongside it) for a ton of money and thus now owned the Gonzo series. Of course, with such a legendary slot icon under their control, it was always a matter of time before the firm used Gonzo as the selling point of one of its live gameshows.
An animated Gonzo appears to the side of a wall that has 70 segments. The idea is to place bets on the different coloured stones that each have a multiplier value of between 1x and 65x attached. Obviously the higher the multiplier, the fewer the stones on the grid. You can purchase between 1 and 20 picks. The more you have the better the chance, but each pick you purchase costs money. If you pick the stones you bet on, you win the multipliers attached. But, you may even win more, as random prize drops add extra value to certain stones.
- RTP: 96.56%
- Variance: Medium
- Max Win: 20,000x
- Developer: Evolution
Gonzo’s Gold (2021)
Going full circle, NetEnt returned to develop the next adventure for players and Gonzo himself. The firm actually broke with tradition by completely changing the mechanics found in the previous slot games. Gone was the avalanche mechanic that had contributed to the popularity of the series. Instead, Gonzo’s Gold utilised a 5x5 grid, and a cluster pays mechanic. That meant landing symbols in clusters rather than across paylines or Megaways.
That was a brave move, and one that could have backfired. However, while not as popular as other Gonzo slots, Gonzo’s Gold still scored well with many punters and reviewers.
- RTP: 96.11%
- Variance: High
- Max Win: 5,000x
- Developer: NetEnt
Gonzita’s Quest (2022)
Gonzita's Quest is the latest release in the Gonzo series, even though this time it is Gonzita, Gonzo’s female counterpart. By the way, this time the developer has switched back to Red Tiger Gaming (are you keeping up?). With this latest slot comes the return of the avalanche mechanic that helped make the earlier titles so popular.
However, just to show that this series is not scared to try new things, there is now a Hold and Win-style bonus round. Once triggered, you receive 3 respins with the middle reel featuring Gonzita sitting on a throne. When you land multiplier symbols, she collects them and resets your respins back to 3. Every non-winning spin reduces your respins. This continues until you run out of respins. In the end, the multipliers collected are added up and applied to your spin bet.
- RTP: 95.97%
- Variance: Medium
- Max Win: 2,580x
- Developer: Red Tiger Gaming
If you’re yet to try out the iconic Gonzo series of slots, you have been missing out big time. Aside from the iconic main character, the titles feature fantastic aesthetics, amazing bonus features, and truly engaging gameplay. As you can see, each new title also has something different to offer.
James is a casino games expert on the Playcasino.com editorial team. With many years of professional experience at a leading casino game development company and a passion for playing casino games, James has become a true expert in slots, blackjack, roulette, baccarat, and other games.
James uses this expertise to provide reliable, insider advice through his reviews and guides, breaking down the game rules and offering tips to help you win more often. Rely on James's extensive experience for expert advice on your casino play.
