Playson’s Royal Joker: Hold and Win is a fun, high-volatility slot that blends classic fruit-machine charm with modern bonus mechanics. Playson itself calls Royal Joker an “unforgettable experience” that makes you “feel like a king” as you chase big wins. This 3×3 fruit slot keeps the traditional format (three reels, three rows and 5 fixed paylines) but spices it up with Jokers, collectible coin symbols and multi-level jackpots. The result is a retro look with today’s features. You can even play demo mode on many sites to see how it plays before betting real money.
Playson has given Royal Joker: Hold and Win a classic fruit-machine look. The 3×3 grid is framed by gold lines and set against a rich purple (or black) backdrop. Traditional symbols like cherries, lemons, oranges and plums fill the reels, while a glowing Royal Joker logo and jackpot meters hover above. The game has no elaborate soundtrack – just the soft clicks of spinning reels and a jaunty harp chime for wins – reinforcing the nostalgic slot-machine feel. It’s simple but striking, with a clean interface that even displays four jackpot levels (Mini, Minor, Major, Grand) above the reels.
Playing Royal Joker: Hold and Win is straightforward. Use the plus/minus controls to set your bet (from as little as about $0.10 up to $100 per spin, depending on the casino currency). Once your bet is set, press the Spin button (or use Auto-Play) to begin. Wins are paid for landing matching symbols on any of the 5 paylines from left to right. You can tap the info (i) button for the paytable and game rules, which clearly show each symbol’s payout and feature descriptions. There is no Free Spins round – instead, the excitement comes from the Hold-and-Win bonus game (see below).
Reels & Paylines: 3 reels × 3 rows, with 5 fixed paylines.. All paylines are always in play (non-selectable).
Bets: From about 0.10 credits (or €0.20) up to 100 credits per spin l . This range suits both casual players and high rollers.
Symbols: The reels show classic fruit icons (cherries, grapes, oranges, lemons, watermelons) along with bells, BARs and a Joker. The Joker symbol is the wild and substitutes for regular symbols in the base game. There are also special coin symbols: the Bonus coin and the Royal Bonus coin (gold coins with a crown). Three or more Bonus coins trigger the bonus round, while the Royal Bonus coin has its own special role (see Features below).
Interface: A big orange Spin button sits to the right of the reels, with a turbo-spinning option and simple controls (bet size, autoplay, sound, etc). Your current bet, last win and credit balance are shown at the bottom, keeping everything clear.
This game’s fun lies in its bonus features. While the base spins use standard fruit-slot mechanics, the Hold and Win bonus round can produce big thrills. Key features include:
Hold and Win Bonus (Bonus Game): Land 3 Bonus coin symbols anywhere on the grid to trigger the Hold and Win feature. You start with 3 respins. During the bonus round, only Bonus coins, Royal Bonus coins, and Joker symbols can land. Every time a new coin symbol lands, the respin counter resets to 3, giving more chances to fill the grid. This continues until the respins run out. Players can fill the screen with coins to collect large coin-pay wins.
Joker’s Multiplier (Wild Feature): In the bonus game, each Joker that appears leaves a multiplier on that cell. Initially a Joker leaves a ×2 multiplier, then disappears. If another Joker lands on the same spot, the multiplier increases (×3, ×4, etc). Any Bonus coin landing on a multiplier cell has its payout multiplied by that value. This means multiple Jokers can greatly boost your coin wins. Notably, the Joker also acts as a wild in the base game (replacing other symbols), but does not substitute a Bonus symbol – its real value is in the bonus multipliers.
Royal Bonus Symbol: The golden Royal Bonus coin is special. In the base game it appears like a scatter, but its main role is in the bonus round. During Hold and Win, Royal Bonus coins can only land on the middle reel. When they do, they become sticky and “absorb” the values of all other coins in view. Each Royal Bonus icon then carries the total of all coins on the screen, including any jackpot symbols that may have landed. This can create huge wins if multiple coins have stacked. (Any standard Bonus coins in the bonus round do not stick – only the Royal Bonus icons do.)
Jackpots: There are four fixed-level jackpots hidden in the bonus game. Landing a Jackpot symbol during the bonus round will award its prize immediately. The jackpots are tiered as Mini (25×), Minor (50×), Major (150×), and Grand (1000×) the bet. You can win multiple jackpots in one bonus round if you land more jackpot symbols. These add an exciting jackpot slot element to the game. For example, with the maximum bet you can win up to 1000× your bet from the Grand jackpot alone.
Pile of Gold: This is a mini-feature that can trigger in the base game. Randomly, when a Bonus or Royal Bonus symbol appears on a normal spin, the Pile of Gold feature may activate. When it does, extra Bonus (and Royal Bonus) symbols are added to the reels, greatly increasing your chance to trigger the main bonus game on the same spin. It’s a chance for lucky players to jump straight into the respins round.
Royal Joker is a high-volatility slot, meaning wins are less frequent but can be substantial when they do hit. The theoretical RTP is 95.62%, which is fairly typical for a high-variance game but slightly below the industry average. In practice this means you should be prepared for dry spells; wins tend to come from hitting the bonus round and jackpots rather than many small combos.
The maximum win is huge: up to 21,150× your bet (roughly 20,000 times stake). In other words, if playing at max bet you could win up to around 20,000 times that wager in a single bonus round (thanks to multipliers and jackpots). That is on par with the largest payouts seen in Playson’s other Hold and Win titles. Slot analysts note that’s an “above-average max win” for a 3×3 slot, reflecting how the bonus features can deliver life-changing wins.
The game’s interface is clean and uncluttered. This screenshot shows the main 3×3 grid in action: each reel is 3 symbols tall. The symbol artwork is bold and easily recognizable. Above the grid you see the jackpot displays: “MINI 25.00”, “MINOR 50.00”, “MAJOR 150.00”, and “GRAND 1000.00” (showing their current value in credits, equal to those 25×, 50×, 150×, 1000× bet multipliers). The spin button is large and orange on the right, and a small lightning icon below it toggles turbo spins. All in all, the layout reinforces the classic slot vibe while highlighting the big bonus features.
Royal Joker: Hold and Win follows the popular Hold & Win mechanic found in many modern slots. It’s very much in the same family as Playson’s own Royal Coins and Royal Coins 2 (Playson even calls Royal Joker the “rightful heir” to those titles). Like those games, it uses the standard 3×3 format with fixed lines and a bonus of respins and sticky symbols. For players familiar with Playson’s style (or games like Relax Gaming’s Money Train), the basic template is similar: you collect coin symbols, lock them, and respin for jackpots.
Where Royal Joker stands out is in its theme and extras. The Joker Wild with multipliers is a unique twist not in Royal Coins. Also, Royal Joker has the Pile of Gold mini-feature, whereas many older Hold & Win slots did not. By comparison, some other Hold & Win slots (like Playson’s Imperial Fruits: Hold and Win or 3 Pots Riches: Hold and Win) have different visuals or extra features, but Royal Joker keeps it relatively simple and focused. In short, if you’ve played other Playson fruit-themed slots or classic Hold&Win titles, Royal Joker will feel familiar yet fresh.
Overall the reception has been mixed but generally positive for what it is. Reviewers praise the game’s presentation and bonus mechanics. LCB noted that Royal Joker “features an enhanced version of the regular Hold and Win mechanic” with “a variety of opportunities” to reach its 20,000× top payout. GamesandCasino commended its “stunning audiovisuals” and strong payout potential, calling it “a great choice overall”. SlotGODS even highlights how the simple 3-reel setup can still deliver “thrilling moments” with respins and jackpots up to 20,000× the stake. In short, many experts feel it’s a fun, well-designed throwback slot that still offers big thrills.
On the other hand, some point out downsides. The RTP of 95.62% is on the lower side, so statistically the long-term return is modest. The 3×3 format means base-game wins are limited to 3-of-kind combinations (so base spins pay less often), which can feel repetitive when the bonus isn’t hit frequently. In user forums and comments, players who enjoy classic slots tend to like it, but more modern players sometimes wish for bonus buys or more features. Ratings on review sites hover in the mid-range (for example, AboutSlots gave it 6.5/10). But in general, feedback notes that Royal Joker delivers exactly what it promises: classic fruits, big jackpots and wild card multipliers – which will satisfy fans of that style.
Technically, Royal Joker is well-optimized. It’s built on HTML5, so it runs smoothly on desktop browsers and on mobile devices (iOS and Android) without any apps needed. LCB and other reviews list it as fully mobile-friendly. The graphics and animations are crisp on high-resolution phones and tablets, and the simple UI scales cleanly. In short, whether you play on a PC, iPad, or smartphone, the experience is essentially the same.
In terms of availability, Playson holds licenses in many regulated markets (including the UKGC), so you’ll find Royal Joker: Hold and Win at numerous online casinos worldwide. It is already featured on major casino platforms in Europe (for example, sites like Slingo and Tower.bet) and is often bundled into collections of Hold & Win slots. It has also shown up on social casino sites like McLuck (as a free demo). While Playson is not traditionally strong in the US real-money market due to regulations, fans in the USA can try similar games through sweepstakes casinos or play for free. Overall, the game is performing well in Europe and Asia, especially in markets that embrace fruit-machine themed slots.
Fans of Classic Slots: If you love the nostalgia of fruit symbols, vintage sounds and simple reel mechanics, this game is for you. It’s as close as you can get to a modern online fruit slot. LCB notes its “classic theme” of fruits and jokers, so it’s tailor-made for old-school slot enthusiasts.
Hold-and-Spin Enthusiasts: Players who already enjoy Hold & Win slots (especially Playson’s series like Royal Coins or Joker’s Coins) will appreciate this title. It takes that familiar coin-collecting respin action and adds a Joker twist. The familiar feature set will feel comfortable, yet fresh.
High-Volatility Thrill-Seekers: With big jackpot pays and wild multipliers, the game is built for those chasing big wins. It is indeed a jackpot slot – landing the Grand jackpot (1000×) can mean a huge payout. Just be ready for the swings; its high volatility means you have to endure some dry spells to get there.
Casual Players (with Caution): If you’re new to slots or prefer frequent small wins, Royal Joker might be too risky. Its RTP is under 96%, and wins mostly come from hitting the bonus round. Casual players should use low bets and treat it like a fun game-of-chance. Conversely, players on a budget can still enjoy it thanks to the €0.20 (or $0.10) minimum bet.
Slot Collectors and Playson Fans: Anyone collecting unique slots or specifically tracking Playsons’ catalog should check it out. Royal Joker stands out in Playson’s portfolio as a modern classic slot. It may not have free spins, but it packs more special features than many simple three-reel games.
In summary, Royal Joker: Hold and Win is a delightful blend of old-school charm and new-school features. It excels as a fruit slot by keeping the gameplay simple and intuitive, but it packs a punch with its bonus mechanics. The Joker Wild and multipliers give it extra excitement, and the four-tier jackpots add a true progressive flair. Its low RTP and high variance mean it’s not for everyone, but for the right audience – fans of 3×3 fruit machines, high-risk players aiming for big jackpots – it delivers exactly what they want. The graphics are polished and the theme is cheerful, making it an eye-catching game on any device.
Overall, we think Royal Joker: Hold and Win earns its Editor’s Choice nod for combining tried-and-true gameplay with thrilling big-win potential. If you’re ready to take a spin on this royal-themed slot, give the demo a try first (it’s free and easy) and experience its hold-and-respin magic. Then go ahead and play for real – who knows, you might just hit that Grand jackpot and feel like royalty!
Ready to play? Head over to any casino that hosts Playson slots and try the Royal Joker: Hold and Win demo. Good luck, and happy spinning!
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