Cygnus 6

Cygnus 6 Review

ELK Studios' popular celestial series has come a long way since the original Cygnus from 2019, with each new installment improving the visuals and adding new tweaks, features, and mechanics. In Cygnus 6, you’re taken to the night-shrouded Andean citadel reminiscent of Machu Picchu, a mysterious setting that marries the ancient with the cosmic. The familiar pointed pillars once again frame the 6x4 game grid, but this time, the star constellations are not just for show.

You start by choosing your preferred bet level, ranging from €0.20 to €100 per spin. With 4,096 ways to win, winning combinations begin from the leftmost reel as long as you land matching symbols anywhere on at least 3 adjacent columns. The premium symbols pay between 0.3x and 5x your stake for 6 of a kind, while the lower-value gem symbols all pay 0.2x your stake for the same. Winning symbols explode, and a new row is added for each consecutive avalanche win until the grid is expanded to 6x8 and 262,144 ways to win.

Cygnus 6 Slot - Reels Screen

Star constellations behind the symbols are activated by winning symbols, and can trigger a Starlight symbol transformation feature. The star constellations cycle through 4 different levels, mapped on the pillar to the right. A star charger symbol can also activate star constellations, and the multiplier symbol increases the global win multiplier displayed on the pillar to the left. A brand new max win symbol can deliver the game’s win cap if it reaches the left pillar.

Once all stars in the constellation have been activated, you’re taken into the Cygnus Realm. This is a hold and win-style bonus game, where mystery symbols accumulate until they are revealed as the feature ends. There is also a free spins round with a non-resetting multiplier and grid expansion safety levels. Cygnus 6 is a high volatility slot game, scoring 8 out of 10 on ELK’s scale, and it offers an RTP of 94% and a max win of 50,000x your stake.

Cygnus 6 Features

There are plenty of features to cover, so take a deep breath before we dive in. We also recommend that you check the Cygnus 6 free play demo before or after reading about the features, as this will give you even more clarity about how everything comes together.

Avalanche Wins and Grid Expansion

Winning symbols are removed from the grid after paying their win, causing the remaining symbols to tumble down to fill the gaps. The grid then expands with an additional row, and all remaining empty positions are filled with new symbols. This Avalanche and grid expansion mechanic continues as long as you keep winning, with 8 rows and 262,144 ways to win being the upper limit.

Star Constellations

The Star Constellations are displayed on the pillar to the right, and you start each round with the 3-star butterfly constellation at the bottom of the pillar. This constellation is also present as inactive highlights behind the symbols, and it becomes activated when a winning symbol is in the same position as a star.

If a star has been part of a starlight feature, it becomes consumed. You move to the next constellation on the pillar when the starlight feature, Cygnus Realm, or bonus round has been triggered. Once you complete the 4th constellation at the top of the pillar, you start over again at the bottom.

Starlight Feature

Activating at least 2 of the stars in the current constellation triggers the Starlight Feature, transforming all symbols in at least one constellation line into matching symbols or wilds. This occurs at the end of the current avalanche sequence to prolong your winning streak, and once the Starlight Feature is over, the involved stars become consumed. This means you need to wait for the new star constellation to become active before you can trigger a new Starlight Feature.

Star Charger, Multiplier, and Max Win Symbols

The Star Charger triggers when it reaches the bottom of the grid, activating 1 to 3 stars in the star constellation before turning into a Wild symbol. When the first Multiplier symbol reaches the left pillar or the bottom of the grid, it activates the global win multiplier before turning into a wild symbol.

The global win multiplier starts at x2 and increases by +1 for each additional multiplier symbol that reaches the bottom or left pillar within the same avalanche sequence. The multiplier boosts all wins and resets at the start of each new round. When the Max Win symbol reaches the left pillar, you win the game’s max win. If the Max Win symbol reaches the bottom of columns 2 to 6, it’s redropped one column to the left at the top, but only once per avalanche sequence.

Cygnus Realm

The Cygnus Realm triggers if you manage to consume all stars in the current constellation, and it plays out on a 6x8 grid where only 3 symbols can land: blockers, mystery, and premium mystery symbols. The current multiplier is carried over, and you start with 3 spins in the counter.

Symbols in front of the star constellation stars are turned into mystery symbols, and mystery symbols are sticky. Blockers are removed on each spin, and premium mystery symbols reset the spin counter to 3 before turning into a regular mystery symbol. When you run out of spins, the mystery symbols turn into a randomly chosen matching pay symbol.

Bonus Round

The Bonus Round triggers when a bonus scatter symbol reaches the leftmost pillar, awarding 7 free spins with the current multiplier carried over. Each scatter that reaches the leftmost pillar during the bonus round awards +3 extra free spins, and you start at a “safety level” of 4 rows in height. Each new round drops symbols according to the current safety level, and each winning round adds +1 row to this safety level until you reach 8 rows in height. The global win multiplier does not reset between spins, as it does in the base game.

Cygnus 6 Slot - Free Spins

Cygnus 6 Bonus Buy (not UK)

The X-iter bonus and feature buy menu is available in certain regions, and it comes with the following options in the Cygnus 6 slot:

• The Bonus Hunt - pay 2.5x your stake to more than triple your bonus round chances.
• Mega Bonus Hunt - pay 5x your stake to increase your bonus round chances by more than 6 times.
• Cosmic Spins - pay 50x your stake to activate the pillar multiplier on a spin maxed out with 8 rows.
• Bonus Round - pay 100x your stake to get the bonus round with a guaranteed 9-star constellation if the Cygnus Realm triggers.
• Shooting Stars - pay 500x your stake to get a pillar multiplier of x2 to x10, and 1 to 4 star constellations placed as mystery symbols for the Cygnus Realm feature that then plays out.

Theme & Graphics

The Cygnus 6 slot game takes you back in time to the ancient Inca empire, set in a reimagined version of Machu Picchu. The impressive stone temples are on display in the background, illuminated by ceremonial fires under the starry night sky. Two towering stone pillars frame the transparent play area, with the gravity mechanic satisfyingly tumbling the symbols in place. The celestial soundtrack has a subtle tribal flair, matching the theme of this game.

Cygnus 6 Free Play

When you read about the features of this game, it will come across as rather complicated and hard to grasp. This is why we recommend that you test the free Cygnus 6 demo located at the top of this review page. Things fall into place rapidly once you gain some first-hand experience and see how the features play out in practice. Don’t forget to read our verdict of the game below, and feel free to tell us what you think in the comment field after your Cygnus 6 free play session.

Pros and Cons of Cygnus 6

Our Verdict

The Cygnus series stood out from the start as something special in the world of online slots, and ELK certainly knows how to create an atmosphere of mystery and intrigue. It’s hard to believe that we have already arrived at the 6th installment in this celestial series, and it’s impressive that ELK has managed to keep it going for so long without the series showing any signs of stagnation. Rather the opposite, actually, something Cygnus 6 is a strong testimony of.

Exploring the connection between ancient Mesoamerican civilizations and the stars is something you may be familiar with if you’ve watched the popular TV show Ancient Aliens, and fans of this show will probably enjoy the theme of Cygnus 6. The cosmic mystery takes center stage in all installments of this series, giving you a sense of being on sacred ground when you play. However, let’s not forget that it’s a slot game after all, and must be treated as such.

As you may expect, Cygnus 6 delivers a mix of familiar mechanics and brand new additions. The star constellations and starlight feature adds a sense of progression to the game, which some players like and others don’t. The good news is that the starlight feature can prolong your avalanche winning streaks, and lengthy sequences happened regularly during my test session. This doesn’t always lead to significant wins, of course, but it’s still enjoyable to watch.

The Cygnus Realm basically adds a whole new bonus round concept to the series, a sort of hold and win feature that all but guarantees a larger payout. Of course, results vary depending on what multiplier you get, if any, and what pay symbol is chosen when the mystery symbols are revealed in the end. The max win symbol adds another way to the stellar 50,000x win cap, while the more familiar free spins round takes a backseat this time. Cygnus 6 not only proves the versatility of ELK and this series, but it’s also one of the strongest installments thus far.