Tropicool 4

Tropicool 4 Review

When it comes to creating memorable franchises, ELK Studios is in a league of its own. From the chaotic Nitropolis to the elegant Cygnus and the hilarious Pirots, this developer has a knack for crafting series that only get better with each new chapter. Tropicool, which first debuted back in 2021, is no exception. What began as a quirky tale of Tony Toucano and Fiona Flamingo escaping yearly migration to build a tropical paradise in the heart of Antarctica has over the years grown into one of ELK Studios’ most beloved franchises.

Each installment has brought fresh tricks and gameplay innovations. Tropicool 2 saw the birds relocate to a sunny beach where the sun actually shines, while also introducing a new character, Elmo the Sloth, to join the crew. Tropicool 3 turned up the heat even further, taking the trio to Egypt for an adventure among the pyramids. Now, with Tropicool 4 slot, the beloved birds return back to the beach for what ELK Studios calls a ‘Chillin’ Party’, now complete with a cool waterpark.

Bust out the speedos, snowboots, SPF50, and beanie, because you’re invited to the chilliest beach party ever! Bring your coolest party mode, this party will rock ’til the freezing hours! C ya soon – Elmo, Toucan & Flamingo.

Loading the game takes us to the familiar playing area consisting of two different parts. The main action takes place across a large 6x6 grid, where there are 46,656 win ways on each spin. Above is sitting the feature reel, called Cool Reel, up to 3 rows containing all kinds of special symbols, or blanks, which occasionally drop onto the main reel set. Anyway, more on that in the corresponding features section of our Tropicool 4 slot review, shortly.

Tropicool 4 Slot - Base Game

Now, the math. The volatility behind Tropicool 4 is in the high range, rated by the developers 8 out of 10, and the RTP clocks in at 94%. Not the most compelling combination indeed. However, the risk might be worth it, as far as the max win is an outstanding figure of 25,000x. Finally, bets range from as little as €0.2 up to as big as €100, though, that’s outside of all the numerous bonus bets and bonus buys available at your disposal here.

Tropicool 4 Features

Those of you familiar with ELK Studios’ content know the gameplay department is where these guys put their most effort into. The Tropicool 4 slot machine is packed to the brim with various extras, modifiers, and bonus features, providing plenty of action at any stage.

Avalanche & Cool Reel

The Cool Reel I mentioned before consists of either feature symbols, empty cells, or empty ice cubes, and it is tied to the Avalanche feature, or, as it is often called, the cascading mechanic. So, when a win is achieved, the participating symbols are removed from the grid. Then, the feature symbols from the Cool Reel drop down, and new symbols follow to fill out the gaps.

After an Avalanche, new symbols fill in the Cool Reel from the right, pushing the remaining symbols to the left. This process continues for as long as consecutive wins are achieved, basically no limits.

Tropicool 4 Slot - Gameplay Screen

Feature Symbols

There are different types of feature symbols available in Tropicool 4 game, each with its own perks and modifiers, producing bigger winning opportunities whenever they appear:

• Wild - substitutes for any regular symbol.
• Locked Wild - substitutes for any regular symbol but persists on the reels for up to 3 cascades.
• Mystery - all instances reveal the same random regular symbols or feature symbols at the end of the cascading sequence.
• Row Swap - replaces all symbols in its row with a matching pay symbol, selected randomly from those present on that row. If Flamingo is selected, all symbols are replaced with Wilds. In case two different Row Swap symbols replace one symbol, it will be turned into Wild. Elmo, Toucan, and Scatter symbols will revert back after a Row Swap.
• Grid Flip - flips the grid horizontally. Columns 1 and 6, 2 and 5, and 3 and 4 switch places. Executes at the end of the cascading sequence.
• Multiplier - adds either 1x, 2x, or 3x to the total multiplier value of that spin, applied to all winning combinations you achieve.

Big Symbols

During the gameplay, any symbol except Elmo, Flamingo, Toucan, Grid Flip, Multiplier, and Scatter can appear enlarged to 2x2 or 3x3. These symbols are worth the amount of single 1x1 symbols they cover. For instance, a 2x2 big symbol counts as 4 separate symbols, while a 3x3 symbol counts as 9.

A big feature symbol that drops down from the Cool Reel onto the main grid will crush and remove the pay symbols below and fall to the bottom. Note that feature symbols and other big symbols cannot be crushed and therefore act as somewhat of a stopper.

If an entire big symbol cannot drop down completely, it will split up into single 1x1 symbols, and those able to will drop down. Empty cells beneath a big symbol will fill up with symbols of the same type - the big symbol will replicate and unleash 1x1 symbols to close the gaps.

Character Features

In addition to all that, three character symbols also populate the reels of the Tropicool 4 online slot. They are Flamingo, Toucan, and Sloth, each with their unique function:

• Flamingo Wild - a walking Wild that appears 1x2 or 1x3 in size, moving rightwards and awarding free drops until it leaves the grid. Increases by one position in height with each step.
• Toucan Multiplier - a walking 1x3 symbol that moves rightwards and awards free drops until it leaves the reels completely. Increases the global multiplier by +1x for every step it makes.
• Elmo Drop - appears as an inactive 1x1 symbol and activates whenever space allows to grow to 1x2 or 1x3 in size. Once activated, removes all symbols except feature symbols and Scatters on the same rows it covers.

Bonus Game

Landing 3 or more Scatter symbols anywhere in view on any base spin awards access to the bonus round. Depending on the number of triggering symbols, you get the following number of free drops:

• 3 bonus symbols - award 6 free drops
• 4 bonus symbols - award 9 free drops
• 5 bonus symbols - award 12 free drops
• 6 bonus symbols - award 15 free drops

The Tropicool 4 free spins feature operates in a similar way to the base game, with no differences, except Locked Wilds remain on the reels between spins until fully used. Plus, the Cool Reel now features Extra Drop symbols, which can award +1, +2, or +3 free spins when they hit on the main grid. That’s it.

Tropicool 4 Slot - Bonus Game

X-iter

For players willing to skip the grid and speed up the action, X-iter offers to take a shot at the in-game features for a fixed price.

• Bonus Hunt - offers more than a triple chance to trigger the bonus game for 3x the bet per spin.
• Locked Wilds - triggers a spin with three guaranteed Locked Wilds for 25x the bet.
• Double Birds - triggers a spin with two guaranteed Bird symbols for 50x the bet.
• Bonus - awards instant access to the bonus game for 100x the bet.
• Super Bonus - triggers an enhanced version of the bonus game with Elmo Drop symbols guaranteed on each free drop for 500x the bet.

Theme & Graphics

Long story short, the exterior of the Tropicool 4 casino slot is simply stunning. The visuals are of a top-notch quality with an overall quirky tropical-meets-Arctic aesthetic. The animations are fluid, the sound design is immersive, and every detail of the graphics feels meticulously crafted and polished to perfection to deliver the best gaming experience. Kudos to the design team of ELK, outstanding job.

Pros And Cons Of Tropicool 4 Slot

Our Verdict

Well, what can I say? This game is an absolute delight! Combining outstanding design with a plethora of engaging features and plenty of opportunities for big wins, man, it’s something. There’s never a dull moment.

No matter if you are a fan of previous installments or just getting acquainted with the Tropicool series, this one is worth a try. Can’t really comprehend what ELK Studios comes up with next. These guys keep demonstrating there’s always room for evolution, and I will be eagerly waiting for another sequel.