Irish themed slot games usually come in 2 categories - first are the cartoon style slots filled with lazy Irish clichés. The other type conjures historic, mystical, poetic Ireland. Emerald Isle has a foot in both camps.
The visuals are more sophisticated than what's on offer in many similarly themed titles - set against a misty woodland backdrop, the deep green reels include Celtic-style playing cards, a 4-leaf clover, a pot of gold coins and a flame-haired beauty. Landing 5 of the latter on a single payline will get you 1,500 coins.
The obligatory leprechaun is the game's wild – a payout is guaranteed every time he appears. This can range from 2 coins if a single leprechaun lands. Hit a full 5 and the cashier will be ringing to the tune of 6,000 coins.
When the leprechaun lands on reels 1 and 5 on the same spin, you'll trigger the Bonus feature - pick from the treasure chests shown. Match 2 of the same amount and that's the prize you'll win. There’s up to 500 times your stake to be won!
Emerald Isle also comes with a Free Games feature which is triggered by landing 3 or more of the rainbow scatter anywhere on the reels. As well as being awarded a prize of 5, 10 or 100 times your total stake, you'll also receive 10 free spins. All winning combinations created during the free spins are subject to a 3x multiplier and trebled. You can re-trigger more free spins here too if you manage to land 3 or more rainbow scatters giving you 20 free spins potentially.
Emerald Isle is a very well-produced slot game - the imagery is stylishly done and the action plays out to a jaunty jig which certainly matches the theme. The features aren't especially innovative but do the job nicely. The pick em bonus is a tidy little extra but the best opportunities come via the free spins and trebling multiplier. On the variance scale, we found Emerald Isle to be in the medium range.
If you fancy a taste of mystical Ireland, then this trip to the Emerald Isle is one that's worth undertaking. I also recommend you try the iconic Rainbow Riches by Barcrest.