The set up in Astro Cat isn't what you'll find in most games - there are a pair of 3 row reels on the left and right as you might normally expect. Sandwiched in between is the Reelfecta which comprises of 4 reels and 4 rows. Each of the 16 symbols in the Reelfecta can only be used once in a winning combination - in effect, it's a giant reel that contains 16 symbols. Winning combinations are formed when the same symbol lands on adjacent reels and there are 1,296 possibilities.
Visually, Astro Cast is a mash up of the old and new - set against a riverside backdrop, complete with Chinese junks bobbing on the waves, the reels include A to 9 playing cards (but no 10 for some reason), fans, money trees, fish frogs and dragons. They're joined by a modern, anime style cat which is the game's wild and appears on reels 3 and 4 only.
Appearing on the outer edges of the Reelfecta, the firework is the bonus. Land 9 or more of these and you'll trigger the Free Spins feature.
The Reelfecta is central to the action here - starting in the top left hand corner position, a +1 Wild Cat or a poison symbol will land. A +1 does exactly what you'd expect, adding 1 free spin to your total. It's possible to bag 12 free spins here and fill all 12 outer symbols with wild cats.
In that happy circumstance, the 4 inner symbols will become wild cats too. To cap things off, you'll be awarded a single Mega Spin with all your accumulated wilds in place. If you land a poison, you'll pocket a 2x payout and the feature ends. The poison is guaranteed not to hit on the first 3 free spins.
That all sounds a little complicated but becomes clear soon enough - a few spins in demo mode are recommended to get your eye in using the unusual set up.
Astro Cat is certainly a break from the slots norm - both the design and gameplay are unusual. A little strange it may be but Astro Cat offers some decent winning potential, especially if you fill the Reelfecta with wilds. Manage that and get lucky with the Mega Spin and this unusual Asian hybrid can deliver some memorable and entertaining action. If cats are your thing, Quickspin’s Razortooth is superb.