CHINESE NEW YEAR builds its feature around a firecracker Scatter spread across all five reels. FA CHAI’s official description says that all-reel appearance unlocks up to 100 Free Games, with a listed maximum of 12,000x. SlotCatalog adds a reviewer-reported award of 13 spins, retriggers and multiplier boosts, but its RTP and release-date fields conflict with the provider’s exact listing. This review therefore relies on official figures for configuration, uses reviewer detail only where clearly attributed, and leaves disputed counts out of the factual claims. The game’s most defensible identity is a 243-way slot whose lion Wild stays active in both ordinary and bonus play.
CHINESE NEW YEAR at a glance
| Provider | FA CHAI Gaming |
|---|---|
| Genre / theme | Asian |
| Game type | Video slot |
| Reels / grid | 5×3 |
| Reference RTP | 96.25% |
| Volatility | Medium High |
| Payout mechanic | 243 ways |
| Maximum win | 12,000x the bet |
| Release date | 2 May 2020 |
| Main features | Firecracker Scatters on all five reels unlock Free Game, with up to 100 rounds; lion Wild substitutes in base and bonus play. |
RTP and stake limits can vary by version and market. Check the information screen in the game you open. Maximum win is a ceiling, not an expected result.
Ways and the lion Wild
SlotCatalog describes a 5×3 grid with 243 ways, with symbol sequences beginning on the first reel and extending across adjacent reels. The lion is the Wild and substitutes for other symbols to help create a combination. The reviewer says this substitution remains available during Free Spins, so the Wild does not disappear when the bonus begins. The official game page emphasizes Firecracker symbols on all five reels as the feature trigger, but does not describe separate reel-by-reel pays or an alternative Scatter threshold. This makes it important not to borrow rules from Chinese New Year 2, a distinct sequel with its own bonus-selection mechanics.
The game’s sequence is direct: ordinary symbols form a ways combination; Wilds can assist, and an all-reel Firecracker/Scatter arrangement opens Free Game. The provider’s introduction says the feature can reach 100 Free Games, although it does not publish the initial award or incremental retrigger table. SlotCatalog reports that five Scatters, at least one on each reel, produce 13 initial spins, with six or more adding multiplier options; it also says five Scatters during Free Spins can retrigger another 13. Because those numbers are not confirmed in the official page and this reviewer lists conflicting RTP and launch metadata, they should be checked in the live paytable rather than treated as universal configuration.
Bonus continuation and the practical trade-off
SlotCatalog’s account describes extra multipliers in the bonus and says a retrigger preserves the previous extra multiplier for the next Free Spins sequence. If accurate for the installed build, that creates a useful interaction: the feature can renew its spin count while carrying forward its multiplier context. The source reports that total Free Games can reach 100, consistent with the provider’s broad cap statement. The official page supports the all-five-reel condition and feature length ceiling, but not the finer award table. The article therefore does not invent exact multiplier values or claim that every retrigger improves the multiplier. A full-reel trigger is visually clear, but it may require a specific symbol distribution; there is no guarantee that near-misses become respins or bonus progress.
The 12,000x maximum is the provider’s overall ceiling, not the Free Game multiplier. It should not be read as the expected result of a long bonus. Likewise, 243 ways describe potential evaluated arrangements, not 243 guaranteed chances to win on every spin. The game offers a traditional layout and a familiar Wild, while its bonus depends on a more demanding all-reel Scatter pattern. That simplicity outside the feature can appeal to players who prefer an uncluttered screen, but the feature entry condition is the central limitation.
Official settings and conflicting secondary data
FA CHAI lists 96.25% RTP, Medium High volatility, 243 Ways, a 12,000x maximum and release date 2020-05-02. SlotCatalog reports different RTP and a 2022 release date, so the fact record retains the provider’s exact title page and does not substitute reviewer settings. RTP is theoretical over the long term and cannot predict a session; Medium High volatility is a broad label. Since the secondary description disagrees on configuration, confirm the operator’s paytable before relying on bonus counts or comparing versions. The strongest evidence-backed claims remain the all-reel Firecracker trigger, Free Game availability and provider-stated cap of up to 100 rounds.
Strengths and weak points
Strengths
The all-five-reel Firecracker trigger is visually explicit, and the lion Wild remains available in Free Game according to the reviewer, preserving a familiar substitution rule across modes.
Weaknesses
The provider omits the detailed initial award and retrigger table, while SlotCatalog conflicts with official RTP and release data; exact multiplier values should not be inferred from the headline cap.
Our Editor’s View
The reliable outline is compact: matching combinations use 243 ways, the lion Wild substitutes, and Firecracker Scatters appearing across all five reels unlock Free Game. FA CHAI states the feature may reach 100 games and lists a 12,000x maximum; the exact initial award and multiplier path remain less certain in the public record. SlotCatalog’s detailed counts are useful leads, but its configuration metadata conflicts with the official page. Read the installed paytable before relying on those figures. The core concept is easy to follow, while the full bonus math deserves verification.
