The original Si Ling is a five-reel slot with 243 ways and a free-game feature built around player choice. Six or more Scatter symbols open the Si Ling feature, where the player selects a mode pairing a different number of free spins with a stacked symbol. The selected symbol then remains stacked across the reels during the round, so the choice changes the bonus’s shape rather than merely its duration. This is the original Si Ling, not the later Si Ling Megaways title, whose six-reel layout and higher Scatter threshold are separate mechanics.
Si Ling at a glance
| Provider | Skywind Group |
|---|---|
| Genre / theme | Asian |
| Game type | Video slot |
| Reels / grid | 5×3 |
| Reference RTP | 96.61% |
| Payout mechanic | 243 ways |
| Release date | 14 May 2017 |
| Main features | Six or more Scatters trigger a choice of free-game modes with a selected stacked symbol; a random three-spin Wild-stack mode may also appear; feature can retrigger. |
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.
A ways game with stacked symbols
The reviewed original uses five reels and 243 ways, not paylines. Matching symbols can form a win across adjacent reels beginning at the left; a fixed drawn line is not the structure described by the exact-title rules. Secondary sources report that symbols appear stacked, with four animal figures representing the game’s Chinese theme and lower card ranks completing the regular paytable. The evidence does not provide reliable symbol-by-symbol values in the pages checked, so the review focuses on how ways and the feature operate rather than reproducing an incomplete paytable.
A Wild symbol substitutes for ordinary paying symbols, while Scatters serve a separate role by opening the bonus. Since ways multiply available adjacent-reel combinations, stacked symbols can occupy multiple positions and create more possible combinations on a spin. That is a structural effect, not a guarantee of a win: each resulting combination still needs to meet the paytable’s matching requirements. The exact paytable should be consulted for whether a particular stack arrangement produces one or several counted awards, especially when several symbols appear in adjacent columns.
Six Scatters lead to a mode choice
Six or more Scatters anywhere on the reels trigger Si Ling. The player then chooses among free-game modes tied to a stacked animal symbol. Published rules list four standard selections: five spins with a Phoenix stack, six with a Kirin, nine with a Dragon, or eleven with a Turtle. A fifth, random super-choice can appear; it awards three free games with stacked Wilds. These pairings create a clear trade-off: fewer spins can come with a more valuable symbol, while a longer mode uses a different animal stack. The exact source also says the feature can retrigger during free games.
The selected symbol remains stacked across the reels throughout its free-game round. That alters the distribution of potential ways on each bonus spin, because repeated instances of the chosen symbol can occupy several positions at once. The bonus therefore combines two kinds of choice: first the player selects an available symbol-and-spin package, then each free spin evaluates the stacked layout through the underlying 243-way system. The evidence does not confirm an accumulating multiplier or a cash-collection meter, so neither should be added to the feature description.
Configuration and version boundaries
The exact original-title listings report a 96.61% RTP and five reels with 243 ways. Volatility is less settled: one exact-game listing calls it high, while another source’s FAQ labels variance low despite repeating high in its data table. That conflict is left unknown. A reported 100x maximum is also not relied upon because it is inconsistent with other catalog records and is not confirmed by the official page. Release-date listings give 14 May 2017; the official page for the original did not expose a date in the accessible summary, so the date remains a secondary catalog observation.
Strengths and weak points
Strengths
The bonus choice links free-spin length to a specific stacked symbol, so the player selects a different feature profile instead of receiving one uniform award.
Weaknesses
The shorter Phoenix mode means fewer free spins, and missing verified symbol values plus conflicting volatility and maximum listings leave important comparisons uncertain.
Our Editor’s View
Si Ling’s feature is more than a standard free-spin award because the player selects a spin count paired with a stacked symbol, and that choice changes the bonus grid’s potential ways. Six Scatters trigger the original title’s mode selection; the separate eight-Scatter tiers belong to Si Ling Megaways. I like the relationship between mode choice and the underlying 243-way format, though public sources disagree on volatility and the maximum figure. The 96.61% RTP is a listing reference, not a guarantee. This game suits players who enjoy choosing a bonus profile and can tolerate unresolved configuration statistics.
