Overview
Best Xmas is a Christmas slot from Endorphina, built on a compact 3x3 layout with 5 fixed paylines. I found it quite easy to settle into because the base setup is dead simple, but the real pull is the three coloured gift bags above the reels, each linked to a different bonus path. Fair enough, it looks festive and plays smoothly on mobile as well.
Runs at 96.05% RTP with high volatility, so it is more of a patient spin than a constant hit machine. One review put the hit frequency at just 7.1%, and that feels about right for the sort of game this is. I like the idea behind it, though the base game can drag a bit before the fun stuff lands.
Main symbols
Starts with the basics, crown Wilds are the key symbol and substitute for everything except gifts. They are also worth 50x the base bet if you land 3 on the screen, which is proper decent for such a small reel set. The top regular symbol is the seven, paying 30x for 3 of a kind, while bells give 20x for 3.
Gifts matter a lot here because they feed those coloured bags sitting above the reels. Reviews also mention special symbols tied to the bonus rounds, like Grand Star symbols in the pick feature, plus Gold Coins and a Collector in the Hold and Win part. So while the paytable is small, the slot still has a fair bit going on once the extras kick in.
Symbol Payouts
| 3 | x50 |
| 3 | x30 |
| 3 | x20 |
Core features
Brings three separate bonus games, and that is easily the best bit of the slot. The red bag can trigger Xmas Bonus Pick Me, where 18 gifts appear and hide either regular prizes up to 50x or Grand Star symbols. Find 3 grand stars and you get the 500x Grand Star Jackpot, which is not bad at all for a little 3x3 game.
Switches with the blue bag into Best Bonus Hold and Win. Here the reels turn into a 3x3 grid with Gold Coins, a Collector symbol and empty spaces. You can pick up regular prizes up to 15x total bet, plus MIN, MID, MAX and ULTRA jackpots, so this is the feature I would probably be waiting for most.
Adds a third route with the purple bag and HoHoHo Bonus Jackpot Collecting. That one uses candies labelled Pure, Divine, Sacred or Legendary, and you need at least five of a kind to unlock the reward. Another review says six or more Legendary candies can push wins beyond 1000x, and there is also a Risk Game that can multiply a win up to 10x if you fancy the gamble.
Bonus Buy Options
How the game plays
Feels like a relaxed Christmas slot on the surface, with ornaments, bells, stars, snowflakes and a cheerful tune in the background. I can see it working well for a casual session because the screen is clean and the rules are easy enough to get in a minute or two. It has that old-school small-grid look, just with a modern bonus-heavy twist.
Shows its high-volatility side pretty quickly, though. Because the hit frequency is low, you can go through a fair few spins without much to shout about, and not everyone will enjoy that. If you are after steady little returns, this one might test your patience a bit. If you are happy to wait for one of the bags to pop, it is more fun.
