Pragmatic Play has had well-deserved success with their appealing grid slot Gems Bonanza, and it seems like a very fitting choice for a Christmas makeover. However, Santa’s Wonderland isn’t strictly a reskin job, which is unfortunate in this particular case. The mathematical model has been watered down significantly, and there are a few other downsides to consider as well.

We’ll walk you through it all in the review roundup, but it’s safe to say that cynics will prefer the original game to this Christmas release. However, if you have a thing for the holidays, Santa’s Wonderland might be worth the effort. It’s still a solid grid slot packed with fun moments, not least in the Thrill Ride bonus round, and it’s a bit odd that Pragmatic has taken the time and effort to make these adjustments instead of doing a simple reskin job .

Bonus features on Santa’s Wonderland slot

You need between 5 and 25+ matching symbols in a cluster anywhere on the grid to win, and the premium symbols pay out 150x to 500x your stake for 25+ in a cluster. The tumble feature ensures that all winning symbols are removed and new and/or existing symbols fall down to fill in the gaps. This process repeats itself as long as you win, and wilds cannot land organically on this game.

You get 5 different colored snowflake symbols under the regular symbols in random positions per spin. When winning symbols are removed to reveal a snowflake, it is loaded into the clock counter on the right. A corresponding modifier will then trigger when the current tumble sequence ends, and you can get up to 5 modifiers in trust this way:

• Blue Snowflake – Refresh – clears all symbols except wilds from the grid and triggers the tumble feature.
• Purple Snowflake – Wild Santa – all instances of a random symbol type convert to Santa Wilds.
• Yellow Snowflake – Blocks – awards random 2×2 blocks with matching symbols in random positions.
• Red Snowflake – Supersize – adds a randomly sized 3×3, 4×4 or 5×5 symbol to the grid.
• Green Snowflake – Lucky Santa – gives you 5 to 15 wild symbols randomly distributed across the grid.

The bonus round is called the Midnight Riches progressive feature, and you will find that all base game winning symbols will cause the clock on the right side to move towards midnight. You need 140 winning symbols collected in a single tumble sequence to trigger the Midnight Riches bonus round, and it will take you through all the modifiers in the same order as listed above.

You start with a x3 global multiplier on the first level of the feature, and collecting winning symbols is the path to leveling up. The 5 modifiers are guaranteed to be played per level, and here is a breakdown:

• 116 collected symbols award stage 2 with a x6 multiplier.
• 120 collected symbols award stage 3 with a x9 multiplier.
• 124 collected symbols awards level 4 with a x12 multiplier.
• 132 collected symbols awards level 5 with a x15 multiplier.

Players outside of the UK and anyone residing in an eligible jurisdiction can purchase the Midnight Riches Progressive feature through the in-game menu. This will reset you 100x your stake and you will be taken straight into the feature.

The 200 Spins Santa’s Wonderland Slot Experience

You can see some wins from the base game with modifiers before we buy the Midnight Riches Progressive feature around the 1 minute mark. It runs for the rest of the 2 minute highlights video and you can click the play button below to see how we fared for yourself.

Conclusion on the assessment

The Xmas skin fits the Gems Bonanza template like a glove, but Pragmatic Play made some weird decisions instead of releasing a Holidays-only reskin job. First off, the 7,500x potential is reduced from 10,000x, and the symbols are worth less too. You need to collect more winning symbols to trigger the bonus round (and level up) and the RTP range values have also been lowered a bit.

The Pragmatic team may need to take a lesson from Ebenezer Scrooge in Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, as that stinginess hardly matches the festive spirit. However, if you can overlook all of this, Santa’s Wonderland offers highly entertaining holiday games. Quick Spin option has been added to make the game even smoother, and it’s a delight to browse through all the modifiers when the Midnight Riches feature finally triggers.

Pros

Up to 5 modifiers in the trust system.
All 5 play per level in the 5 level bonus round
Bonus buy for 100x (not available in UK)
Wins up to 7,500x your bet

Cons

Gems Bonanza imitators with:
Lower potential, symbol values and RTP
Also look out for adjustable RTP ranges

Santa’s Wonderland Slot FAQs

What is the RTP of Santa’s Wonderland?

The highest return-to-player value of 96.23% is lower than in the original release, but still a bit above average. However, pay attention to the customizable RTP ranges .

How volatile is Santa’s Wonderland?

This is a very volatile release from Pragmatic Play, scoring 5 out of 5 on their own volatility scale.

What is the biggest possible profit?

You can win up to 7,500 times your bet in Santa’s Wonderland, while the original Gem Bonanza offers 10,000 times potential.

What is the difference between Santa’s Wonderland and Gem Bonanza?

In short, you get lower RTP range values, a significantly reduced potential as well as lower total symbol values and more collected winning symbols needed to trigger and enhance the feature. However, this Christmas version does have a Quick Spin option.

Is there a free spins mode in Santa’s Wonderland?

Yes, you need to collect 140 winning symbols in a single tumble sequence to trigger it, and the Midnight Riches Progressive feature plays through all 5 modifiers in succession. You can level up 4 times (by collecting winning symbols) to increase the global win multiplier from x3 to x15, and all 5 modifiers are played in each level.

Can I play Santa’s Wonderland slot for free?

Yes, you can try the Santa’s Wonderland free demo game at the very top of this page (UK players must confirm their age first).