The Japanese notion of bushido, or the “way of the warrior,” has appeared in numerous historical contexts and bears similarities to the European concept of chivalry. This synthesis of samurai thought, practice, code, and philosophy is characteristic of martial cultures. Although many people today may never have encountered a samurai in battle, the ideals of bushido nevertheless live on in the hearts of those who did. Modern Japanese culture still incorporates elements of bushido. Nolimit City’s Bushido Ways xNudge, a game centered on the principals of “honor, respect, tribute, glory, fear, and revenge,” allows players to release their inner warrior without having to join a combat club.
The stakes are high, and the action unfolds across a 5-reel, 4-row game grid that offers 1,024 possibilities to win. It should come as no surprise, however, that in Nolimit City, ways can expand by use of the Sliced Wild addition. The hazy scene of a battle’s aftermath next to the reels is reminiscent of NetEnt’s legendary Warlords: Crystals of Power slot machine. Although you’ll be transported to medieval Japan, you won’t feel quite as immersed as you would in a game like East Coast vs. West Coast. Not to knock Bushido, but the graphics are interesting, and the Eastern-inspired score creates a lot of tension.
You may challenge Japan’s best on any device that allows stakes of 20 p/c to £/€100. Bushido is another slot that Nolimit City has classified as very unpredictable, so be prepared. It’s hard to disagree with that ranking, considering how quickly things may escalate during play. The RTP can be either 96.01% or a less appealing 94.04%, therefore it’s important to double-check this number before getting started.
If you get three or more identical symbols in a row, starting on the leftmost reel, you will win coins and honor. There are a total of 8 pay symbols, including the 5 lower-value royals (the 10 through Aces) and the 3 warrior symbols. The warrior symbols can either span an entire reel or only a portion of it (1×4). Therefore, premium values are minimal when a single victory is only worth double the wager. Thankfully, there is a ton of content strewn across the game that adds value.
Features of the Bushido Slot Machine
Exciting moments in Bushido are provided mostly by two bonus rounds, with additional excitement coming from Wild Geishas, Sliced Wilds, and Oni Transformations. To begin, we have Wild Geishas, which are 4-row high wild symbols found exclusively on the middle reel. When they just show up in the corner of the screen, they get a push to fill the whole reel. With xNudge, a Wild Geisha’s nudges add one to a win multiplier. The wild Geishas can replace any icon except than the bonus.
Wild tiles appear on reels 2 through 5 and may substitute for any other symbols except the scatter. Wilds that appear on reels 3, 4, or 5 can split into 2, 3, or 4 more symbols, for a total possible number of paylines of 12,288. In both free-spins rounds, wilds will duplicate themselves until the very bottom, where they will then slice.
When stacked warrior symbols and scatter symbols appear at the same time, the Oni Transform bonus is activated. After that happens, all scatter symbols and low-value warrior symbols in view upgrade to the strongest warrior symbol.
When three scatter symbols appear anywhere on the reels, one of two variations of free spins is triggered: 8 Shogun Spins are given out, with an additional spin added for each additional scatter symbol. At the very least one wild will appear on reels 2, 3, 4, or 5 during Shogun Spins. Shogun Spins can be upgraded to Geisha Spins if the Wild Geisha appears. After a nudge, the player is given one additional turn.
Alternatively, 8 Geisha Spins are granted when 3 stray symbols appear alongside a Wild Geisha. Keep in mind that Geisha Wilds are sticky throughout the bonus, and their win multiplier increases by one for every nudge they make. Each bonus symbol awards an extra spin, and reels 2, 3, and 5 are assured to have at least one wild symbol appear on them.
In games where bonus buy options are present, players who are eager to get right to the action can purchase both free spin rounds outright. The price of a Shogun Spin is set at 70x the total investment, while a Geisha Spin significantly raises the stake to 700x.
Bushido xNudge: The Final Say in the Slot
You don’t need us to tell you that Nolimit City has scored a lot of runs, so naturally you have great hopes for their future projects. Let us also keep in mind that, for the purpose of fairness, not every release will be a game-changer. As such, Bushido, a slot inspired by games like Barbarian Fury and Warrior Graveyard, delivered the goods. Even while Bushido isn’t one of Nolimit City’s most ground-breaking slot machines, it still has the potential to provide some serious heart-pounding excitement thanks to its combination of xNudges, Sliced Wilds, and multipliers.
The aspects of the game appear suddenly and disappear again before you have time to process their arrival. Sliced Wilds and Oni Transformations are the primary examples here. Like the swift thrust of a sword, they often come and go without being seen. In most cases, Sliced Wilds were far more beneficial than Oni Transformations, in which a single wild would multiply into multiples and send a few cash your way.
The bonus games have a lot of untapped potential, but they didn’t thrill many people at first. One explanation is that unlike San Quentin, where adjectives pile up one after another, there is no such accumulation here. To sum up, features are either timely or they aren’t. While the sticky Geisha is a nice perk during Geisha Spins, you’ll need to rely on Sliced Wilds to help you out with the remainder of the game. However, 3,456x winnings on a single spin show that the unexpected is possible when given the chance. In that situation, the x4 Geisha and Sliced Wilds on Reel 4 went crazy, joining the green warrior symbols on Reels 1, 2, and 5. Bushido has a win cap of 30,000x the bet, which kicks in to end a round and activate Journey’s End, an extra feature similar to San Quentin’s Psycho Manhunt, when it is reached.
Despite not being one of Nolimit City’s main draws, Bushido is nonetheless a fun slot machine if you go into it with realistic expectations. If you’re stuck in a vicious loop of poor bonus buys, it may be really unpleasant. Seeing what Bushido is capable of, however, makes the idea of testing one’s mettle against it alluring.