Karak Forgeby GAMING1

Screenshots

High fantasy has been one of the most enduring trends in fiction. From the old greats like Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings to the new smash hits like Game of Thrones it seems audiences just can’t get enough for old cloaks and daggers.

Of course, a fixture of all good fantasy fiction is the various human-like races that inhabit the fantastical worlds. Everybody loves the beautiful and wise elves and the silly hobbits.

But this time it’s finally dwarves’ turn in the spotlight. The development company Gaming1 has dedicated an entire game to these short-statured but nevertheless industrious creatures and filled it with some of the most in-depth and engaging features ever seen in a slot title.

Theme

In all the dwarf lands there is one name on everyone’s lips – Karak Forge. It’s a magical place of great wealth that is revealed to those who are patient and smart enough to collect special cards and complete a hard quest with a great reward.

The game goes for a fantasy vibe, with an aesthetic similar to games like World of Warcraft and especially the popular Hearthstone card game from which this title borrows more than just looks.

The symbols are…

…intricate carvings of dwarf cameos that go from jade to bronze and represent the high paying items. The low paying positions are held by our old friends the card numbers rendered here as wood carvings.

Overall, the presentation is top-notch and resembles popular mobile games and premium fantasy-themed slots like Microgaming’s Lord of the Rings with its quality and artistic vision which is driven home by the very beautiful intro animation before the game begins.

Betting Options and Functions

The forge is a 5x3 grid with 20 active and fixed paylines. Punters can choose to stake as little as 10 cents all the way to a whole 100 euros. And that’s not the only thing high-rollers will love.

The game comes with a so-called “High Roller” option where the bet can exceed the maximum of 100 euros with the classic ad premium option multiplying the stake by x20 and x30 respectively. This mode also makes it easier to hit certain special features, to make it really worth the money.

Aside from this very unique function, the game also has autoplay and a turbo spin option.

Special Features

Where this game really shines is in its extensive and in-depth special features. Taking a page from the book of role-playing and collectible card games, Karak Forge gives players a persistent quest to work toward a very large prize at the end.

The backbone of the features is the Card Battle mode which is initiated by three bonus symbols landing on the reels.

When this starts players choose cards from their inventory and combine their effects for a bespoke extra spins experience.

These are more than 50 cards to collect and they offer a massive array of bonuses. From more extra spins to multipliers, to changing the value of a symbol, turning symbols wild, causing reels to become cascading and even allowing for wins to be achieved right to left in addition to the standard left to right.

The cards can even be combined for more special effects.

How are these cards collected?

Just like in any collectible card game, there are booster packs of various rarity. Boosters can appear in the base game and in the high roller mode (where they have higher odds of appearing) and will give out 5 cards of different kinds and rarity. These are then collected in the inventory to be used in Card Battle.

And finally…

…there is the Spin Quest. The quest requires the player to collect 800 gems to win the guaranteed reward. Special cards found in booster packs can give out gems (blue cards) or increase the prize (red cards). The quest is persistent throughout the game and is saved between sessions.

Our Take

Gamification has been a hot subject in igaming for quite some time and now we’re seeing slot titles really run wild with the concept. Karak Forge is one such game that borrows many aspects of video games and creates something unique and engaging.