Gemhalla Slot Review
One of the newest slots to hit the shelves is Gemhalla, which lets you channel the power of a Nordic god while spinning six reels with five rows of icons. This is no ordinary online slot; matching icons can land anywhere—even stacked on a reel—and still trigger otherworldly payouts. With every spin, 30 game icons will land before your eyes.
As soon as you launch a session, you’ll see Thor, the Nordic god of thunder, lightning, sacred groves and trees, standing beside the reels. Thor is traditionally depicted with a hammer in hand, and that’s just what you’ll find in Gemhalla. The reels are situated on a big oak tree, which fits well with the theme, since according to Norse mythology, oak trees and Thor had a sacred connection.
In this Gemhalla slot review at Bodog Casino, we’ll explain the game’s design and features, including the curious “Buy Bonus” button that serves as a fast-track to free rounds. Take it for a spin with zero risk to your bankroll using the Practice Play mode. If you like it, switch to Real Play to stake real money and win real payouts.
Gameplay & Design
As you may be able to tell by the name, Gemhalla has a fascinating Norse mythology theme that pays homage to the spiritual world of Valhalla. Thor stands to the right of the reels, wearing a warrior’s helmet, a flowing cape and yielding the hammer that has long been associated with the mythical figure. In the game, he often channels his powers into transforming regular game icons into special multiplier symbols.
The game’s six-reel and five-row format suits its powerful theme. Game icons include battle axes, helmets, conches, overflowing beer steins and an assortment of gems with symbols carved on them. Payouts are based on the number of symbols that land on the reels. There are no paylines in the game, so the matching icons are not required to line up on consecutive reels as is the case with most other slots. As long as eight or more matches land anywhere, you trigger the payout.
Gemhalla has a maximum payout of X5000 and a generous Return to Player (RTP) of 97.17%. You won’t find RTPs this high with most other slot games, so this game presents great value.
Key Features
Scatters
Watch for the Viking Longships when you play Gemhalla. These scatter symbols help in two ways, but you must land at least four. First, they award an instant payout according to their paytable, and secondly, they trigger the game’s free spins round, which we’ll explain in a moment.
Multiplier
Four unique battle shield symbols spin around the reels and each offers a unique range of multipliers. The wooden shield has a 2X to 5X multiplier range; the green shield has a 6X to 30X multiplier range; the purple shield has a 31X to 100X multiplier range; and lastly, the striped shield has a 101X to 500X multiplier range.
The multiplier is available in the base game and free spins; however it acts differently in each scenario. In the base game, if more than one is part of a winning spin, they’re added together and the sum is applied to the payout. In free spins mode, multipliers that land on the same winning spin are added together and accumulated. The multipliers from the following rounds are then also added to the tally and the total is applied to the win, creating a cumulative effect.
Refilling Reels
After pocketing a payout from a winning spin, watch the winning symbols disappear, making way for the icons above to fall into the vacant spots. This is a free feature that creates an opportunity to snag another payout without having to stake anything.
Buy Bonus
Anyone keen to force start the bonus round can buy their way in with the “Buy Bonus” button. For 100X your total bet, you’ll see four scatters land automatically, and the banner “Congratulations! You’ve won 15 Free Spins” appear on screen. Money well spent.
Chance x2
As an alternative to buying the bonus straight up, you can simply improve your odds of landing it the regular way through the “Chance x2” button. This feature increases your total bet by 25%, which increases your probability of landing four scatters on the reels.
Bonus Rounds
Free Spins
Gemhalla has one bonus round which is a free spins session. This is triggered by landing at least four scatter symbols (Longships) anywhere on the reels. Collect an instant win from the scatters before making your way to the free spins round; the music’s tempo will pick up and you’ll see the Nordic god begin to levitate in anticipation of what’s to come.
The free spins session moves faster than the base game. Thor channels his power into the reels by unleashing lightning bolts that turn regular icons into multipliers. These multipliers accumulate throughout free spins and are added together for mega multiplier power. See if you can trigger more free spins by landing another four scatters before the session runs out.
Casino Crypto Play
The best way to play Gemhalla—and any game in our casino—is by depositing with cryptocurrency. Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Bitcoin SV, Litecoin, Ethereum and USD Tether are all accepted here for deposits and withdrawals; the best thing about them is that they speed up transactions considerably.
There are also special promotions that are exclusively available to crypto players. Anyone who is depositing with crypto for the first time is eligible for our generous 150% match bonus that can get you up to $900 in bonus cash. It’s the perfect reason to switch to crypto, especially if you plan to play online slots—the fastest casino game for working through rollover requirements. To learn more about the steps needed to transition to cryptocurrency, check out our comprehensive step-by-step video guide. There’s never been a better time to make the change.
JOIN BODOG TODAY!
Bodog Casino is home to an array of titles from the likes of Elvis Frog in Vegas and Pride Fight to Book of Cats Megaways and Legendary Beasts for you animal lovers.