Quick Stats
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Provider | NetEnt |
| Game Type | Video Slot / Jackpot Slot |
| RTP | 96.88% total (approximately 6.3% funds the jackpot pool; base-game RTP is roughly 90.58%) |
| Volatility | Low |
| Reels / Rows | 5 × 3 |
| Paylines | 15 Fixed |
| Min Bet | NZ$0.15 per spin |
| Max Bet | NZ$30 per spin |
| Max Win | 1,500x stake (base game); jackpots are local progressives — size varies by casino |
| Features | Avalanche, Gong Wild (reels 2–4), Free Falls, Lucky Pond Bonus, Jackpot Game |
| Theme | East Asian Garden / Koi Pond |
| Release Date | 4 September 2019 |
| Platform | Desktop & Mobile |
What Is Imperial Riches?
Imperial Riches is a jackpot-linked Avalanche pokie — meaning symbols fall into position from above rather than spinning, and winning combinations trigger a cascade that can chain multiple wins from one paid spin. The game is set in a tranquil garden with lily pads, a koi pond, red paper lanterns and a pagoda backdrop. It’s visually calm and unhurried, which suits the low-volatility math model underneath it.
The reason most players come to Imperial Riches is the jackpot chain. To reach the Jackpot Game, you must first trigger the Free Falls feature via scatter symbols, then collect enough jewels during those free falls to enter the Lucky Pond bonus game, then have the Bonus Fish eat three of your jewels to grant access to the Jackpot round. That’s three gates to pass through on a single bonus chain. The progressive jackpots are local to the casino where you play — not pooled across all casinos — so their size varies depending on how recently each has been won at your specific operator.
Imperial Riches suits players who want low-variance base-game play with an accessible minimum stake, a well-designed sequential bonus structure, and a shot at a jackpot that, at the right casino, can be substantial. It’s not for players chasing high base-game win potential — the 1,500x ceiling and ~90.58% non-jackpot RTP reflect a game designed to deliver the value through its jackpot system, not its regular payouts. Play a free demo to understand the jewel-collection mechanic before committing real money.
RTP and Volatility
The headline RTP is 96.88%, which sits above the industry average of 96%. That number needs context before you treat it as a straightforward advantage: approximately 6.3% of every bet goes into the jackpot pool. That means the portion of the game outside the jackpot structure returns roughly 90.58% to players — a figure well below average for a standard slot.
The practical implication: if you never trigger a jackpot across your sessions, your real return is closer to 90.58% than to 96.88%. The full RTP figure is only realised across the entire player population, including the rare wins of the Mega, Major and Midi progressive jackpots. For NZ players spinning at moderate stakes without hitting a jackpot, the session economics lean.
Low volatility means wins arrive frequently and at modest size. The Avalanche mechanic adds extra momentum — a chain of consecutive wins from one spin keeps things moving. The hit frequency is reported at approximately 41% per base-game Avalanche round. You won’t grind through long dead spells, but you also won’t see sudden large payouts outside the jackpot game.
At NZ$0.15 per spin across 500 spins — a NZ$75 total spend — your theoretical return at 90.58% non-jackpot RTP is around NZ$68. Set expectations accordingly. The jackpot is the upside case, not a supplement to consistently good base-game returns.
Betting Range
The minimum bet is NZ$0.15 per spin and the maximum is NZ$30. You set the bet using two controls — Level (1–10) and Coin Value (NZ$0.01–NZ$0.20) — which combine across 15 fixed paylines to produce your total stake per spin.
NetEnt states that your chances of winning a progressive jackpot increase with a higher bet. The mechanism isn’t published in detail, but it’s consistent with how most progressive jackpot structures work — a proportionally larger share of higher-bet spins is directed toward the jackpot pool, giving higher-stakes players a marginally better shot at the top prizes.
Autoplay is available for up to 500 spins. Advanced settings let you set a stop-on-win or loss-limit threshold, which is worth configuring before you leave the game running unattended.
For a NZ$20 session, NZ$0.15 per spin gives you around 133 spins. That’s a comfortable run to experience the base game and realistically expect the Free Falls to trigger at least once or twice. Starting at the minimum makes sense on a first session.
How to Play Imperial Riches — Step by Step
- Open the game and tap the “i” button below the reels to review the full paytable — check symbol values at your chosen bet level and confirm how the Avalanche chain and jewel collection work.
- Set your Level and Coin Value using the controls at the bottom. Your total bet per spin is displayed before you spin.
- Hit Spin. Symbols fall into the 5×3 grid from above. Three or more matching symbols on a payline from left to right produce a win. Only the highest combination per line is counted.
- When a win lands, those symbols light up and disappear — the Avalanche begins. New symbols fall in from above, and the process repeats as long as new winning combinations keep forming. Each Avalanche costs nothing extra.
- Watch for the Gong Wild, which appears on reels 2, 3, and 4 only. It substitutes for all symbols except the scatter lantern, and can appear in Avalanche drops as well as on the initial spin.
- When three or more red lantern scatter symbols land anywhere on the grid, the Free Falls feature triggers. Three scatters award 10 free falls; each additional scatter adds 5 more, up to a maximum of 40 free falls from 9 scatters. During free falls, every symbol in a winning combination is counted as a jewel and tracked on-screen.
- When Free Falls ends, the Lucky Pond bonus game activates automatically — your jewels fall into a pond where a Coin Fish and a Bonus Fish compete for them. Coin Fish eating a jewel gives you a small cash prize. Bonus Fish eating three jewels unlocks the Jackpot Game.
- In the Jackpot Game, 50 jewels drop into a larger pond with one Coin Fish and five Jackpot Fish. Each Jackpot Fish corresponds to one of the five jackpots. When the same Jackpot Fish eats three jewels, you win that jackpot. Only one jackpot can be won per game.
Try this: Play 30 spins at NZ$0.15 to observe the Avalanche chains — watch how often consecutive wins stack from a single paid spin. The whole trial costs NZ$4.50 and gives you a clear feel for the game’s base rhythm before scaling up.
Symbols and Paytable
Imperial Riches has a clean symbol set built around its East Asian theme. The high-paying symbols are the golden koi fish, gold ingots, gold coins, and bamboo — all rendered with a warm, painterly glow. The golden koi fish is the top regular symbol: five on a payline pays 100x your total stake. The ingots and coins sit in the mid-tier, while bamboo and the card-rank symbols (A, K, Q) make up the low end. Card-rank symbols are styled in an Asian-inspired font rather than generic poker designs, which at least maintains thematic consistency.
The Gong Wild appears on reels 2, 3, and 4. It substitutes for all symbols except the red lantern scatter and contributes to wins on any of the 15 paylines it lands on. Five Gong Wilds on a line pay 1,500 coins — this is the source of the game’s headline 1,500x base-game ceiling.
The red paper lantern is the scatter. It appears on all five reels and triggers the Free Falls feature when three or more land in the same spin. Scatters are not removed during Avalanche sequences — they stay in position and do not count as jewels during free falls.
Specific multiplier values for the mid-tier symbols (ingots, coins, bamboo) are best checked in the in-game paytable at your chosen coin denomination, as they scale with bet level rather than using a fixed multiplier structure.
Bonus Features
Avalanche
Active throughout the base game and during Free Falls. When a winning combination lands, those symbols vanish and new ones drop in from above — potentially forming new wins, which trigger another Avalanche, continuing until no new winning combinations form. A long Avalanche chain from a single paid spin can produce several consecutive wins, each awarding their full line payout. There are no escalating multipliers attached to the Avalanche in this game — unlike Gonzo’s Quest, each drop pays at the same rate regardless of chain length.
Gong Wild
The golden gong substitutes for all symbols except the red lantern scatter. It lands only on the middle three reels (2, 3, and 4). During Avalanche sequences, the Gong can appear as a replacement symbol, giving it the potential to improve multiple consecutive drops within the same spin chain. Its maximum contribution — five of a kind on a payline — pays 1,500 coins, which at NZ$0.15 per spin equals NZ$225.
Free Falls
Triggered by landing three or more red lantern scatter symbols anywhere on the grid in a single spin. Three scatters activate 10 free falls; each additional scatter beyond three adds another 5 free falls, up to a maximum of 40 free falls from nine scatters. The Avalanche mechanic remains active throughout free falls — wins stack normally within each free fall.
The purpose of free falls is jewel collection. Every symbol that participates in a winning combination during free falls is counted as a jewel, tracked in a counter on-screen. There are no additional multipliers or special mechanics during free falls — the payouts are the same as in the base game. The jewels accumulated here are your currency for the next stage.
Lucky Pond Bonus Game
Activates automatically at the end of free falls, provided you collected at least one jewel. Your accumulated jewels drop into a tranquil pond where two fish compete for them. The Coin Fish awards a small cash prize for each jewel it eats. The Bonus Fish is the gate to the jackpot: when it eats three jewels, you proceed to the Jackpot Game. If the Coin Fish consumes all your jewels before the Bonus Fish reaches three, the bonus round ends without jackpot access and you return to the base game with your coin prizes.
This is the most consequential stage in the bonus chain — and it’s entirely random. The proportion of jewels eaten by each fish determines whether you reach the jackpot. There’s no interaction or decision-making involved.
Jackpot Game
Accessed only if the Bonus Fish ate three jewels in the Lucky Pond. The game shifts to a larger pond with one Coin Fish and five Jackpot Fish, each corresponding to one of the five jackpots. 50 jewels drop into the pond. Coin Fish eating a jewel pays 1.33x or 2.66x your stake. Each Jackpot Fish has an indicator that fills with every jewel it eats — when the same Jackpot Fish eats three jewels, you win its associated jackpot. Only one jackpot can be won per Jackpot Game.
The five jackpots are:
- Rapid Jackpot — fixed at approximately NZ$100
- Mini Jackpot — fixed at approximately NZ$500
- Midi Jackpot — progressive (local to your casino)
- Major Jackpot — progressive (local to your casino)
- Mega Jackpot — progressive (local to your casino)
The three progressive jackpots are not pooled across all casinos — they build and reset independently at each operator. A Mega Jackpot at a casino where it was recently won may be a few thousand NZ dollars; at a casino where it hasn’t triggered for months, it could be considerably larger. It’s worth checking the current jackpot values at your casino before playing if the jackpot is your primary motivation.
Is Imperial Riches Worth Playing?
Pros:
- The three-stage bonus chain — Free Falls → Lucky Pond → Jackpot Game — is well-designed and engaging; each stage flows naturally into the next
- Low volatility and a 41% Avalanche hit rate mean the base game stays active; you won’t grind through extended dead spells
- NZ$0.15 minimum bet is among the most accessible entry points available in a jackpot slot
- The Avalanche mechanic generates multi-win sequences from a single spin without any added cost, adding genuine value to every spin that connects
- NetEnt’s visual production is excellent — the koi pond, animated jewels, and fish sequences are among the better-crafted bonus presentations in the jackpot slot category
Cons:
- The 96.88% headline RTP is misleading on its own: approximately 6.3% funds the jackpot pool, meaning the base game portion returns roughly 90.58% — well below average for a non-jackpot slot
- Reaching the Jackpot Game requires three sequential conditions to align: trigger Free Falls, collect enough jewels, then have the Bonus Fish eat three jewels — the jackpot is genuinely rare
- The base-game maximum win of 1,500x is modest; outside the jackpot, the ceiling is low compared to non-jackpot pokies at similar stakes
- The progressive jackpots are local, not network-wide — jackpot sizes vary considerably between casinos and won’t reach the headline figures that Mega Moolah or similar network progressives achieve
- Free Falls payouts are identical to base game payouts — there’s no multiplier boost or enhanced mechanic to lift the free spins experience above ordinary base-game spinning
Imperial Riches is a well-executed low-volatility jackpot pokie best suited to NZ players who want a gentle session pace and a shot at a progressive prize without needing to stake big. The bonus chain is genuinely fun to navigate and the visual design is first-rate. Go in with clear eyes about the economics: the full RTP is almost entirely explained by jackpot contribution, and most sessions will return closer to 90.58%. If the jackpot is your goal, check the current progressive values at your casino before playing and compare them across operators — since each casino’s jackpots build and reset independently, shopping around for a high Mega Jackpot value is the only lever available to you.
Responsible Gambling
Imperial Riches uses a certified random number generator (RNG). Every spin outcome — including Avalanche results, jewel allocation in the Lucky Pond, and jackpot outcomes — is determined independently and cannot be predicted or influenced. Set a firm budget before playing, particularly given the base-game RTP structure. If gambling stops being enjoyable, responsible gambling support services are available in your region.