Hula Balua Slot

Item: Hula Balua
Rating: 4.2
Author: Nosa

4.2/5

Facts Checked

Published Date · Feb. 22, 2024

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How to play
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Hula Balua Slot Review

Hula Balua Slot Overview

Hula Balua sees Elmo the sloth set free from his icy prison and allowed to roam the beautiful Hawaiian jungle. We say roam, but a slow trot back to his comfortable home would be more apt, but then what do you expect from a sloth? The action on the reels is far more energetic than lethargic Elmo, in a game featuring Giant Multiplier symbols, Avalanche Wins, re-spins, and an excellent Free Spins Bonus. Hit the right fruity combination in this one, and you may be strolling back home with a 25,000x max win!

Hula Balua Slot Details
Paylines	Pays Anywhere
RTP	94%
Volatility	Med-High
Jackpot	x
Minimum Bet	$0.2
Maximum Bet	$100
Maximum Win	25000 x
Software Provider	ELK Studios
Themes	Fruit
Design and Layout	6 Reel Slots
Features	Bonus Round, Free Spins

Visually, sonically, and from a gameplay perspective, this is a great release. A feast for the eyes and ears, the two random Re-drop features combine to create an extremely well-balanced game for a slot of this volatility setting. The two bonus rounds then provide a fruity, multiplier-infused explosion, with the presence of Sticky Re-drops and re-triggers creating the feeling that rich rewards lie just around the corner. If only it weren’t for that poor RTP… Nevertheless, we imagine most players will have a whale of a time with this one.

4.2/5

Pros

Big Max Win

Re-Triggering Free Spins Bonus

Merging Symbols With Multipliers

Cons

Below Average RTP

How To Play Hula Balua Slot

hula balua winning combination — Winning combination

Min Bet	Max Bet	Max Win (x stake)
0.20	100	25,000x

Hula Balua Basic Rules

Hula Balua drops into action on a vibrant 6x6 game grid
The slot uses a Pay Anywhere system
Land eight or more matching symbols anywhere on the grid to pick up a payout

Hula Balua Slot Paytable & Symbols

Here's a guide to all the symbols and payouts you'll find in Hula Balua:

Name	8 Symbols	9 Symbols	10 Symbols	11 Symbols	12 Symbols	13 Symbols	14 Symbols	15 Symbols	16 Symbols	17 Symbols	18 Symbols	19 Symbols	20 Symbols
Green Berry	0.1x	0.15x	0.2x	0.3x	0.4x	0.5x	0.6x	1x	1x	1x	1x	1x	5x
Yellow Berry	0.1x	0.15x	0.2x	0.3x	0.4x	0.5x	0.6x	1x	1x	1x	1x	1x	5x
Pink Berry	0.1x	0.15x	0.2x	0.3x	0.4x	0.5x	0.6x	1x	1x	1x	1x	1x	5x
Kiwi	0.2x	0.3x	0.4x	0.5x	0.6x	0.7x	0.8x	2x	2x	2x	2x	2x	10x
Mango	0.3x	0.4x	0.5x	0.6x	0.7x	0.8x	1x	3x	3x	3x	3x	3x	15x
Grapefruit	0.5x	0.75x	1x	1.25x	1.5x	1.75x	2x	5x	5x	5x	5x	5x	25x
Starfruit	1x	1.5x	2x	3x	5x	7.5x	10x	25x	25x	25x	25x	25x	200x

Hula Balua Slot Features

“W” Wilds

May appear on any reel and substitute for all standard symbols to help create winning combinations.

Avalanche Wins

Following any win, all symbols involved will pop out of existence and be replaced by new symbols falling from above. This process continues for every winning drop, creating the possibility of exciting chain reaction wins.

Merging Symbols

Any matching symbols which land in a square or rectangle will merge to become a Big Multiplier symbol. The multiplier will equal the number of grid positions the big symbol covers. This multiplier will apply to the winning total when involved in a winning drop before moving to the Global Multiplier to the left of the reels.

This Global Multiplier will apply to all subsequent avalanche wins before resetting to zero when the sequence ends. Whenever big symbols are created or land of their own accord, all empty spaces below them will transform into matching symbols.

Elmo Wild Re-Drops

Look out for Elmo dropping amongst the fruity symbols. Whenever this happens, Elmo will fall to the bottom of the reels and award a re-drop with a random number of Wilds added to the reels. Elmo will then move one reel to the left, and the process repeats. All added Wilds remain sticky until they are involved in a win, or Elmo moves off the first reel and heads back home.

Sticky Re-Drops

Whenever a Purple Potion Bottle lands, this feature will kick into gear. The Potion Bottle will select a symbol to become the Sticky Symbol for the re-drops. All existing instances of the symbol will remain locked in place, as will any new occurrences, Wilds, or Scatters that land. The selected Sticky Symbol may be randomly upgraded and re-drops continue until no new Sticky Symbols land. At this point, the total win is calculated and sent sauntering towards your balance.

Hula Balua Slot Bonus Features

hula balua free spins unlocked — Free spins unlocked

hula balua super free spins — Super Free Spins

Free Spins Bonus

Land three, four, five, or six Mask Scatters anywhere on the reels, and you will take a cheery detour into the Free Spins Bonus, clutching six, eight, 10, or 12 free spins. Landing two to six Scatters during the round will see your tally topped up by between four and 12 spins.

Free Spins take place on the same grid as the base game, but the Global Multiplier will not reset between spins – leading to potentially rapidly escalating wins!

Super Free Spins

If two Scatters are vertically connected when triggering the bonus round, you will win the Super Bonus Round. Here every free spin comes with a guaranteed big symbol.

X-iter Bonus Buy Options

Bonus Hunt: Costs 3x the total bet and increases your chances of triggering free spins.
Big Symbol: Costs 10x the total bet and guarantees a spin with a Big Symbol.
Sticky Redrops: Costs 25x the total bet and triggers the Sticky Re-drops.
Bonus Round: Costs 100x the total bet and awards a random three, four, five or six Scatter Free Spins Bonus.
Super Bonus Round: Costs 500x the total bet and awards a random three, four, five, or six Scatter Super Bonus Rounds.

Note that the above options are only available in eligible jurisdictions – which doesn’t include the UK.

Our Verdict It can be disappointing to see those Global Multipliers go up in smoke in the base game, but thankfully, the riveting bonus round removes that problem. Combine an escalating multiplier with the Sticky Re-drop feature, and you may be well on your way to a spectacular payout!

Play Hula Balua Demo for Free

Take the opportunity to try out the Hula Balua slot demo for free first without staking real money. Treat online slot demos like your showcase of special features, offering a unique gaming experience in free play which you won’t find in real money gaming. Slot demos give you the chance to learn the slot's rules and mechanics in a risk-free environment, giving yourself the best possible chance of making money when the time comes.

Hula Balua Slot RTP & Volatility

RTP	Variable RTP	Volatility
94%	No	Medium

The fixed return to player (RTP) percentage of 94% is a couple of percentage points below the industry average RTP of 96%.

Elmo doesn’t look like much gets him overly excited, but the medium to high volatility rating may raise a hair or two on your head. Games in this category feature their fair share of ups and downs but offer a solid chance of hitting a big win in a short session.

Our Verdict ELK Studios were hitting the ball out of the park so far in this review. Alas, there is a negative, and it comes in the shape of the subpar RTP. 94% is disappointing, no matter how good the slot is. Visually, Hula Balua would suggest a relaxed, light gaming experience. Don’t be fooled. You can expect something of a rollercoaster ride in this one, but that is more than compensated for by the excellent win potential.

Hula Balua Slot Graphics & Audio

Graphics

ELK Studios releases are invariably stunning on the eye, and Hula Balua is no exception. The beautifully illustrated jungle setting suits Elmo down to the ground, and the slots star himself is delightfully animated when lounging into view. Bright and breezy is the order of the day with the fruity game symbols, which all jump and pop with glee when involved in a win.

hula balua wild symbol win — Wild symbol in action

hula balua free spin winnings — Free spin winnings

Audio

Elmo is not alone by the side of his waterfall. It seems that he has rather a large number of birds for company. The chirrups, wails, and caw-caws of the avian locals dominate the soundtrack, with a tropical backing of bongos, panpipes and bass. All of which combine wonderfully to draw you into the jungle vibe.

Our Verdict Top marks all around for the production values on display. That’s no surprise for a game from this studio, but it’s hard not to be drawn in by Elmo’s charm and the Calypso beats which accompany the features.

Hula Balua Slot on Mobile

Whether good old Elmo receives much of a signal in his jungle hideaway is unknown, but ELK Studios has ensured that mobile slot fans can enjoy the delights of this game. The slot is fully compatible with Android, iOS and Windows-powered small-screen devices.