Playing African Quest - First Impressions
Sitting down with African Quest, I immediately noticed the 5x4 reel setup which offers 1,024 ways to win rather than traditional paylines. Developed by Triple Edge Studios for Microgaming, the game takes you straight to the savanna. While the graphics feel slightly dated for a 2025 review-it was originally released in 2020-the atmosphere is still engaging. I enjoyed the simple yet effective backdrop featuring silhouetted trees and animated birds, accompanied by the rhythmic beating of drums and the occasional lion roar when you land a win.
The controls are incredibly straightforward, with a betting range starting at just £0.10. However, I found the maximum bet capped at £15, which might be a bit low if you are a high roller used to splashing more cash per spin. The interface is clean, allowing you to easily adjust your stake or toggle the quick spin function, which I found useful given the high volatility nature of the gameplay where dead spins can occur frequently.
Paytable and Symbols
The paytable is dominated by animals you would expect on a safari. The Lion is the king here, paying 7.5x your stake for five of a kind, and it is the only symbol that pays out for just two on a line. The Lion also appears stacked, which creates some brilliant opportunities for winning combinations across the 1,024 ways. Other high-value symbols include elephants, rhinos, giraffes, and zebras, ranging from 3x to 3.5x for a full line. The lower-paying icons are the standard 9 through Ace card royals. There is also a Wild symbol represented by a tree silhouette, appearing only on reels 2, 3, and 4.
Symbol Payouts
| Symbol | Payout |
|---|---|
 | Scatter |
| 5 → x20 | |
| 4 → x10 | |
| 3 → x2 | |
 | 5 → x7.5 |
| 4 → x2.5 | |
| 3 → x1.2 | |
| 2 → x0.5 | |
 | 5 → x3.5 |
| 4 → x2 | |
| 3 → x1 | |
 | 5 → x3.5 |
| 4 → x2 | |
| 3 → x1 | |
 | 5 → x3 |
| 4 → x1.5 | |
| 3 → x0.7 | |
 | 5 → x3 |
| 4 → x1.5 | |
| 3 → x0.7 | |
 | 5 → x2.5 |
| 4 → x1 | |
| 3 → x0.5 | |
 | 5 → x2.5 |
| 4 → x1 | |
| 3 → x0.5 | |
 | 5 → x2.5 |
| 4 → x0.8 | |
| 3 → x0.4 | |
 | 5 → x2.5 |
| 4 → x0.8 | |
| 3 → x0.4 | |
 | 5 → x2.5 |
| 4 → x0.6 | |
| 3 → x0.3 | |
 | 5 → x2.5 |
| 4 → x0.6 | |
| 3 → x0.3 | |
 | Wild |
How the Hyperspins Mechanic Works
One of the most distinct features I tested was Hyperspins. After any base game spin, you can choose to respin a single reel as many times as you like for a calculated cost. I found this particularly tempting when I had two or three Scatter symbols and just needed one more to trigger the bonus. Be warned, though: the cost reflects your winning chances. If a massive win is likely, the price to respin that reel can satisfy a significant chunk of your balance, so it requires careful bankroll management.
Triggering the Free Spins Bonus
Landing three or more Scatter coins-represented by a map of Africa-triggers the main event. What I appreciate about African Quest is the agency it gives you; you select your own volatility from three options. You can opt for 5 to 15 spins with high 3x and 4x multipliers, a middle ground of 8 to 20 spins with 2x and 3x multipliers, or a safer route with up to 40 spins but lower 1x and 2x multipliers.
During my testing sessions, I found that the real potential lies in the Wild multipliers. If you land multiple Wilds involved in a win during the bonus, their values multiply each other, potentially stacking up to a massive 64x multiplier. This is where the game's high volatility really shines, changing a mediocre payout into a substantial win in split seconds.
I tended to choose the middle option-variable spins with moderate multipliers-to balance the risk. It is worth noting that you also get an upfront payout for the Scatters before the round starts, and landing just two Scatters during the feature adds extra spins to your tally. This re-trigger mechanic kept one of my sessions going far longer than I expected, turning a dry run into a profitable session.
RTP and Volatility in this Slot
The math model behind African Quest is intriguing. The default RTP sits at 96.02%, which is decent, but if you utilise the Hyperspins feature correctly, this can theoretically increase to 96.52%. However, this is a highly volatile slot. In my experience, this meant enduring plenty of spins with little to no return before hitting a significant payout, usually driven by the stacked Lions or a lucky bonus round.
The maximum win potential is 5,600x your stake. If you are playing at the max bet of £15, that caps the jackpot at £84,000. While not the highest cap in the industry, hitting anything close to that requires getting lucky with the combined multipliers in the Free Spins feature. It is a game for players who have the patience to weather the dry spells in search of that one perfect setup.
Final Thoughts
Overall, African Quest is a solid effort from Microgaming and Triple Edge Studios. While it might not win awards for ground-breaking visuals in 2025, the combination of 1,024 ways to win and the strategic Hyperspins feature offers enough depth to keep things interesting. The ability to customize your bonus round volatility is a massive plus for me. If you can handle the high variance and the lower max bet limit doesn't bother you, it is certainly worth a few spins.
In-Game Screenshots
African Quest FAQ
African Quest — Comparison
| Game | RTP | Volatility | Max Win | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 96.52% | High | x5600 | ||
| 96.08% | High | x5000 | ||
| 96.02% | Average | x2343 | 7 | |
| 96.19% | Average | x11750 | ||
| 92% | Average | x360 | ||
| 96.08% | High | x12500 | ||
| 96.01% | Average | x2000 | ||
| 95.98% | Average | x18164 | ||
| 92.23% | High | x18720 | ||
| 95.98% | High | x5000 | ||
| 92.23% | High | x18164 | 8 | |
| 96.24% | Average | x2000 | 7.5 | |
| 96.08% | Average | x5000 | ||
| 96.08% | Average | x2500 | ||
| 96.6% | High | x5000 | ||
| 96.05% | High | x5000 | ||
| 96.02% | Average | x1000 | ||
| 96.09% | Average | x4500 | ||
| 96.24% | Average | x2250 | ||
| 96.17% | High | x6000 | 6 | |
| 96.25% | High | x7000 | 6 | |
| 96.44% | Average | x28000 | 6 | |
| 96.41% | High | x1100 | 7 | |
| 96.32% | High | x1000 | 7 | |
| 96.41% | High | x2500 | 7 | |
| 95.66% | High | x2580 | 8 | |
| 96% | Above average | x21000 | 9 | |
| 96.06% | Average | x1000 | ||
| 96.5% | Low | x600 | 6 |
