Elk Studios Review
By Dirk Smit, Last Modified May 10, 2024
Verdict
I have not had the chance to meet up with any of the Elk Studios games developers or administrators, so my experience with them is limited.
Elk Studios, a casino game developer based in Stockholm, creates innovative video slots and table games for regulated gambling markets. Founded in 2012, Elk combines proven gaming math with stunning graphics, themes, and features to produce exciting Elk games – and Elk Studios is now one of the bigger names in the online gambling world.
Elk’s mantra, “Quality over Quantity,” is shown in its portfolio of around 90 high-quality slot games. While they’re smaller than some of their competitors, when you play Elk Studios’ games, you’ll see how much time and effort goes into developing them.
The company holds licenses in major jurisdictions like the UK, Malta, and Romania. Elk also operates with several game aggregators, including SoftSwiss, allowing their casino games to reach as many players as possible. Elk Studios’ slot games are extensively available at European online casinos, and they have even started gaining exposure at non-European sites, too.
In 2020, Elk Studios was acquired by Scientific Gaming amid impressive annual growth. However, Scientific Gaming (SG Gaming/SG Digital) has now,, rebranded into Light & Wonder – which is slightly confusing for players! However, this acquisition allowed Elk Studios’ slots to reach even more players through an enhanced distribution network.
Elk Studios has a reputation for developing casino games with great graphics, exciting bonus spins rounds, and, more recently, volatile releases with decent potential! Sure, their older slot games were on the low-variance side of things, but this has vastly changed.
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A rogue casino that's unresponsive to complaints
A rogue casino that's unresponsive to complaints
Elk Studios Slots: The Software Platform
Elk Studios has invested significantly in its gaming platform to enable seamless integration and distribution at online casinos. The Elk Platform utilizes modern web and cloud architecture for scalability, redundancy, and continuous deployment.
The platform handles essential functions on the backend like actionable analytics, real-time campaign management, and bonuses/rewards configuration. Elk builds all games using HTML5 standards for sleek performance across devices.
For distribution, Elk offers a comprehensive API with documentation that allows online casinos to integrate game catalogs on their sites easily. The API includes player account services, free spin management, and Elk’s Engagement Tool data access.
In addition, Elk has partnered with top aggregators like Relax Gaming, Pariplay, and White Hat Gaming. Major platforms ensure Elk titles can reach a wide network of licensed sites quickly. As mentioned, their online slots are also all available through Light & Wonder’s platform due to their 2020 acquisition. This means the number of people playing games from Elk Studios has grown exponentially.
Between robust API capabilities, aggregator deals, and the Studio program, Elk Studios makes its games readily accessible for integration. With a modern web platform optimized for mobile play, Elk’s slots are an ideal addition to any online casino.
Elk Studios Games
Most of their Slots have a medium to high variance feel, with a few lower variance-type exceptions and a few very high variance ones. Most of them display quite streaky behavior, which can be very entertaining, even if the wins aren’t all too high on average.
Their first slot, for example, called ‘The Lab‘ is quite high variance: it has a max win of 3,070X, which, of course, you’ll rarely see – but it can dish out several consecutive wins in the 500x bet region, when it’s in a winning streak, and has as such probably contributed a lot to their rising star status. But titles like ‘Bloopers, ‘‘Wild Toro,’ ‘Ivanhoe, ‘‘Hong Kong Tower, and ‘Route 777‘ really sealed the deal.
In the last two or three years, we’ve seen Elk Studios’ slots taking a much more high variance approach, which is in keeping with the trends we’re seeing in the rest of the online gambling market. Below, we will look at some of the game developer’s most popular releases, including new and old.
Ecuador Gold
Ecuador Gold is a thrilling video slot game developed by Elk Studios, designed to take you deep into the heart of an ancient South American temple. With six reels and a mind-blowing 4,096 ways to win, this game offers immense win potential for players. Like some of the best Elk Studios games, Ecuador Gold has a unique base game bonus feature – the Avalanche feature.
This means that any winning combo causes the winning symbols to disappear. New symbols drop down to take their place, making way for new combinations and, potentially, more wins. Free drops and ghosting wilds add to the excitement as they transform ordinary symbols into wins.
Please note that some casino games from Elk Studios can’t be played with bonus funds, and at many online casinos, Ecuador Gold is one of these games. Some online casinos also give out free spins on the game, but there are often max free spins winnings to be aware of. Plus, bonus bets and free spins expire – usually within seven days – so always read the full terms and conditions.
Hidden
Hidden is an exciting Egyptian-themed slot from Elk Studios featuring five reels, four rows, and 178 ways to win. The game has a mysterious explorer vibe with stacked wilds, free spins, and mystery respins to reveal potential big wins. The gameplay keeps you engaged as you never know what surprise features might unlock next.
The free spins round really amps up the action. When triggered, you’ll receive 10 free spins with expanding wild symbols on reels two, three, and four. Any wild landing in view triggers a mystery respin where wilds lock in place while other symbols respin. With multiple wilds on screen, every re-spin can lead to big wins, and the game is even part of some of Elk Studios’s multiplayer tournaments.
Wild Seas
Wild Seas from Elk Studios takes you on a pirate adventure on the high seas. This five-reel, three-row video slot features 243 ways to win and a female pirate captain as the main character. The gameplay centers around collecting cannonballs to trigger one of three bonus features: Rotating Wilds, Expanding Wilds, or Additional Wilds.
During the free spins round, landing a full stack of wilds on the middle reel triggers the cannon bonus. This causes wild cannonballs to be shot onto the reels, turning symbols into extra wilds with each hit. With multiple cannon strikes, you can fill the screen with wilds and score huge wins. Wild Seas provides an immersive pirate experience and the potential for treasures through its creative bonus features. The graphics and soundtrack add to the excitement, making this a slot to check out.
Tahiti Gold
Tahiti Gold is another visually appealing slot game from Elk Studios, taking players to the exotic island of Tahiti. The game features six reels and offers up to 4,096 ways to win. It’s another installment in the same series of games stemming from Ecuador Gold, meaning the avalanche/cascading symbols mechanic comes into play on every spin.
The immersive gameplay and groundbreaking mathematics ensure there are some huge cash prizes up for grabs. We’re not surprised this became one of the most popular video slots from the game provider – although premium symbols can be pretty tough to land.
Taco Brothers
Get ready for some taco tomfoolery in this fun cartoon slot from Elk Studios. Taco Brothers features five reels, three rows, and a 243-ways-to-win mechanic. The game centers around a group of taco-loving brothers who must rescue their tacos from the evil Captain Diaz. The bright, colorful graphics and upbeat Mexican soundtrack set the mood. Interestingly, after UK players showed they were big fans of the game, other providers used a similar statistical modeling format to make similar games. Taco Brothers Christmas Edition was also released as a follow-up.
Taco Brothers has a lot going on in terms of paying symbols and gameplay. During the base game, running wilds come into play. When a wild lands, it turns adjacent symbols wild, moving left to right before disappearing. This can trigger some big wins and free re-spins. There is also a main free spins bonus round, which can be triggered on the same spin as the wild re-spins. The free spins round offers excitement as you try to rescue captured brothers and unlock added wilds and multipliers. With each brother saved, your potential cash prizes increase.
Hong Kong Tower
Hong Kong Tower is a slot game by Elk Studios that is one of their earlier releases. Despite this, it’s widely available at most casino sites offering Elk Studios slots like Wild Toro, Vegas Diamonds, and other top Elk Studios games. Hong Kong Tower is built around a five-reel, four-row format, and there is a unique 99 ways-to-win mechanic.
The base game contains transforming symbols, which, when landing in view, all transform into identical instances of other symbols. Like the best Elk Studios games, there is also a main bonus round – The Wheels of the Sky feature – and this is triggered by landing 3, 4, or 5 of the scatter symbols anywhere in view. You will then be taken to the top of Hong Kong and get to spin three giant wheels, each spin awarding a cash prize or progression to the next level.
Hong Kong Tower is licensed by the United Kingdom Gambling Commission (UKGC) and the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA), so it’s available to players in most European countries.
Lake’s Five
Lake’s Five by Elk Studios takes the classic heist slot theme in a new direction. This unusual five-reel, four-row slot features animal characters planning a criminal escapade at the lake. With 178 ways to win, the gameplay focuses on a free spins round where you can trigger accumulating features like extra wilds, multipliers, and bonus symbols.
As you progress through the round, more enhancements are added to boost your rewards. The Lake’s Five Meter tracks how many features you’ve activated. The further you go, the more lucrative it gets. Sticky wilds, extra free spins, mystery symbols, and up to a 5X multiplier make for big potential payouts.
While the theme is a bit silly with the furry thieves, Lake’s Five provides solid rewards through its escalating free spins round. The bonus booster concept brings fresh innovation to keep things engaging. With so many features accumulating, you can unlock some sizable wins during the heist bonus spins.
Route 777
Rev up your engine for Route 777, one of the most popular online slots from Elk Studios. It follows a similar consent to Ivanhoe – one of the first Elk Studios games to utilize the old-school 3X3 grid layout. Route 777 has tons going on, including re-spins, a free spins bonus, and a non-progressive jackpot feature. The highway backdrop and motorcycle soundtrack set the mood for the fast-paced gameplay.
Licensed by the UK Gambling Commission, Elk Studios offers Route 777 to players worldwide, and the goal is to trigger the main bonus spins round. During it, Elk Studios offers you the chance to win up to 10,000X your bet. It’s also a great mobile gaming slot, as it’s ideally suited to fit the screen size of mobile devices.
Poltava
Prepare for battle in Poltava, a historic war-themed slot from Elk Studios. Set during the Poltava Battle of 1709, this five-reel, three-row video slot features 243 ways to win across a battlefield backdrop. The gameplay focuses on free spins with expanding sticky wilds and extra spins for each new wild.
Please note that if you have an active bonus or welcome bonus on your account, you may not be able to play Poltava, depending on the online casino you’re playing at. The gameplay focuses mainly on the wild symbol during the base game, and there are re-spins, a bonus game, and unique bonus spins to look out for, too.
Vegas Diamonds
Vegas Diamonds from Elk Studios brings the glitz and glamor of Las Vegas to a five-reel, three-row online video slot. With 20 paylines and medium variance, the gameplay includes wilds, scatters, free spins, multipliers, and an entertaining Wheel of Fortune bonus. The slot’s design evokes the neon ambiance of the iconic Vegas strip.
Vegas Diamonds is one of the most popular slots from Elk Studios, and it’s easy to see why. The game offers tons of action, along with some of the best graphics in any of Elk Studio’s games – so if you’re looking for a new game to try, we’d strongly recommend giving Vegas Diamonds a go!
Elk Studios: Unique Slot Games Features
Aside from their awesomeness in producing great slots, Elk Studios is also showing some innovation in the ‘Game Controls’ and ‘Player Loyalty Rewards’ sections, which can be seen in their options menu. Here, you’ll find a ‘Betting Strategy‘ menu, giving you various options to let the software go for different betting strategies. They also have some other unique elements in their games. We will look at these below.
Betting Strategies
Elk Studios’ games often include a distinctive Betting Strategies feature that allows players to choose from various automated betting strategies. This feature provides options like the “Optimizer,” which bets a percentage of the balance; “Leveller,” which raises the bet after five consecutive losses; “Booster,” which increases the bet after a loss, and “Jumper,” which raises the bet with each win.
These strategies can be easily selected and customized according to the player’s preferences, making it a flexible tool for different gaming experiences. The Betting Strategies feature adds an extra layer of excitement and control to the game and allows novice and experienced players to enhance their gameplay based on their risk tolerance and playing style.
However, a word of warning: while these betting strategies are pretty cool, be very careful before setting one up. If you choose the wrong one by accident, your bet amount can increase a huge amount on each spin – so always check the max bet settings to avoid potential disaster!
X-iter
Are you tired of waiting around for bonus features to hit? Elk Studios eliminates slot boredom with their revolutionary X-iter tool. X-iter allows players to jump straight into the action by selecting predefined gameplay modes tailored to each slot.
Instead of grinding through countless base game spins, you can choose modes like starting with guaranteed wilds, entering free spins instantly, or beginning with stacked special symbols. Other options include increasing multipliers with each win or picking which bonus round to play. It’s an enhanced gameplay mechanic that lets you get more perks by increasing your stake.
With up to 5 modes per slot, X-iter provides instant gratification while letting you experience the best features at will – no more dead spins or wasting time – just pure slot excitement. The ability to customize gameplay is a game changer. Elk Studios has always done a great job with innovations like this, and the X-ite mechanic on selected games also sometimes increases the RTP, increases the potential winnings generated by spin – and makes it easier to hit winning combinations and trigger the big prizes.
Again, just a quick caution: With any of Elk Studios’ unique features, double-check the bet level you’re playing at to ensure you don’t accidentally spend more than you were expecting.
Popular Elk Studios Slots
- Bloopers
- Wild Toro
- Hong Kong Tower
- Ivanhoe
- The Lab
- Sam On The Beach
- Taco Brothers
- Wild Seas
- Route 777
- DJ Wild
Popular Slots Screenshots
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Additional Info
As they are integrated in several Multi-provider Platforms, they are very widespread as of late, and you’ll find their Games almost everywhere now: they support more than 20 Languages and even more Currencies, are well Regulated and Certified in all Major Jurisdictions and are extremely focussed on a perfect Mobile Experience, to go with the times: this is easy to notice, as soon as you open one of their Games on a Tab, Phone or similar Device.
Notable is also that Elk Studios nabbed a prestigious award at the EGR Operators Awards in 2017 (Wild Toro became ‘Game of the Year’) and that they have received mostly positive feedback
here on the forums. They placed in the top 25 of our own (unofficial) ‘Best Slots of 2016‘ and ‘Best Slots of 2017‘ threads as well, that were voted on by the Casinomeister membership.
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Pros
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Elk Studios has emerged as a top game developer known for quality slots, but their games aren't perfect.
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Elk slots are widely available through integration with major platforms and partnerships with casinos worldwide.
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Their games support various languages and currencies, are mobile-friendly by design, and hold certifications across significant jurisdictions.
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Elk also won "Game of the Year" for Wild Toro, showing their ability to create engaging, award-winning hits.
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Players generally provide favorable feedback on Elk's slots.
Cons
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Not many Games to choose from yet
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Despite the innovative betting strategies, no further additions to their autoplay function, such as stop triggers
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Their math models tend to rely on bonus rounds, triggering bigger payouts.
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Their older games tend to be lower variance and streaky, lacking significant win potential.
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While 500-1000X wins occur more frequently, jackpot-level wins are non-existent compared to other providers.
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