Finn and the Dragon Tales feels unlike most online slots from the first spin. We noticed that straight away because the game does not rely on ordinary reels or a familiar left to right layout. Instead, NetEnt builds everything around a spiral stone grid, so each result plays out with a bit more movement and a lot more personality. Between avalanches, dragon symbols, multiplier wilds, and a free spins round that changes the feel of the game, this is a slot that keeps finding new ways to stay interesting.
At a glance, this release has a light fantasy look. The game’s world feels like a magical adventure tale. In the background we can see distant mountains, bright skies, a scorched tree with a sword stuck through it. All of this combined gives the game a storybook feel, though there is still enough danger in the dragon theme to stop it from feeling too soft. The grid itself is the main visual feature. It looks like a large block of carved stone with symbols winding inward in a spiral. That design helps us follow the movement of symbols. The symbols are split into red, blue, and green groups, with dragon heads, claws, orbs, leaves, and gems appearing in each colour family. When features kick in, the animations take over the screen, with glowing multipliers, wild stars, and dragon transformations keeping the action going.
In the table below, the symbol payout breakdown is written as multiplier values.
| Symbol | 3 Matches | 4-7 Matches |
|---|---|---|
| Red Dragon | 1.00x | 1.05x |
| Red Artifact | 0.40x | 0.50x |
| Red Gem | 0.25x | 0.35x |
| Blue Dragon | 0.90x | 0.95x |
| Blue Artifact | 0.40x | 0.45x |
| Blue Gem | 0.25x | 0.30x |
| Green Dragon | 0.70x | 0.75x |
| Green Artifact | 0.35x | 0.45x |
| Green Gem | 0.25x | 0.30x |
Wilds substitute for regular symbols in win matches, apart from dragon symbols and the key symbol used for free spins. Wild multipliers can also affect the value of potential wins. Alongside standard connected wins, the game also includes scattered symbol payouts, where certain symbols can pay anywhere on the grid without needing to form a line. The scattered wins payout table can be found in the in-game information section.
Any winning result removes the symbols involved and lets new ones move through the spiral path to fill the empty spaces. If another win lands, the process continues.
A win match of 3 symbols can place a Wild x1 on the grid before the next avalanche starts, while a win match of 4 symbols can place a Wild x2 onto the grid.
This is where the game becomes more distinctive. A win match of 5 or more symbols can replace that match with a dragon symbol. Depending on the size of the match, the dragon can carry an x1, x2, or x5 multiplier.
Scattered wins can trigger random wild placements on the grid. These added wilds may come with x2, x3, x5, or x10 multipliers.
The frozen key symbol appears in the main game and starts from the bottom left area. If avalanches move it into the centre, free spins are triggered. The number of free spins depends on which zone the key reaches. Bronze gives 5 free spins, silver gives 8, and gold gives 10. During this round, a dragon sits in the centre and transforms symbols to create scattered wins.
Free spins can also reveal treasure chests from broken rock symbols. These can award multiplier boosts, cash prizes, extra free spins, or extra dragon symbols.
This game uses a 7x7 grid, though it plays nothing like a standard reel slot. The symbols move in a clockwise spiral that begins in the bottom left corner and ends in the centre. In the base game, 3 or more matching symbols form a win when they connect in a vertical or horizontal line without gaps. At the same time, scattered wins can also happen through certain feature interactions. Once a win is paid, symbols disappear and the avalanche begins. New symbols then follow the spiral route into the open spaces. This slot is not chaotic, but it definitely asks you to pay attention.
These are a selection of slot games with similar themes:
The board mechanics were certainly the thing that stood out most in this release. At first, the spiral layout looks like the sort of thing that might overcomplicate a slot, but it actually gives the game its charm. We never felt like we were just spinning and waiting. Another highlight is the free spins section, which is arguably the strongest part of the game. The dragon in the middle, the treasure chests, and the symbol transformations make that feature feel more eventful than a basic free spins round. At the same time, the base game has enough going on that getting there does not feel like a long wait through flat spins. For players who like casino games with unusual layouts and mechanics that interact with each other, this one has plenty to dig into. It may take a little longer to get comfortable with, but once it clicks, you will start to appreciate its unique style.