Forest of Wonders (Playtech) – Review & Demo Play

Forest of Wonders - Introduction

I’ve spent time with Forest of Wonders from Playtech, a 5-reel, 25-line video slot with an RTP of 95.51% and medium variance. The base game leans on Wild, Scatter and Bonus symbols, with free spins, a pick bonus and a jackpot element keeping things lively. The layout is clear, the pace can be sped up, and the feature set is easy to grasp. From my sessions it plays as a straightforward slot with steady action and familiar feature hooks.

Overall Theme in Forest of Wonders

There is a strong Alice in Wonderland theme throughout Forest of Wonders. You find yourself in the middle of a dark forest with the reels set in the centre of the screen, packed with weird and wonderful characters. Playing card faces sit alongside the dormouse and the mad hatter, while the Cheshire Cat and the caterpillar pop up on wins. The presentation captures the book’s spirit without overcomplicating the spins, and the soundscape sits in the background rather than taking over.

The theme is fun for fans of the title, and the artwork keeps the forest feel consistent across spins. I liked how the characters do the heavy lifting on the paytable, making the link between story and prizes clear. It looks dated compared to newer releases, but the symbols are readable and the reels move at a decent clip in turbo mode. It ends up as a light, character-led theme that supports the features rather than distracting from them.

Forest of Wonders RTP and Variance

Forest of Wonders has an RTP set at 95.51%, which sits slightly below the average I like to see. It pairs with medium variance, so wins arrive at a decent rate, though the amounts tend not to be huge from the base game. In my play the balance felt fair for session length, with stretches of small line hits broken up by features. If you prefer gentler swings with the chance of bigger moments in bonuses, this profile suits that style.

Bet Sizes & Paytable Wins in Forest of Wonders

The bets are adjustable in Forest of Wonders because you set both your line bet and the number of paylines. The minimum total bet starts at 0.25 coins and rises to a maximum of 10 coins, so you can scale sessions to budget. I used the plus and minus controls to tweak values and watched the total bet readout before spinning. Autoplay and turbo are there, but I preferred manual spins when chasing features, as it helps track the rhythm.

Each character carries its own payout for 3, 4 or 5 across an active line. For five-of-a-kind the paytable lists 10, J and Q - 50x; K and A - 75x; Mad Hatter - 100x; Cheshire Cat and Caterpillar - 150x; March Hare - 200x; Dormouse Wild - 5000x. Only the highest win per payline is paid. With 25 paylines available, lining up those character symbols becomes the main route to returns between features, and the wild can complete a lot of lines.

Forest of Wonders Bonus Features

The sleeping dormouse is the wild symbol in Forest of Wonders. It substitutes for regular symbols to help complete wins and also carries the top pay, with five wilds paying up to 5000x your total bet. In practice the wild shows up often enough to tidy broken lines, and when it stacks across a few reels the line wins add up nicely. I found the wild at its best in free spins, where extra hits nudge the balance between features.

The mushrooms are the bonus symbol and trigger the pick round when 3 or more land anywhere. You enter the forest, follow the on-screen prompts and pick your way through for instant prizes. It’s a neat break from spins, but the bonus game is hard to trigger. Across sessions I went long stretches without seeing three mushrooms, which matches what the paytable hints at. When it hits, the picks can move the session result a fair bit in your favour.

The white rabbit is the scatter. Landing 3 or more anywhere triggers 15 free spins, and scatters pay without needing to be adjacent. In my play the free spins round triggered more often than the pick bonus and kept the game ticking along between base play patches. You cannot retrigger the free spins, so once the set is done you head back to the reels. With medium variance, the round tends to sprinkle line hits rather than deliver huge bursts.

Forest of Wonders Review: My Verdict

Forest of Wonders is an okay slot for what it has on offer. The bonuses are decent and keep the gameplay going, though the bonus game felt elusive across my time with it. I played around 50 spins and the free spins round did trigger once, which tallies with medium variance and the review notes. The theme is good and the reels are fun, so I’d point new players to the demo first to get a feel for pace and features.

RTP sits below average, but the combination of 25 paylines, a 5x3 layout and classic features makes sessions readable and easy to manage. I liked the wild payouts on good lines and the occasional swing from the pick round when it appears. If you want steady play with familiar characters, this is worth a few sessions at sensible stakes. For me it lands as a solid Playtech slot with enough character to make free play worth your time.