Hula Balua (ELK Studios) – Review & Demo Play

Hula Balua: Slot Overview

I went in for Hula Balua with scatter pays on a 6x6 grid and 36 symbols per paid drop. Bets run from 20 p/c to $/€100 per paid drop. At least 8 identical symbols anywhere pay, then winning symbols are removed and replaced. Volatility sits in medium-high territory, with a 94% RTP. The layout can merge symbols into big symbols, so the board shifts a lot. It feels quick, with chains when clusters keep dropping in.

The theme shifts Elmo the sloth to a warmer spot, and the relaxed vibe matches the rolling action. Wilds can substitute for any regular pay symbol, and a win of wilds alone pays like the top symbol. I also keep an eye on the global multiplier, as it can build during sequences. The top prize lands at 25,000x the bet, which shows the game has punch when the features line up.

Symbols and Paytable in Hula Balua

Hula Balua’s symbols go in clear steps: green, yellow, and pink anonymous fruits, then sliced kiwifruit, sliced mango, a pink fruit half, and a split star-shaped fruit. Hitting 8 identical symbols pays 0.1 to 1x the bet, while 20+ of a kind can land 5 to 200x. It’s a scatter pays model, so positions do not matter, only the count. That makes screen coverage key when the cascades kick off.

Wild symbols appear and substitute for any regular pay symbol. If a win forms with only wilds, the payout matches the highest value symbol. That keeps the panel tidy for counting large clusters, and it pairs well with big symbol behaviour later on. I like how the values ramp from small 8-of-a-kind hits to those big 20+ clears, which suits the chain potential on a 6x6 board. Wild-only hits can come from Elmo drops too.

Hula Balua Symbols and Paytable

Symbol	Quantity	Payout
	20+	x200
	15+	x25
	14	x10
	13	x7.5
	12	x5
	11	x3
	10	x2
	9	x1.5
	8	x1
	20+	x25
	15+	x5
	14	x2
	13	x1.75
	12	x1.5
	11	x1.25
	10	x1
	9	x0.75
	8	x0.5
	20+	x15
	15+	x3
	14	x1
	13	x0.8
	12	x0.7
	11	x0.6
	10	x0.5
	9	x0.4
	8	x0.3
	20+	x10
	15+	x2
	14	x0.8
	13	x0.7
	12	x0.6
	11	x0.5
	10	x0.4
	9	x0.3
	8	x0.2
	20+	x5
	15+	x1
	14	x0.6
	13	x0.5
	12	x0.4
	11	x0.3
	10	x0.2
	9	x0.15
	8	x0.1
	20+	x5
	15+	x1
	14	x0.6
	13	x0.5
	12	x0.4
	11	x0.3
	10	x0.2
	9	x0.15
	8	x0.1
	20+	x5
	15+	x1
	14	x0.6
	13	x0.5
	12	x0.4
	11	x0.3
	10	x0.2
	9	x0.15
	8	x0.1
	Scatter
	Scatter
	Wild

Hula Balua: Slot Features

Sticky Redrops can trigger and pick one paying symbol, making it sticky for the sequence. All matching pay symbols in view lock to the reels. Landing at least one matching sticky symbol or a wild during the redrop grants another redrop. Winnings pay when no more matches or wilds arrive. Sticky symbols may be upgraded, and they can appear as 1x1, 2x2, or 3x3 in size, which helps the count.

Matching symbols that land in a square or rectangle merge and create big symbols. A big symbol creates a multiplier equal to the number of small positions it covers. If a big symbol is part of a win, that value adds to the global multiplier, which applies to all wins in the sequence. Adjacent big symbols of the same type can merge into even bigger symbols, adding another multiplier. If gaps appear beneath a big symbol, they fill with the same type.

Elmo Wild Drops can step in. Elmo moves one column to the left for each redrop and places a random number of wilds on the grid. Those wilds persist until Elmo has left the grid or they are used in a win. Elmo is active on the last redrop. When this lines up with sticky and merging behaviour, I’ve seen the global multiplier climb, which gives the next hits more impact.

Bonus Features in Hula Balua

Three, four, five, or six bonus symbols award 6, 8, 10, or 12 free drops. Two bonus symbols vertically connected on top of each other upgrade bonus symbols to Super bonus symbols. The Super bonus game guarantees big symbols on each free drop, which fits the scatter pays flow. The global multiplier remains in view across the bonus, so carryover gains can matter when sequences chain. That setup keeps pressure on the grid and rewards long cascades.

Retriggers are in play. Landing 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 bonus symbols during the feature awards 4, 6, 8, 10, or 12 additional free drops. I like how the round can extend while the multiplier sticks around. That mix gives a steady path to bigger totals when the board keeps merging and the sticky bits hold the right fruit. Runs that line up big symbols early tend to snowball once retriggers land.

Bonus Buy Feature

Bonus Hunt Buy a game round with an increased chance to activate the bonus
Feature Cost:	x3 Bet
RTP:	-
Volatility:	-
Big Symbol Buy a game round with a guaranteed big symbol
Feature Cost:	x10 Bet
RTP:	-
Volatility:	-
Sticky Redrops Buy a game round with sticky redrops
Feature Cost:	x25 Bet
RTP:	-
Volatility:	-
Bonus The bonus round can be instantly triggered from the base game by buying it for 100x current bet
Feature Cost:	x100 Bet
RTP:	-
Volatility:	-
Super Bonus The super bonus round can be instantly triggered from the base game by buying it for 500x current bet
Feature Cost:	x500 Bet
RTP:	-
Volatility:	-

X-iter in Hula Balua

X-iter offers set modes if I want direct access to features. Bonus Hunt costs 3x the bet and increases the chance of triggering a bonus. Big symbol costs 10x and gives a guaranteed big symbol. Sticky Redrops costs 25x for a game round with sticky redrops. Buy bonus is 100x for the bonus game. Super bonus is 200x for the super bonus game. It’s useful when I want to skip the wait.

Hula Balua: Slot Verdict

Hula Balua feels like a scatter pays slot with extra bits that gel well. Sticky Redrops adds grip, big symbols and merging build the global multiplier, and Elmo Wild Drops spice up dead boards. The 94% RTP sits on the lower side, yet the 25,000x max shows the ceiling. I rate it worth a session if you enjoy 6x6 cluster action with free drops, merging, and a buy menu that lets you jump straight to the good part.