How I Found This Slot
I was scrolling through the "New Releases" tab on NV Casino, looking for something that wasn't just another Egyptian or fishing slot. The thumbnail for Aiko and the Wind Spirit immediately caught my eye. I'm a huge fan of Studio Ghibli films, and the art style looked remarkably similar—soft pastels, floating islands, and a cute protagonist. I decided to give it a shot, strictly for the vibes.
The First 100 Spins: A Slow Start
I set my bet to a conservative €0.40. The game started very calmly. The background music is incredibly soothing, which is dangerous because you almost forget you are betting real money!
The first 100 spins were rough. I had a lot of "dead spins" (no wins). My balance dipped to €160. The volatility was showing its teeth early on. I landed two Scatters multiple times, getting that "tease" animation where the reels slow down, but the third one just wouldn't drop. I was getting a bit frustrated but decided to stick to my 500-spin plan.
Key Moment: Spin #145
Just as I was thinking about lowering my bet, the screen darkened, and the wind effect intensified. One, two, three Scatters landed! The music shifted from calm to an upbeat anime battle theme.
The Bonus Round turning point
I triggered the standard Free Spins (10 spins).
- Spins 1-4: Absolutely nothing. I was worried this was going to be a "0x" bonus.
- Spin 5: A Wind Spirit Wild landed with a x10 multiplier. It connected with a small cluster of low-paying symbols. Won about €8.
- Spin 8 (The Big One): This is where the magic happened. Two Wind Spirits landed. One had a x5 multiplier, the other x50. They were part of a massive cluster of the "Gold Dragon" (premium symbol). The multipliers added together for a x55 boost on a high-value win.
That single spin paid out €124.00 (310x my bet). My balance shot up, recovering all my losses and putting me in profit.
Finishing the Session
I played the remaining spins to reach 500. The game settled back into its high-volatility rhythm—lots of small losses interspersed with occasional 10x-20x wins thanks to random Wind Spirit drops in the base game.
By spin 500, I decided to cash out. I started with €200 and ended with €352.40.
Verdict
Aiko and the Wind Spirit is not for the faint of heart. It requires patience. If I had stopped at spin 100, I would have walked away with a loss and a bad impression. But sticking it out for the bonus proved that the math model pays off if you can weather the storm. I will definitely be playing this again, maybe even trying a Bonus Buy next time.