I’m always ready and set to play a new Elk Studios release, so I was prepared and on tenterhooks waiting for Ecuador Gold to officially become playable. I did have the idea that the theme would be exactly as it looks, but the developer has made sure to incorporate various extra features into the slot to make it thoroughly entertaining throughout. I was a fan from the moment that I loaded it up. Main Game and Paytable The main setup of this slot features a total of six reels for you to spin, while Amatic has made sure to include multiple different ways to win as well. The start of the game features 4,096 ways to win, but every time you create winning combinations, the size of the interface expands. This can lead to a maximum of 262,144 ways to win in total. Your bets across this layout can be changed between €0.20 and €100 per spin. I knew that Elk Studios would bring it’s a game to this slot as far as graphics are concerned too, because the developer always does. The symbols appearing on the reels are very visually appealing, starting with eight lower-paying symbols. These are the four random shapes and the four animal carvings – the crocodile, the falcon, the snake and the tiger. The latter four can pay out up to €80. Then come higher paying symbols of three totem-like faces, each of which can reward you with up to €200. Finally, the explorer rewards you with up to £300 in winnings. Bonus Features Ecuador Gold has some wonderful special features for you to experience, beginning with the Big Symbols that it includes. This sees icons that are 2x2, 3x3 or 4x4 drop into position on the reels at random times. A bigger symbol will clear away any smaller sized symbols on its way down, too. Something else that may randomly activate during gameplay, is the Ghosting Wild perk. This appears and moves a random number of times between columns three, four, five and six. As it goes, it leaves a trail of wild symbols behind it. The Avalanche feature of the game triggers whenever you create winning combinations. This sees the symbols included in such explode and disappear, leaving gaps for new ones to fall into and more ways to win to become active at the same time. Not only that, but you’ll find that there’s a bonus free spins round in Ecuador Gold. This is my favourite part of the slot. You need to spin three or more of the bonus symbols into view anywhere to activate this. You’re able to receive up to 25 of the free spins to play through with Safety Level initiated. This retains the previously formed ways to win for the proceeding free spins, giving you more chances to win big. Conclusion I’d probably say that it’s quite impossible not to love this Elk Studios slot. The graphics are perfect, the theme is built into the game properly, the special features provide thrilling and entertaining parts to the slot and it all merges together with increasing ways to win, too. It would probably be appropriate to say that Elk Studios should be very proud of this game, in my opinion.