Spinning the Reels of 10 Lion-Themed Slots on World Lion Day

Did you know that lions are the only cats that live in groups? Interestingly, lions can go up to a couple of days without water, but they need to eat every day. The color of his mane reveals how old a lion is, as it goes darker as he grows older.

The reason why we are sharing all these intriguing facts with you is the celebration of World Lion Day, observed annually on August 10. As our own contribution to the day which pays tribute to these fascinating big cats, we came up with a list of top 10 online slots inspired by lions.

Brought to players by some of the most widely respected developers among which RTG, Felix Gaming, Rival, Blue Guru Games, and many more, all these wonderful releases represent beautiful homages to the majestic broad-chested beasts.

#1 Big Cat Links by RTG

Coming from Realtime Gaming (RTG), the most popular US-friendly slot provider, Big Cat Links takes place on a 3x5 grid, featuring a 3-member lion family. Instead of a savanna bathed in sunshine, the studio decided to accommodate the game in a nighttime setting, leaving players speechless before an open blue sky covered in countless stars.

Representing the Wild symbol of the game, the Totem Mask serves as a replacement for all the other icons except for Scatter and Coin. Scatter is depicted as the sunset and its role is to trigger extra spins. As for the Coin icon, 6 or more of those initiate Fortune Link Feature.

Two of the main symbols, the Lion and the Lioness can appear as oversized, occupying up to 9 positions in 3x3 format. Let’s not forget to mention that the game is equipped with four different Jackpots which can land during the Fortune Link Feature. Those are Mini, Minor, Major, and Grand.

#2 The Nemean Lion by Blue Guru Games

Organized as a 5x5 diagram, The Nemean Lion by Blue Guru Games is a lion-themed slot game with captivating graphics and a range of marvelously illustrated symbols. Situated in a canyon where Hercules battled the dangerous beast, the game draws inspiration from Greek mythology, namely the story of Heracles’ first labor.

Packed with 40 paylines, the game contains the Scatter Symbol Collection, which sees Scatter icons collected during the base game, for higher chances of winning Free Game Multipliers. Collection meters are located above the central reels.

In addition to this, there’s Roar to Victory, designed to provide even more winning opportunities. The max win amount in both base and free modes amounts to 25,000x bet, whereas the theoretical RTP is 95.98%.

#3 Red Lion by Felix Gaming

From the very first glance, it becomes obvious that this game is not only a tribute to Panthera leo, but a lovely homage to Chinese culture as well. Designed by Felix Gaming, Red Lion boasts a selection of Asia-inspired symbols such as Yin Yang, a fan, a lucky money toad, golden ingots, and so on.

The toad can land on the first, third, or fifth reel. Should three of these appear at the same time, a bonus feature is initiated, making room for the massive win of 50x the total bet. Depending on the number of Yin Yang symbols, a player can receive up to 50 free games.

However, the most important one to keep your eyes on is the Red Lion himself, as he acts as the Expanding Wild. When the entire grid is covered in this icon, consumers can collect the highest possible prize of a jaw-dropping 20,000x bet.

#4 5 Lions Gold by Pragmatic Play

Another work of art drawing inspiration from China, 5 Lions Gold by Pragmatic Play contains a variety of symbols from this country’s folklore and mythology. Aside from the lion, players shall spot a dragon, a phoenix bird, koi fish, and a turtle.

Spreading across a 3x5 layout, the game hosts 243 ways to win, delivering payouts from left to right for symbols in adjacent positions. Wild is portrayed as the Lion, whereas Yin Yang acts as a Scatter. A thing in common for both symbols is that they can land on the central reels only.

Worth noting is that this installment features 3 Jackpots with fixed values. If three, four, or five reels turn to gold, a player can receive Minor, Major, or Grand Jackpot respectively. The return to player percentage ranges from 95.94% to 96.5%.

#5 9 Lions by Wazdan

By now, you probably wonder if this editorial is dedicated to China, as we’re about to introduce you to one more lion-inspired online slot with elements from Chinese culture. Dubbed 9 Lions, this title produced by Wazdan is placed in a breathtaking pagoda surrounded by lanterns and dragons.

Don’t let the smaller reel grid of 3x3 deceive you, this release is everything but a slow-paced one. Thanks to locked reels, where the best set of symbols remains fixed, consumers can expect noteworthy payouts.

Lions Bonus sees the Lions Bonus Matrix Table getting filled until all positions are occupied, awarding a set of bonus games. During the Dragons Bonus Game, players get to select one of three tickets displayed, to collect some of the valuable prizes.

#6 Silver Lion by Lightning Box Games

Upon opening Silver Lion, consumers find themselves in the African Savanna surrounded by large Acacia trees and grass gently swaying in the wind. Brave hunter, a hippo, zebras, and meerkats act as the higher-value icons, while card deck letters and numbers are the lower-paying ones.

Acting as a substitute for all the other icons except for Diamond, the Wild Tree (acacia) represents Wild, and it can hit central reels only. In case 3,4 or 5 Diamonds appear, a player collects 8, 15, or 20 free games respectively.

To spice things up, during FS modem 2 diamonds can trigger a set of 5 additional rounds. The total number of winning ways is 1,024 while the theoretical payout is 95.22%.

#7 Savage Lion by Ruby Play

Accommodated in the middle of the savanna, Savage Lion by Ruby Play is a vibrantly painted slot game, with wild animals of Africa as main symbols. Played on 5 reels and 4 rows, this installment incorporates 50 paylines that produce wins from left to right.

As for the features, there’s Wild Collection, where Wild icons are acquired as well as Super Spin where a prize is added for landing a Wild on an existing Wild. Amazing, isn’t it? The four prizes may include multipliers of 0.5x, 1x, or 5x the total bet, or Wheel Bonus.

When Wheel Bonus is triggered, players get to spin, hoping to score one of four JP prizes. The value starts at 25x the total bet for Mini, up to the maximum of 5,000x the total bet for Grand.

#8 Dancing Lions by GameArt

Drums, lanterns, small Chinese coins, Chinese firecrackers- you’re guessing it right. It’s one more lion and Asia-themed slot we’ve included in the list.

Launched by GameArt, Dancing Lions is a 3x5 online slot with vibrantly painted symbols and sharp visuals. Equipped with 10 paylines, the release comes with a payout percentage of 96.03%.

When 3 red pockets appear on reels 1,3 or 5 simultaneously, a player receives 10 bonus rounds. While this mode is on, pocket symbols transform into wilds and serve as a replacement for all the icons. The game also contains a Gamble Feature where players can double their winnings if they choose the correct card.

#9 Lion’s Roar by Rival

Brought to players by one more popular US-friendly slot developer Rival, Lion’s Roar accommodates 50 paylines. The return to player percentage is slightly lower than the average, amounting to 93.42%.

Except for acting as a replacement for any other icon (Scatter excluded), Wilds have the power to expand during the FS round. Whenever possible during this mode, they cover the entire reel, forming additional opportunities for wins.

Should 3,4, or 5 FS icons land on the reels, a consumer receives 10,20 or 50 extra spins respectively. In case 3 more FS symbols land during this mode, a feature called Roaring FS is activated. During Roaring FS, Expanding Wilds are enhanced with a 5x multiplier.

#10 African King by NetGame Entertainment

Imagine yourself in the middle of a savanna in the sunset, surrounded by magnificent animals such as lions, zebras, and elephants. That’s the setting players find themselves in when launching the African King by NetGame Entertainment.

Set on a 3x5 grid and equipped with 20 paylines, this title comes with a payout percentage of 93.68%, classifying this game among lower RTP slots. The three abovementioned animals represent high-value icons, whereas spades, hearts, diamonds, and clubs are lower-value ones.

The Wild is depicted as a symbol with the game’s name on it, while Scatter is a large acacia tree. There’s also a special bonus game, which sees an entire reel becoming Wild. The Wild reel can randomly land on any of the five reels at the beginning of each round.

Roar-some Facts about Spectacular Big Cats

World Lion Day was founded by Beverly and Derek Joubert, big cat enthusiasts who wanted to point out that lion conservation in Africa and Asia should become a top priority for wildlife conservationists. Worth noting is that in December 2021, GAMOMAT started the “Gaming for the Climate” initiative. Through this campaign, the studio donates part of the revenue from certain titles to institutions committed to environmental protection. The most recent campaign which involves the Lava Lions slot supports a crucial project in the Tsavo Conservation Area, an organization dedicated to helping lions.

As for the interesting facts about King of the Jungle, as silly as it sounds, porcupines are among lion's biggest enemies, due to their lengthy spikes. Panthera leo is the only species alive, but it has two subspecies- African lions and Asian lions. Cubs are born spotted or with rosettes, but as they grow old, those markings fade.

We hope you enjoyed our insightful and entertaining editorial on World Lion Day. If you have more interesting facts on your mind or more lion-inspired slots you’ve previously played, share your thoughts with us in the comments section below.

Happy World Lion Day & gamble responsibly!