We met Rory and Emma in front of the crowd below Penang Hill. They couldn’t make up their minds if they wanted to join the throng wanting to enter the tram and go up the hill. We, on the other hand, were wishing that we would be back to our hotel room.
And then Emma asked us about Caishen. Do we know him? We first thought if it was the name of a tour guide that they would recommend to us. But she was referring to a soldier of fortune. Or the god of fortune.
Our siblings couldn’t understand why our room was littered with figurines associated with good luck. It’s as Asian a destination as it should be. And it brought back interesting, if not amusing, moments about our adventures, and misadventures, around the Far East. But no figurine of Caishen.
Picture this: Our van was on the way to Chiang Rai. This northern community is an hour away from Chiang Mai, the second largest city in Thailand. But the van stopped at a hot spring. A young girl held an egg several meters above the steam, but not too close.
And then there was a small group of senior citizens whose feet were dipped in warm water. Last but not the least, the Thai counterpart of Old Faithful. There was an altar not far away. It piqued our curiosity.
Lucky pig - we asked our tour operator during a lunch break outside of Wat Rong Khun. The pig represents good luck in wealth attainment, she points out. It’s not considered a god, she adds. Shen mentioned Caishen. It was the first time we heard his name, and what a big deal he was. We kept an eye on him.
We encountered an old statue of a monkey, partly wrapped in old clothes, inside the Japanese Bridge, or Chùa Cầu, in Hoi An. We first thought that it could be good luck being passed up, but Terrence, the manager of the hotel we stayed at, insisted that the animal symbolized innovation and intelligence.
How about the Sphinxes in Angkor Wat? Is it related to the huge Sphinx in Giza? The tour guides manning the Khmer ruins don’t have a clue. What about the three-headed dragon in the Golden Triangle? A local assured us that Naga was anything but fortune and prosperity. The said creature wasn’t the inspiration for King Ghidorah, he added.
All of the above memories came to mind while we were about to play PG Soft Fortune Gods inside a minibus. There wasn’t a taxi in sight, and the inside of the minibus was a bit crowded. Everyone was oblivious about what the others were doing, or thinking, and that included us playing.
We did find a statue of Caishen, and it was located in the most unexpected place: A posh neighborhood in Singapore. Far from the backpacking crowd. Then and there, we figured out why he was a big deal in this part of Asia. It was the same in the world of Asian slots.
Long-time slot players have told us that PG Soft Fortune Gods reminded them of a Jili slot with the same name. We haven’t checked it out. Yet. We figured that the game in question had something to do with Jili Caishen.
The layout of Fortune Gods looks like the perfect place to celebrate the Lunar New Year. Rory once told us about a religious temple in Taipei which seems to be celebrating the Lunar New Year all year round. We don’t know if he was referring to the Bangka Lungsham Temple, which was notable for the Chinese Buddhist elements that drew tourists to this sacred spot. It was the starting point of our walking tour in the Taiwanese capital, but that's another story. Rory is right, though.
We were too excited to try Fortune Gods without checking out the demo version first. If we did, it should’ve saved us time - and money. The PG Soft Fortune Gods demo includes a walk through the game’s mechanics. And which symbols weigh more. We almost forgot the paytable, which is a must look. Lastly, the demo points out the features particularly the ones that must be taken advantage of.
It would take several pages to describe what we find out in the demo, so we suggest that you do it as well. It also gives you the chance to practice for the actual game.
Not a few slot players would point out the RTP, which is slightly below average. So? They overlook the slot game volatility, which is how often a slot pays out wins. Or the respins. Or the max potential. And so on. PG Soft Fortune Gods doesn’t fall short of expectations. It may be too risky, but it’s still worth the play.
Exotic could be exciting, and Caishen is Asian as it should be. Playing Fortune Gods offer a different gaming experience not seen in other slots, but PG Soft wants you to think of the figurines that symbolize good luck.
Can Caishen turn your fortune around? Ours did. Sign up now and play.
