Christmas Gift Rush Demo & Review – Play for Free

Game Symbols and Payouts

This game is super simple, with fewer symbols than I’ve seen on almost any other game. And of course, they’re all totally themed, to keep up the Christmas spirit. 

Regular Symbols

I found the paytable really easy to follow here, as there are only four paying symbols and the wild. You’ll need to get three of them on a payline to trigger a win. The truck pays the most, followed by the bell, teddy, and candy cane. At a £1 spin value, three of the truck symbols get you a 20x payout. 
 

Regular Symbols!!

Special Symbols and Feature Symbols

The Christmas Gift Rush slot features are limited, so there’s only one special symbol: the wild. This gift symbol substitutes for any of the other symbols to help you complete a winning combination. I have to admit that the wilds were my saving grace. As only the central row is active to start off with, the only way I was able to trigger some wins (and activate the rest of the grid) was by landing wilds. 

Christmas Gift Rush Demo Version and Free Play 

I struggled to find a Christmas Gift Rush demo. I usually head for a site like Unibet, which has game demos for registered players ages 18+, but the site doesn’t have this slot, so I played on the Habanero site. The only difference between the real game and the demo is that the amounts are in virtual coins rather than pounds, but it still gives a good idea of how the game works. Playing the demo really helped me get my head around how the Nudge feature works to activate the top and bottom reels. 

Christmas Gift Rush Bonus Features and Key Mechanics 

Don’t expect Santa to leave a whole sack of bonus features under the tree. There are no free spins, no cascades, and no gamble feature. But there is a nudge effect, which triggers when you win. 

Nudge Feature

Unlike other slot games, where all reels and rows are active all the time, Christmas Gift Rush starts with just the central row active. If you land a winning combination, the top row will be activated, and a symbol will nudge down by one position. If you get another payout, a second nudge is triggered, and the bottom row is also activated. A third win adds a multiplier, so this is what you really want to see. 

It took me about three spins to activate the Nudge feature, and I got a second payout once the symbol had moved too. But after that, I guess my luck had run out. I must have spun another 25 times with absolutely no action. Not great news, because not only did I not trigger the Nudge, but based on the way the game works, that also meant that I got absolutely zero payouts during that time. On the bright side, in a later testing session, I got seven nudges in a row - score!

Nudge Feature

Expert Playing Tips for Christmas Gift Rush 

• Do some Christmas Gift Rush free play: Even though it’s super simple, this game works differently from most other slots. If you go in expecting free spins rounds, tons of ways to win, or regular payouts, you might be disappointed. A demo will help you get your head around the gameplay.Just remember, you’ll usually need to sign up at one of the UK casinos that have Christmas Gift Rush and verify that you’re 18. 
• Keep your stakes small: I learned my lesson the hard way. It wasn’t unusual for me to have to spin at least 10 times before I triggered a win. And if I were playing for £5 a go, it wouldn’t have been long before I ran out of cash entirely. 
• Save it for December: I know, I know, you can be festive all year round. But this game isn’t just slightly Christmassy, it’s like Christmas threw up all over the screen. I’d be a little worried if you busted this out in the middle of July. 

Christmas Gift Rush Alternatives for UK Players 

• Christmas Bonanza: I really like Megaways slots, because they’re a lot more exciting than standard games. This is just a festive version of the original Bonanza slot game, where up to seven symbols can land on each reel, giving you up to 117,649 ways to win.
• Book of Yuletide: Of course, there’s a Christmas-themed “Book of” game. Expanding symbols and a free spins round make this game more exciting than Christmas Gift Rush, and there are 10 paylines active every time you spin, making it a little easier to land a winning combination.