Charm of the Dragon – Slot Overview
Dragons are one of the clearest cultural divides between East and West—feared as menacing villains in Western lore, yet revered in the East as symbols of fortune, power, and wisdom. With Charm of the Dragon, we can add “charm” to that list. Developed by Bullshark Games in partnership with Hacksaw Gaming, this Asian-themed slot mixes expanding reels, multipliers, and sticky mystery symbols during free spins to deliver its own brand of draconic allure.
Visually, Charm of the Dragon sits somewhere between a traditional Asian slot and something more unconventional—perhaps even a heist. A key-wielding dragon stands guard beside the reels, with a locked vault looming in the background, hinting at treasure to be claimed. The overall theme leans heavily into its Asian influence, though it’s not the most opulent example in the genre. The dragon itself exudes personality, the soundtrack is calming, but compared to visually richer titles like Fury and Fortune or Wild Dojo Strike, this one feels more understated.
The reel set in Charm of the Dragon can expand from its default 5×3 layout to a maximum of 5×6, with the ways-to-win system ranging from 243 up to 7,776. Bets span 10c to $/€100 per spin, and with two RTP configurations available, the more favourable is 96.36%. Volatility sits in the medium-high range.
There are ten regular pay symbols: 10–A card royals, along with lanterns, bells (possibly), coin bags, coin pots, and a distinctive eye-shaped goblet. Five-of-a-kind royal wins pay 0.3x–0.5x the bet, while premium symbols award 0.8x–2x. A cascading mechanic clears winning symbols from the reels, dropping in new ones to fill the gaps. Wild symbols, appearing in all phases of play, substitute for any paying symbol to help complete winning combinations.
Features Overview
Charm of the Dragon mixes reel boosters, a global multiplier ladder, and sticky mystery symbols in free spins with two bonus rounds—Vault of Riches and Eternal Fortune—plus multiple feature buy options.
Boosters
After every win, one booster is awarded:
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Base Game – Boosters either increase the Multiplier Ladder or expand the reels.
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Free Spins – Boosters can also add sticky mystery symbols in addition to the above.
If a booster reaches its maximum level, another is chosen; once all boosters are maxed, no further boosters are awarded.
Global Multiplier Ladder
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Runs from x1 to x100.
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Boosters increase the ladder by +1 step (or occasionally several).
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The current multiplier applies to all wins and is progressive during cascades.
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Resets to x1 at the start of each new base game spin.
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In free spins, the multiplier is progressive throughout the round.
Expanding Reels
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Boosters can increase grid height by +1 row, up to 5×6.
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Expanded grids persist during cascades but reset to 3 rows in the base game.
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In free spins, grid size is progressive for the duration of the feature.
Sticky Mystery Symbols (Free Spins only)
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Appear only on the middle three reels and remain in place until the feature ends.
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Boosters add one mystery symbol at a time to a random winning position before the next cascade.
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If a reel is filled, new symbols are placed on another available reel.
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All mystery symbols reveal matching symbols or wilds.
Bonus Rounds
Vault of Riches
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Triggered by 3 scatters in the base game.
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Awards 8 free spins plus 3 boosters before the round begins.
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Landing a scatter during the feature grants +1, +2, or +3 spins.
Eternal Fortune
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Triggered by 4 scatters in the base game.
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Awards 10 free spins plus 5 random boosters at the start.
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Begins with the maximum grid size active.
Feature Buys
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BonusHunt FeatureSpins – 5× higher bonus chance for 3x bet.
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Charming FeatureSpins – Guaranteed win on max grid size for 50x bet.
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Vault of Riches Buy – 100x bet.
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Eternal Fortune Buy – 250x bet.
Charm of the Dragon – Slot Verdict
Charm of the Dragon lives up to its name in its own way. The cascading wins and multiplier ladder evoke shades of Gonzo’s Quest, but with added depth—grid expansion in the base game and sticky mystery symbols in free spins give it an extra layer of engagement. Those sticky symbols, particularly on the middle three reels, carry a faint echo of Net Gains’ bonus round, yet the game never feels like a straight imitation. Instead, its features sit comfortably alongside proven, player-favourite mechanics.
The unpredictability of boosters is where the real spark lies, as they can trigger any of the three enhancements—multiplier upgrades, reel expansions, or sticky mysteries—keeping gameplay dynamic and varied. The ways-to-win system also works well here, especially in combination with mystery symbols, and the game can produce exciting chains of consecutive wins, all with a 10,000x max win cap dangling at the finish line.
Where Charm of the Dragon stumbles slightly is in presentation. While far from unattractive—and supported by a likeable dragon mascot—the visuals feel a bit too generic to stand out, lacking the bold personality the gameplay hints it could have. It’s a solid, feature-rich slot with engaging mechanics, but one that could shine even brighter with a more distinctive visual identity.
