Coba Reborn: Slot Overview

ELK Studios has revisited the jungle adventure with their game Coba Reborn, bringing back the slithering snake from the original Coba. The first game was known for its unique snake symbol eating mechanic and stunning design, which left a lasting impression. With Coba Reborn, ELK Studios retains most of the elements that made the first game a hit while adding some new features and making tweaks to create a familiar yet fresh experience.

While the music has remained largely unchanged, it’s as if ELK Studios swapped the gold filter for a blue/grey one when creating Coba Reborn. The game has a darker and moodier look compared to the original, but it is still visually striking. The dominant visual theme remains an exotic culture, although Coba Reborn is set in a more mysterious and lush part of the world. The game grid is adorned with snake heads on the sides and top, nestled in dense foliage and what appears to be ancient ruins in the background. While it may seem standard in some ways, the ELK Studios team has managed to make it visually appealing, drawing on their experience from games like Pacific Gold and Voodoo Gold.

Behind the scenes, there have been some changes as well. One notable difference is that the volatility in Coba Reborn has been cranked up to high, compared to the medium volatility of the previous game. Additionally, the RTP has decreased to 94%, a return value that applies whether you’re wagering 20 pence/cents to £/€100 per spin in the regular mode or using the bonus mode to purchase features from the X-iter menu. Coba Reborn is played on a 7×7 grid, and it employs a cluster pays system, which means you win when at least 5 matching symbols are connected anywhere on the board.

Symbol values have also been adjusted, with significant reductions in certain areas. Coba Reborn’s lower-value symbols include a green turtle, blue lizard, and bronze monkey, while the higher-value symbols consist of a green gem, blue gem, red gem, and a gold mask. Forming a winning cluster of 5 matching symbols yields a payout of 0.05 to 1 times your bet, while larger clusters of 15 or more symbols can result in wins ranging from 1.5 to 50 times your bet. Wild symbols are present and can substitute for any regular paying symbol to help create winning clusters.

Coba Reborn: Slot Features

Now, let’s dive into Coba Reborn’s features, which combine snakes and flowers for an intriguing gaming experience. To begin, winning symbols are removed from the game board when they form a cluster, making way for new symbols to drop down from above. These removed winning symbols are also collected by the snake progress meter. The Avalanche feature keeps the action going in this manner until no new wins are achieved.

Snake Progress Meter

As the snake progress meter fills up, it brings unique rewards to the gameplay. When the meter is half-filled, wild symbols are randomly scattered across the grid after the symbol refill, enhancing your chances of creating winning clusters. When the meter is completely filled, snakes are unleashed based on the level you’ve reached. Reaching levels 1, 2, or 3 triggers the release of 3 snakes, which enter the grid from random entry points on the sides. If you manage to reach level 4, you’ll witness the entry of 6 snakes, adding an exciting twist to the game.

Snakes

Snakes play a unique role in Coba Reborn, serving as dynamic clusters of symbols. These snakes have some distinct characteristics:

1. Snake Formation: A snake consists of a linear cluster of symbols, with a minimum length of 5 symbols. The snake cluster must either create a winning cluster on its own or contribute to a larger cluster on the grid.
2. Survival States: Snakes can be in one of two states: yellow or blue. A yellow-bodied snake will survive until the next avalanche drop, while a blue-bodied snake may not. All snakes begin in the yellow survival state after an avalanche.
3. Symbol Transformation: When a snake starts its movement, it selects the first symbol it encounters as its own, which is indicated by the symbol on its head. Symbols that the snake moves over are transformed into its selected symbol, except for orchids or wilds.
4. Growth: A snake can grow in length and change its body to yellow by moving over symbols that match its selected symbol type. This includes consuming wild symbols.
5. Risk of Death: If a snake does not move over (consume) symbols of its selected type, wilds, or orchids during its entire movement, it will die and be removed from the grid before any win evaluations.
6. Wild Snakes: Snakes with a wild as their selected symbol can turn crossed symbols into wild symbols. To grow and survive, they must consume wilds, multiplier wilds, or orchids. Wins involving wild symbols pay according to the highest-value symbol.
7. Multiplier Wilds: When snakes cross paths, they create multiplier wild symbols, starting at x2 and doubling with each intersection at the same position. Multiple multipliers in a win are multiplied together. A snake that consumes a wild multiplier grows and turns yellow.
8. Self-Crossing: A snake that crosses itself or bites its own tail without the ouroboros feature active will die and be removed from the reels.

These snake mechanics add a unique and dynamic element to the game, making each spin an exciting adventure with the potential for significant wins.

Orchids

Coba Reborn introduces four distinct orchid symbols, each with its unique characteristics:

1. Blood Orchid: When two Blood Orchid symbols are in view, they each spawn a snake. Alternatively, a Blood Orchid can absorb another type of orchid in view, taking its position and spawning a snake. Once the snake moves, the former Blood Orchid position transforms into a wild symbol. When a snake consumes a Blood Orchid, it triggers the appearance of a random number of snakes from random entry points along the sides of the grid.
2. Hydra Orchid: When a snake consumes a Hydra Orchid, it creates another snake with the same symbol type positioned behind its head. If the snake has the Rebirth or Ouroboros feature, these features are passed on to the newly spawned snake.
3. Rebirth Orchid: Eating a Rebirth Orchid allows a snake to be resurrected from the dead, maintaining its previous length and retaining the Ouroboros feature if it had it. The Rebirth feature persists through multiple avalanche drops.
4. Ouroboros Orchid: If a snake consumes an Ouroboros Orchid, it gains the ability to cross itself without facing death. This crossing results in the snake growing, entering the survival state with a yellow body. Additionally, the crossing position becomes a multiplier wild.

Snakes may possess both the Rebirth and Ouroboros features simultaneously but cannot consume another Rebirth or Ouroboros orchid if they already carry these features. These orchid symbols enhance the gameplay experience and provide various strategic opportunities for players.

X-iter

In Coba Reborn, the X-iter feature, a hallmark of ELK Studios, offers players various game modes to choose from:

1. Boosted Chance: For a cost of 2x the bet, players get one drop with a significantly higher chance of reaching the first level on the snake meter.
2. Flower Power: By paying 10x the bet, players receive one drop featuring at least 3 random orchids.
3. All Ouroboros: This mode, priced at 25x the bet, provides a game round with double blood orchids, allowing all snakes to cross themselves.
4. Bali Boost: For a cost of 100x the bet, players are guaranteed a game round that will reach at least level 1 on the snake meter.
5. Coba: At a cost of 500x the bet, players embark on a game round starting on level 4 and receive 6 snakes as a reward.

These X-iter modes offer players various gameplay experiences, allowing them to tailor their sessions to their preferences and risk tolerance.

Coba Reborn: Slot Verdict

Forming a definitive opinion about Coba Reborn took some time. The initial impression was that it felt somewhat similar to the original, and sequels often struggle to stand out. It lacked the novelty factor of being entirely new. However, upon closer examination, it became evident that Coba Reborn introduced notable changes, such as the flower features and increased volatility, which might appeal to some players while not to others.

On the downside, ELK Studios lowered the RTP, which was disappointing. They also made adjustments to the pay symbols, reducing the values of larger clusters. This balancing act meant that, at times, lengthy sequences of events in Coba Reborn could result in limited outcomes. Nevertheless, the game has the potential to produce significant wins, particularly when the snakes interact with orchids. The impressive 25,000x maximum win potential from the original Coba remained, although achieving such a win in this game system would be remarkable.

Overall, it was challenging to label Coba Reborn as a significant improvement over the original. It felt somewhat on par with Coba, perhaps slightly more intricate, but considering the RTP reduction, some might view it as less favorable. However, the introduction of new orchids and their unique abilities added an interesting twist to the gameplay. By the end, the overall impression was positive enough to recommend Coba Reborn to those who enjoyed the snake-themed action in the original Coba slot, albeit with a few reservations.