Primal Spirits (Quickspin) Slot Review

Primal Spirits: Slot Overview 

Quickspin’s Primal Spirits is an ambitious, nature-themed slot released on October 25, 2022, that leans into the mystical and spiritual vibes of the wild. The game explores the primal energy of Spirit Animals, Thunder Birds, and Enchanted Gems, building a narrative that’s half tribal folklore and half psychedelic arcade. Set against the backdrop of a moonlit wilderness, Primal Spirits fuses ancient totems with vibrant, colorful animations for a sensory-heavy slot experience. 

This 5-reel, 3-row online slot comes with 25 paylines, tumbling reels, and a progressive Colour Multiplier system that culminates in Thunder Free Spins. On paper, it’s a fairly straightforward offering, but the layered gameplay systems—like Totem Trance transformations and Totem-based triggers—make it both intriguing and unpredictable. With high volatility (rated 5/5), a max win of 8,623x, and a top RTP of 96.02%, the game invites players to embark on a spirit quest that can be rewarding—if you’re willing to embrace its unconventional path.

Design and Graphics 

At first glance, Primal Spirits feels like an artistic experiment. Set during nighttime in a grassy forest clearing under a crescent moon, the reel set is framed by wooden totems glowing with magical power. The background pulses with the hush of nocturnal life—trees swaying, fireflies flickering, stars glimmering. But it’s the symbols that truly stand out.Spirit Animals in vivid colors—blue owls, red foxes, green wolves—bring a vibrant punch to the gameplay, while enchanted gem symbols shimmer in their respective blue, green, purple, and red hues. There’s a clear visual contrast between the high-paying animal heads and the gem-shaped low symbols, organized by color to tie into the core game mechanics. The totems at the left and right sides of the grid act as both a visual frame and mechanical indicator, changing as gameplay evolves. 

Interestingly, some visual comparisons have been drawn between Primal Spirits and titles from the boutique studio Peter & Sons, known for their distinctive art style. Whether coincidental or not, the art direction in Primal Spirits is stylistically cohesive, rich in color, and unusually polished.

Gameplay Mechanics 

On the surface, Primal Spirits follows familiar slot patterns: 5 reels, 3 rows, 25 paylines. Wins are generated when three or more matching symbols land on a payline from left to right. However, the mechanics go deeper thanks to the Tumbling Reels, Totem Trance, and Colour Multiplier systems. 

Every win causes a tumble, removing winning symbols and letting new ones drop down to potentially create chain reactions. After a tumble, if the top part of the left-side Totem lights up in blue, green, purple, or red, all low-paying symbols of that color are transformed into their high-paying animal counterparts. If the top Totem glows gold, all low symbols upgrade, creating a powerful potential for big wins. 

Each transformation that leads to a win also adds +1 to a Colour Multiplier displayed on the right-side Totem. These multipliers grow during both base game and bonus rounds. While in the base game they reset between spins, during Thunder Free Spins, they become progressive, maintaining their value across all rounds.

Sound and Music 

Quickspin’s audio design in Primal Spirits follows a meditative, ambient direction in the base game, blending natural sounds like rustling grass and distant animal calls with tranquil, rhythmic percussion. The music feels more spiritual than tribal, gently reinforcing the mystical theme without overwhelming it. 

However, when a chain reaction of tumbles begins, or when the Totem Trance activates, the sound intensifies. Echoing drums and tonal bursts signal important events—making the soundscape reactive and immersive. During Free Spins, the background audio becomes more urgent and energized, enhancing the tension and emphasizing the stakes of progressive multipliers.

Bonus Features 

Despite the seemingly simple surface, Primal Spirits boasts a rich suite of interlocking features that create layered gameplay dynamics.Tumbling Reels

Triggered with every win, this feature removes winning symbols and drops in new ones from above. It’s the foundation for building consecutive wins, and also acts as the trigger for many other features like Totem Trance. 

Totem Trance

After a tumble, the left-side Totem may light up in one of four colors. If it does, all low-paying symbols of that color are transformed into their high-paying counterparts. If the top of the Totem turns golden, all low-paying symbols are upgraded. This can create dramatic shifts in the grid, especially when combined with Wilds and tumbling reels. 

Colour Multipliers

Each symbol upgrade that leads to a win increases the Colour Multiplier on the right Totem by +1. In the base game, these multipliers reset after each spin. In Free Spins, they are progressive, and continue building until the bonus ends, greatly enhancing win potential. 

Thunder Free Spins

Triggered by landing 3 or more scatter symbols, players receive 10 free spins, plus 5 additional spins for each extra scatter beyond the third. Free Spins can be retriggered within the round. Unlike the base game, Colour Multipliers do not reset between spins, allowing for enormous growth over time and boosting the potential for major wins. 

Buy FeatureFor those who prefer instant access to bonuses, Primal Spirits offers a Buy Feature where players can purchase the Free Spins round for 150x the bet. The RTP when using the Buy Feature increases to 96.53%, making it a statistically attractive option for bonus chasers.

Betting Options and Payouts 

Primal Spirits accommodates a wide player base with betting options starting at €0.25 and going up to €100 per spin. This makes it suitable for both casual spinners and high-stakes enthusiasts. 

The game comes with three RTP configurations: 

96.02% (standard) 

Lower versions for regulated markets 

96.53% when purchasing Free Spins 

Quickspin has rated the volatility at a full 5 out of 5, which is noticeable in the gameplay. Long dry spells are possible, but the payout potential is substantial. The maximum win is pegged at 8,623x the bet, and this was confirmed via 100 million simulated spins. 

Symbol payouts vary by category: 

High-paying animal symbols award 2x to 5x the bet for five on a line. 

Low-paying gems award up to 1.2x the bet. 

Wilds substitute for all symbols and pay up to 5x when forming a five-symbol win.

Conclusion 

Primal Spirits is an enigmatic, vibrant, and occasionally bewildering online slot that defies easy categorization. It marries spiritual motifs with cascading mechanics and adds unique features like the Totem Trance and Colour Multipliers to build a web of layered gameplay. While its aesthetic might feel influenced by Peter & Sons, its mechanical ambition stands on its own. 

For some, the unusual flow—where a tumble leads to a transformation which leads to a multiplier which might lead to another win—can feel like a mystic puzzle. For others, it offers a refreshing alternative to more conventional tumbling games. The Thunder Free Spins with non-resetting multipliers represent the highlight, capable of building to thunderous win potential. 

Though it might not appeal to players who prefer instant gratification or straightforward gameplay, Primal Spirits is an adventure worth taking for those who enjoy digging into complex systems, spiritual themes, and volatile rewards. With a max win of 8,623x, 25 paylines, and a rich audio-visual style, this is a game that rewards exploration—and occasionally, enlightenment.