Let’s hope it never comes to this, but if humanity were ever wiped out by some catastrophic event, man-made or otherwise, who’s to say which animal might rise to dominate the planet next? Online slots sometimes lean into this kind of speculative fun, and Push Gaming taps into it with Henry the Ape. In this game, our primate cousins take center stage, mimicking human life while delivering nudges, a heavy emphasis on high-paying symbols, free spins, and symbol upgrades.
Visually, Henry the Ape stands out thanks to a creative fisheye lens effect that places the action at street level. Players get a sweeping view of towering buildings, graffiti-tagged walls, a yellow cab, a boombox, and more, evoking the gritty energy of New York City. Music plays a key role too, nodding to NYC’s hip-hop roots and tying the whole experience together. While Henry the Ape doesn’t go full East Coast vs. West Coast, the catchy soundtrack and urban vibes make it easy to groove along as Henry and his crew swing into action.
Henry might look like a brute and his game reflects that with a highly volatile math model. The default RTP stands at a solid 96.44%, and bets range from 10 cents to $/€100 per spin. Activating the Push Bet feature doubles the stake and boosts your chances of triggering the bonus round. The action unfolds on a 6×4 grid, offering 4,096 ways to win.
The pay symbols include J to A as lows, microphones and boomboxes as mids, two monkey characters for the high-paying symbols, and Henry himself as the super high-paying symbol. For five-of-a-kind wins: lows pay 0.8x, mids 1.5x, highs 3x, and the super high pays 6x your stake.
When Henry lands on reels 2 through 5, he activates the Nudge feature. This causes each super high-paying symbol to nudge down one row while the other reels respin. Nudging continues until all such symbols leave the grid.
Wilds appear on reels 2 to 6 and can substitute for any paying symbol. In the base game, wilds can also carry multipliers ranging from x2 to x10, and these values are added together when forming a win.
Henry the Ape: Slot Features Overview
Henry the Ape includes an exciting mix of features such as Fat Stacks, Drop the Win, Rewind, Second Chance, Free Spins, and two Feature Buy options.
Base Game Features
- Fat Stacks: On a non-winning spin in either the base game or bonus round, 1 to 2 stacks of super high-paying symbols can randomly be added to reels 2, 3, 4, or 5.
- Drop the Win: May trigger after a non-winning base game spin. This feature adds wilds or super high-paying symbols to form a guaranteed win.
- Rewind: Also triggered after a losing spin, Rewind respin the reels to deliver a winning combination.
- Second Chance: When exactly two scatters land, there’s a chance this feature activates. If triggered, an extra scatter is nudged onto the reels, awarding free spins.
Free Spins
- 3 Scatters: Awards 8 free spins
- 4 Scatters: Awards 10 free spins, with the mid 2 symbol upgraded to the super high symbol
- 5 Scatters: Awards 12 free spins, and all mid symbols are upgraded
- 6 Scatters: Awards 15 free spins, with both mid and high symbols upgraded
During free spins:
- A Bonus Meter appears above the reels.
- Super high symbols may land with a Gold Disk, which is collected.
- For every 4 Gold Disks collected:
- Extra spins are awarded: +5, +4, +3, +2 (at 4, 8, 12, and 16 disks)
- Symbols are upgraded: mid 2, mid 1, high 2, high 1 become super high symbols
- Wilds in wins always come with a random multiplier.
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Feature Buy Options
- Buy a random free spins round for 179x your bet
- Buy 6-scatter-triggered free spins for 425x your bet
Players can use the Feature Buy option to enchance their experience playing Henry the Ape, most reputable UK casinos accept credit cards, among other modern payment options, making it easy and hassle-free to do this.
Final Verdict
At first glance, Henry the Ape immediately stirs memories of Pink Elephants from Thunderkick, lead animal character, 6×4 grid, 4,096 ways to win, and a symbol upgrade mechanic in free spins. While these elements aren’t new, they’re certainly effective. Still, for a developer with Push Gaming’s reputation, this setup might feel a bit too familiar.
Thankfully, Henry the Ape isn’t a carbon copy. Push Gaming brings its own flair, particularly in the base game. Features like Fat Stacks, Drop the Win, and Rewind inject unpredictability and momentum before you even hit the bonus round. The studio’s signature nudges also make a strong showing, adding drama and potential across every spin, whether it’s a near-miss tease or a satisfying chain of wins.
While the free spins round remains focused on collecting items to upgrade symbols, this mechanic is echoed in the base game too, keeping the action consistent. For those who prefer faster gameplay, Henry the Ape includes a bonus buy option, allowing players to enter free spins with some or all symbols already upgraded, a key feature that could appeal strongly to high-volatility fans and bonus chasers alike.
For players who enjoy slots with memorable characters and engaging gameplay, the Cranky Panda slot offers a hilarious and rewarding adventure, making it a great alternative to Henry the Ape. You can play it at all UK online casinos, making it a great alternative to Henry the Ape.