Cowboys Gold: a frontier town on five reels

Revolvers, a sheriff’s star, a horseshoe and a cowboy who has clearly seen a few too many sunsets. Cowboys Gold takes the Western theme at face value and dresses the reels in sandy browns and gold. It is not one of the studio’s most talked-about games, which is one more reason to try it first without spending anything. Play Cowboys Gold free here with 1,000 virtual credits, no download and no sign-up.

Start with the paytable

Before the first spin, open the game’s information screen. It tells you the paylines, which symbols carry the most weight and how the special symbols and feature work. With a lesser-known slot, that two-minute read saves you from guessing and gives you something to check against as you play.

A useful Cowboys Gold demo session

Play 200 to 300 spins at one stake. Keep an eye on:

• how many spins in a row go by without a return;
• which symbol is involved in the bigger wins;
• how often the feature appears and what it typically pays compared with the stake.

The Western atmosphere

If you like Western slots, play a few spins with the sound on – the soundtrack does a lot of the atmosphere work, with twanging guitar and the odd gunshot when something good lands. The artwork favours warm desert colours over the darker, grittier look some Western games go for, which keeps it easy on the eye during long sessions. Then decide whether the pace suits you. The real-money version of this free slot is available at the casinos below.