Sweet Bonanza Xmas: the candy classic under a layer of snow

Snow drifts past a candy village lit up for the season, and the familiar sweets now share the screen with a Christmas soundtrack. If you have played the original, you will know within three spins what is going on; if you have not, the Sweet Bonanza Xmas demo is as good a place to start as any. You get 1,000 virtual credits, nothing to install and no form to fill in.

What stays the same

Underneath the decorations, this is Sweet Bonanza. Pragmatic Play kept the six-by-five grid, the rule that eight or more identical symbols anywhere on screen make a win, and the tumble that clears winning symbols and drops new ones in their place. The heart sweet is still the one to hope for, and the fruit still pays the least. The lollipop scatter still opens the free spins when four or more land, and the bonus still brings in multiplier bombs that only count when a tumble sequence finishes on a win.

What changes

The differences are about atmosphere rather than rules: a winter backdrop, a reworked colour palette with more blues and whites, seasonal music and sound effects. Some players find the Christmas edition calmer on the eyes during long sessions; others simply prefer the summer pinks. Neither version plays differently in the features you can see, so choose the one you enjoy looking at.

The ante bet toggle is there too, raising the stake in exchange for more frequent scatters. Try it for fifty spins and then without it for fifty more.

A festive test run

• Give the Sweet Bonanza Xmas free play at least 150 spins: the bonus can take its time.
• Note how often a tumble chain reaches four drops or more.
• In the free spins, track the bombs that land on spins without a win. They show how swingy the round is.

The Sweet Bonanza Xmas slot works in portrait on a phone, exactly like the original. Once you have had your fill of the snow, the same game is available for real money at the casinos below.