Meet Gary Again in a Festive Tropical Paradise

If you enjoyed The Tipsy Tourist: Beach Bonanza Hold & Win, then you’ll be excited to see Gary back, this time decked out in his Christmas best! Imagine a snowy beach on a tropical island—sounds like a paradox, right? But that’s exactly the vibe Betsoft delivers with The Tipsy Tourist: Christmas Vacation. Gary’s still the slightly tipsy, fun-loving tourist, but now he’s celebrating the holidays with a cocktail in hand and a Santa hat on his head. It’s a quirky twist on the usual Christmas slot, blending holiday cheer with sunny beach vibes.

Gameplay and Payouts: What to Expect

This slot sticks to the classic Betsoft formula with 5 reels, 3 rows, and 20 paylines. You can bet anywhere from 0.2 up to 80, making it suitable for both casual players and high rollers. The RTP sits at a solid 96.06% by default, but some operators might offer lower versions, so keep an eye out if you want the best odds.

The game’s volatility is medium to high, which means you can expect some steady action with the chance of those Mega wins. The max payout is a juicy 5,000X your bet, which is nothing to sneeze at!

Winning combinations form by landing 3 or more matching symbols on adjacent reels, starting from the left. The symbols fit the tropical Christmas theme perfectly:

  • Lower-paying symbols: Cherry cocktail, beer, watermelon drink, pineapple drink (payouts range from 4X to 7.5X for 5 of a kind)
  • Higher-paying symbols: Suitcase, purple star, wife, and Gary himself (payouts range from 17.5X to 250X for 5 of a kind)

Wilds, Bonuses, and Mystery Symbols

The Wild Symbol is a Christmas ball with “Wild” written on it. It substitutes for all symbols except the Bonus and Collect symbols and appears on reels 2 through 5. This helps you build those winning combos more easily.

One of the coolest mechanics here is the Stacked Mystery Symbol. These can land anywhere on the reels and, once the spin stops, all stacked mystery positions reveal the same symbol type—except for Bonus, Collect, and Wild symbols. It’s like a Mega surprise that can boost your chances of hitting a big win!

The Hold & Win Feature: Where the Mega Action Happens

This is the heart of the game. To trigger the Hold & Win feature, you need to land at least 5 Bonus Symbols and 1 Collect Symbol anywhere on the reels during the base game. This awards you 9 spins to start the feature.

During the Hold & Win, only blanks, Bonus, and Collect symbols can land. Every time a Collect symbol lands, it locks in place and collects the values of all Bonus symbols currently on the reels. Once all Bonus symbols are collected, they disappear, and the respins continue.

The Bonus symbols carry cash values from 0.5X to 50X your bet, but they can also reveal one of four Jackpots:

  • Mini Jackpot: 10X your bet
  • Minor Jackpot: 30X your bet
  • Major Jackpot: 100X your bet
  • Grand Jackpot: 500X your bet

Two special symbols spice things up:

  • +1 Spin: Adds an extra spin to your count
  • Expand: Expands the reel by one position and adds a spin

These can really extend your Mega spin session and boost your chances of landing those big prizes.

Feature Buy: Jump Straight Into the Action

Don’t want to wait for the Hold & Win to trigger naturally? No problem! You can use the Feature Buy option to jump straight into the bonus round for 46X your bet. This comes with an RTP of 96.03%, which is pretty fair considering the Mega potential of the feature.

Is This Tropical Christmas Slot Worth Your Time?

Playing The Tipsy Tourist: Christmas Vacation feels like a holiday escape with a twist. Gary’s antics and the tropical Christmas theme make it a fun, lighthearted slot. However, I have to admit, I was hoping for some festive tunes to really get me in the holiday spirit. The lack of Christmas music is a bit of a letdown, especially since the visuals scream holiday cheer.

That said, if you loved the original Tipsy Tourist and want a fresh, seasonal reskin with the same solid gameplay and Mega win potential, this slot delivers. The Hold & Win feature is where the real excitement lies, and those jackpots can seriously boost your holiday bankroll.

So, are you ready to join Gary on a snowy beach, sip some cocktails, and chase those Mega wins? If yes, this slot might just be your perfect Christmas getaway!