The tale
In the sagas, the shieldmaiden is never the one left watching the shore. She stands at the prow as the longship noses into a strange harbour, and the wolves loping along the strand answer to her call. The Shieldmaiden’s Wheel paints that world in blood-red and storm-blue: carved prows, curling war-horns, wolf heads, and the round, iron-bossed shields at the heart of the game. It is the kind of tale best told in a crowded hall, loud, bright and more than a little boastful.
How a round unfolds
The layout is the old familiar one: five reels side by side, each three symbols tall. Ordinary symbols add play credits when they form a line, but the ones to keep an eye on are the shields, every one of them painted with a credit value. If a spin leaves just one or two shields showing, the reels may shift a notch up or down to haul extra shields into sight, so even a quiet turn has its moment of held breath. All of it runs on make-believe credits the game gives you at no cost.
The bonus game, counted in credits
The bonus game is told in two versions, which share several of the same tricks. A shield that strikes can spread to cover its whole reel instead of a single square; a wheel symbol can set a multiplier wheel turning to raise the credit values in play; and particular value symbols can award three more free spins, lengthening the round. Which of these you meet depends on the version you reach. Money plays no part: the free spins cost nothing, and whatever figure stands at the close is simply a score that never leaves the game.
Playing at an easy pace
Norse tales run long, but your evening need not. Settle on how long you will sit by the fire before you begin, and keep a mug of tea at your elbow so you pause naturally every so often. If you switch on autoplay, give it a short run of spins rather than leaving it turning unattended. And remember that whether the bonus game arrives is down to chance alone: there is no pattern to read and no run of bad luck to make up for.