Chests of Cai Shen 2: Slot Overview

Editor’s note: This review is based on an early access version of the game. We may update the review after the full release if necessary.

Cai Shen, the Chinese god of wealth and prosperity, is a familiar face in slot games, popping up time and again. He appeared for developer Pragmatic Play toward the end of 2024 in Chests of Cai Shen, and he returns as 2025 gradually gets underway. This time the game is Chests of Cai Shen 2, a sequel that keeps much of the original’s DNA while adjusting one of the chest-driven modifiers—an update that can make bonus rounds feel tenser and potentially more rewarding.

Plenty in Chests of Cai Shen 2 stays unchanged, visuals included. Once again, it’s a fairly standard but good-looking take on the theme. The action plays out in a scenic waterside location, with pagodas framing the reels and distant mountains sitting beneath brooding clouds. The playfield is also largely familiar, though two notable differences stand out. First, the feature buys now cost more, and second, the green chest has been removed and replaced by a blue chest above the reels, changing what can happen during the respins bonus.

Chests of Cai Shen 2 is a 5-reel, 3-row slot with 25 paylines, paying out for winning combinations of 3 or more matching symbols (2+ for the top symbol). At its highest setting, it offers a solid 96.5% RTP alongside a highly volatile math model. Players can also use two feature buys to jump straight into the bonus round, and stakes range from $/€0.25 to $/€250.

There are ten pay symbols on the Chests of Cai Shen 2 grid: 10-A royals, a bird, a monkey, a panda, a tiger, and Cai Shen. Landing 5 matching card ranks returns 0.6x to 1.2x the bet, while 5 OAK of the other symbols pays 1.2x to 2x the bet. Wild symbols can appear on all reels except the leftmost one. They substitute for every symbol apart from Bonus Coins and money symbols.

Chests of Cai Shen 2: Slot Features

In the base game, three types of Bonus Coins can land on the grid: blue, red, and purple. Each one is collected by its matching chest positioned at the top of the screen.

• Blue Bonus Coin – when collected by the Fulfillment chest, it may trigger the Chest Respin feature with the Multiplier Fulfillment modifier. Four zones divide the grid, and a random multiplier of x2 to x100 is assigned to each zone. When a zone is filled with money symbols during the feature, the values of all money symbols in the zone are multiplied by the multiplier.
• Red Bonus Coin – when collected in the Double chest, it may trigger the Chest Respin feature with the Double modifier, in which case the feature is played on two 5×3 grids.
• Purple Bonus Coin – when collected in the Longevity chest, it may trigger the Chest Respins feature with the Longevity modifier, which grants one extra respin up to a maximum of 4 respins, that resets when new money symbols hit.

Coins are collected after the spin finishes, and if the Chest Respin feature is triggered, 1, 2, or 3 of the modifiers are randomly triggered and remain active for the round that follows.

Chest Respin Feature

While this feature runs, only blank spaces and money symbols can appear, and any Bonus Coins on the reels at the moment it triggers convert into money symbols on one or both grids, depending on whether the Double modifier is in play. Money symbols stay locked in position until the feature ends, and they are worth 0.6x to 30x the bet, or they can show the 10x Mini, 20x Minor, or 150x Major prize. The round starts with 3 respins (4 with Longevity), and these reset whenever new money symbols land and stick. The feature concludes when the respins are used up or the grid is completely filled with money symbols. After that, the combined value of all money symbols is paid. If every position is filled, the 5,000x Grand prize is awarded as an extra on top.

Feature Buy

Chests of Cai Shen 2 includes two feature buy options. One costs 100x and triggers the respins round with the Fulfillment feature plus up to two additional features, while the 500x option buys the same setup but with an x100 multiplier is guaranteed on one of the highlighted zones.

Chests of Cai Shen 2: Slot Verdict

Chests of Cai Shen 2 keeps Pragmatic Play’s run of Chinese-inspired wealth slots going, offering something that feels very familiar but slightly refined for fans of the first game. At a glance, the two titles can look almost identical, but a closer look reveals the updates. The clearest change is the swap from the Prosperity chest to the new Fulfillment chest, and although it’s a small visual tweak, it can meaningfully reshape the bonus round when the Blue Bonus Coin helps bring it to life.

In the previous game, the Prosperity modifier would boost the values of up to 3 coins by a random amount at the end of random spins—handy, but not especially standout. Fulfillment may not be a headline-grabber either, yet it can introduce a more edge-of-your-seat feel to the Chest Respin feature. Instead of simply hoping for coins, you’re now aiming for them to land in the right spots to complete zones and activate the relevant multiplier. If the zone tied to an x100 multiplier gets filled, then jackpot prizes—or even small coin values—inside it can quickly build into something substantial.

Along with the added tension comes improved upside, as Chests of Cai Shen 2 ships with a 15,000x the bet win cap. Still, Chests of Cai Shen 2 doesn’t dramatically change the core formula, and while the tweaks add a bit more bite, the sequel ultimately falls short of being truly unforgettable.