Phoenix Sun — each winning Wild removes three cover tiles

Phoenix Sun by Quickspin changes from three to six rows in height and from 243 to 7,776 ways. Expansion is driven by Phoenix Wilds participating in wins.

Phoenix Rising Respins

Any Phoenix Wild on a winning way triggers the feature. Each participating Phoenix Wild removes three random cover tiles above the starting 3×5 grid and starts a respin with the expanded layout.

Respins continue while another Phoenix Wild appears in a winning combination. The sequence also ends if Free Spins are won.

Collecting Free Spins

Five Phoenix Wilds collected within a game round award eight Free Spins. Count collected qualifying Wilds rather than every phoenix graphic visible in an animation.

Evidence limits

The abbreviated HTML overview publishes the row and ways ranges; its linked technical sheet supplies a reference RTP and euro stake range below. Those reference fields do not identify an active operator configuration or confirm Phoenix Sun at a New Zealand casino.

Verified expansion facts

Quickspin describes Phoenix Sun as beginning with five reels and three rows, producing 243 ways. The board can expand to six rows and 7,776 ways. Phoenix Wilds participating in winning ways drive the Phoenix Rising Respins feature.

Each qualifying Phoenix Wild removes three random cover tiles above the starting 3×5 grid and begins a respin with the expanded layout. Respins continue while another Phoenix Wild appears in a winning combination. The sequence also ends if Free Spins are awarded.

Five qualifying Phoenix Wilds collected within one game round award eight Free Spins. The linked sheet adds reference RTP, stakes and a simulated maximum, not a contractual exposure cap. Full cover-selection distribution and New Zealand availability remain unconfirmed.

Starting grid and cover map

Draw five reels with three active positions each and three covered positions above them, creating a possible six-row height. Label all 15 covers individually. Covered cells are inactive; they should not contain symbols or contribute to the 243 starting ways.

Before a feature event, save the active 3×5 grid and cover mask. When a qualifying Wild removes covers, update only the specific tiles reported by the game. Do not reveal a full row merely because three covers disappear somewhere on the board.

The active shape can become uneven during expansion. Record per-reel height or individual revealed cells rather than assuming every step creates a rectangle.

Qualifying Phoenix Wild

A Phoenix Wild must participate in a winning way to trigger cover removal. Record its coordinate and the combination it completes. A visible Phoenix Wild outside a winning way should not be counted as a qualifier under the public wording.

Keep ordinary phoenix-themed artwork separate from the named Wild. Use the paytable label and round history. Count one qualifying symbol once even if it supports several winning ways, unless the live rules explicitly define another calculation.

The Wild’s payout role and feature role are related but distinct: first verify the winning way, then record three cover removals and the respin state.

Three-cover removal event

For every qualifying Phoenix Wild, list the three covered coordinates removed. The provider describes the selection as random. Do not choose tiles editorially or infer a fixed top-to-bottom order from one round.

If several qualifying Wilds participate in one settled grid, assign IDs P1, P2 and so on. The deployed event history should establish whether each removes three covers and how overlapping selections are avoided. Do not publish a total without checking the live rules.

Previously revealed cells cannot be removed again. If animation highlights one, compare the final cover mask and server event before counting it as a new reveal.

Expansion and ways table

Use a row for every respin with active-cell count, per-reel heights, covers removed, displayed ways and winning ways. The known endpoints are 243 at the 3×5 start and 7,776 at six rows, but intermediate counts should come from the live interface or game sheet.

Do not calculate intermediate ways by assuming a rectangular board when heights differ. Multiplying visible reel heights may be correct for some ways systems, but the deployed paytable is the authority.

Only attach 7,776 ways to the complete six-row state. A board with one covered tile remaining has a different configuration even if promotional artwork already shows the full phoenix.

Phoenix Rising Respin chain

After cover removal, record the expanded board before the respin. Evaluate the new grid and identify any Phoenix Wild participating in another winning way. Each new qualifier can remove further covers and continue the sequence.

The chain ends when no qualifying Phoenix Wild appears or when Free Spins are won. Existing Phoenix Wilds that do not participate in a new winning way do not extend the chain merely by remaining visible.

Attach all respins to the original paid round. They should not create new stake debits. Preserve the terminal cover mask and final settlement.

Collection counter for Free Spins

Five Phoenix Wilds collected within one game round award eight Free Spins. Record only qualifying collected Wilds recognised by the feature counter. Do not count every phoenix graphic, animation clone or Wild outside the collection rule.

Use stable IDs and update the counter after each documented collection. The phrase “within a game round” means the progress belongs to the active feature chain, not unrelated paid spins, unless the deployed help says otherwise.

When the fifth qualifying Wild is collected, save the feature message and eight-spin starting counter. The respin sequence ends as the Free Spins route begins under the published description.

Eight Free Spins

Record the starting counter and deployed feature state. The linked supplier sheet explicitly places Free Spins on the full five-reel, six-row grid with 7,776 ways. Retrigger conditions, transition ordering and subsequent reset details still require the active help; do not describe the starting bonus geometry as wholly unknown.

Do not assume that five further Wilds create another eight spins. Any retrigger needs direct source support. Keep collection events during the feature separate until the deployed rules explain them.

Eight is a spin count, not RTP, multiplier or expected number of wins.

Worked Free Spins transition

Imagine the collection counter reaches four during a respin chain. A new qualifying Wild P5 appears, participates in a win and completes the published five-Wild requirement. Record its three-cover event where applicable, counter reaching five and the eight-spin award.

Then mark the respin route terminal and open a Free Spins ledger. Do not continue both counters in parallel unless the live game history explicitly does so.

The example does not claim how many covers remained in the last respin. The supplier reference specifies a full five-reel, six-row bonus board; distinguish that documented feature geometry from the preceding partial cover mask and verify the deployed transition.

Full six-row validation

Before publishing the maximum 7,776 ways, verify six active positions on every reel or the exact full-board state defined by the game. All 15 original covers should be removed. Save the ways display and version.

A fiery background, large Phoenix or open top row alone is not enough. Count active cells and compare the paytable. Animation may reveal decorative areas that are not evaluable.

The maximum ways count does not establish maximum payout. Symbol values and feature caps remain necessary.

RTP, stakes and maximum exposure

Open the deployed help and collect symbol values, Wild substitution, ways calculation, cover map, multi-Wild removal order, collection rule, Free Spins behaviour, stake range, RTP and maximum exposure. Record version, operator and date.

RTP cannot be inferred from 243 or 7,776 ways. More ways change the number of evaluated combinations, while stake scaling and probabilities remain part of the certified model.

If several RTP versions exist, publish only the tested deployment’s value. Do not combine one build’s cover behaviour with another’s mathematics.

New Zealand availability

The global provider page does not confirm Phoenix Sun for real-money play in New Zealand. Verify operator country terms, account eligibility, signed-in catalogue and matching game help. A demo or indexed page is insufficient.

Currency, payments, verification and withdrawals require operator evidence. Do not infer them from the title’s availability elsewhere.

Date the check and never recommend bypassing location controls. Mark local access unconfirmed when evidence is absent.

Mobile and accessibility audit

At phone width, active and covered cells must remain distinguishable across six possible rows. The collection counter, ways display and current wager should not be hidden by expansion. Test portrait, landscape and reduced-motion settings.

Use labels or patterns in addition to dark cover artwork. Keyboard focus must reach help, paytable and history. A persistent final mask is necessary because rapid cover-removal animation can be missed.

After interruption, compare cover mask, reel heights, collected Wild IDs, route, balance and round ID before continuing.

Support evidence

Save provider, title, version, operator, date, stake, currency, balances and round ID. Add every qualifying Wild, winning way, three-cover set, height vector, ways count, collection transition and settlement.

For a missing removal, identify P ID and expected three coordinates. For a counter dispute, list all five recognised Wild events. Ask authenticated support for server events.

Never share passwords, codes, private keys or seed phrases. Redact unrelated data.

Suitability and session control

Phoenix Sun may suit readers who enjoy visibly expanding boards and can track a cover map. It may be unsuitable for anyone who treats a nearly open board or four collected Wilds as value owed by the next respin.

Set stake, money and time limits before play. The player does not choose winning Phoenix Wilds or random cover removals. Prior progress within a round does not guarantee the fifth collection.

Treat settlement or the transition to eight Free Spins as a clear review point. Expansion is not stored cash for future rounds.

Cover-removal worksheet

Create 15 rows for the original cover tiles: three potential upper positions above each of five reels. Each feature-event column should show covered, removed by P1, removed by P2 and so on. Once a tile is revealed, carry that state forward through the round.

This worksheet catches duplicate counting. If animation highlights a tile already removed, the final state will show no newly active position there. Ask the server event log which three covers belonged to the qualifying Wild rather than adding the highlight again.

Alongside the mask, maintain a height vector for the five reels. Individual cover removal may produce uneven heights, so a vector such as 4‑3‑5‑3‑4 is more precise than saying “the board has four rows”. Use the displayed ways count for that exact state.

Ways reconciliation

Record active positions per reel and the ways value shown by the game. Do not force a calculation when the live paytable uses exclusions or another evaluation rule. The 243 and 7,776 endpoints can be verified against the published start and full expansion.

For every winning way, keep symbol coordinates and any Phoenix Wild substitution. A qualifying Wild may contribute to several ways, but its cover-removal event should still be counted according to the game’s symbol rule, not multiplied by the number of winning combinations.

Compare the per-respin award ledger with account history. More available ways do not guarantee a larger credit; symbols and their placement still determine settlement.

Counter and route reconciliation

Use two status fields: Phoenix Rising Respins active and Free Spins active. The first remains open while new qualifying Wilds appear. When the fifth collected Wild awards eight Free Spins, close the respin route and open the feature counter according to the server event order.

This prevents one Wild from being counted twice merely because it both removes covers and completes the collection requirement. Record both effects under the same P identifier where the deployed rules show them.

If the Free Spins transition occurs during an animation, preserve the last respin grid, cover mask and collection counter before opening the new ledger. Do not lose partial expansion evidence.

Short answers

What is the starting layout? Three rows and five reels.

How tall can it become? Six rows.

What is the ways range? From 243 to 7,776.

What triggers Phoenix Rising Respins? A Phoenix Wild in a winning combination.

How many cover tiles does each qualifying Wild remove? Three.

What awards eight Free Spins? Five collected Phoenix Wilds in the game round.

Is New Zealand availability confirmed? No.

Official source

• Quickspin: Phoenix Sun
• Linked Phoenix Sun technical sheet

What eighteen active cells actually tell you

The initial five reels each have three active positions: the vector is (3, 3, 3, 3, 3), its sum is fifteen and its ordinary all-positions product is 243. Consider one hypothetical accepted removal event revealing three previously covered cells. Eighteen positions are now active, but their total alone does not identify the number of combinations. The per-reel distribution matters.

For example, suppose the actual history shows one new active position on reels one, two and five. The resulting vector is (4, 4, 3, 3, 4). Its sum is eighteen; its product is 4 × 4 × 3 × 3 × 4 = 576. Contrast a separate hypothetical mask with all three new positions on reel five: (3, 3, 3, 3, 6), also eighteen positions, but 3 × 3 × 3 × 3 × 6 = 486. Neither is a four-row rectangle.

These are conditional combinatorial examples, not assertions that both cover masks are reachable or equally likely in Phoenix Sun. They assume every indicated position is active and the deployed rules use the ordinary product evaluation. Actual tile eligibility, ordering, exclusions and displayed ways must be checked before attaching either intermediate number to a recorded round. An inactive decorative space contributes nothing.

Illustrative state	Active positions	Conditional product	Interpretation
Initial (3, 3, 3, 3, 3)	15	243	Published starting endpoint
Distributed reveal (4, 4, 3, 3, 4)	18	576	Hypothetical accepted mask, not observed gameplay
Concentrated reveal (3, 3, 3, 3, 6)	18	486	Alternative hypothetical mask, same position total
Full (6, 6, 6, 6, 6)	30	7,776	Published full-grid endpoint

The product counts potential position combinations, not matching-symbol wins. No symbol distribution or paytable coefficient has been supplied in this example, so neither 576 nor 486 produces a monetary credit by itself. Likewise, three newly revealed positions are not three collected Phoenix Wilds. A single qualifying Wild can cause a three-tile event while the collection record advances only as the game recognises that symbol.

At the eight-Free-Spin transition, start a new geometry record. The reference bonus begins full-sized; it need not be described as another ordinary three-cover intermediate step. Preserve the last respin mask separately so a fully open bonus screen is not retroactive evidence that every prior cover was removed by the last Wild.

Reading the linked reference model

The single-page technical sheet identifies phoenixsun, volatility 3.65 on the supplier’s one-to-five scale, reference euro bets from €0.25 to €100 and a €1 default. These are reference settings, not a claim that an operator accepts euros, allows that maximum or uses the same profile today.

Its return components are 36.86 percentage points for base play, 33.46 for the respin feature and 25.76 for Free Spins. The sum is 36.86 + 33.46 + 25.76 = 96.08%, matching the printed total. The 25.76 contribution is neither a 25.76% chance of triggering Free Spins nor a return promised for each bonus. Do not add 96.08 again to the three components.

The sheet’s 1,716-times-bet maximum is labelled within a one-billion-spin sample. That label describes the reported observation, not an independently verified contractual ceiling or attainable typical outcome. A current maximum-exposure statement requires the active rules, not just that sample statistic.

Can equal active-cell totals produce different ways counts?

Under an all-positions product, yes: the two illustrative eighteen-cell vectors yield 576 and 486. This is why a removal worksheet needs coordinates, not just a running count. The live displayed count remains authoritative for the actual mask.

Available positions versus matching instances

The eighteen-cell examples count all active-position choices. A particular winning symbol uses a smaller set. Suppose an independently accepted hypothetical board contains two eligible A instances on reel one, one on reel two, two on reel three, one on reel four and one on reel five. Under ordinary five-reel ways evaluation, that is 2 × 1 × 2 × 1 × 1 = four five-A combinations, not all 243 available combinations.

Now suppose a later accepted reveal adds an A on reel one, a non-A on reel two and an A on reel five. The active-position vector may become (4, 4, 3, 3, 4), but the A-instance vector is (3, 1, 2, 1, 2). Its product is twelve, not 576. Reel two gained an active position without gaining another matching instance. Any Wild substitution must be classified by the deployed paytable before it enters an A count.

If that same hypothetical help assigns 0.2B to each such five-A combination, the before-state award would be 0.8B and the after-state award 2.4B. These are invented arithmetic inputs, not Phoenix Sun symbol prizes or results. Only independently settled winning events would justify summing 0.8B and 2.4B; two screenshots of one unsettled event are not two credits.

A reel with zero eligible A instances makes this five-A product zero, even when all thirty positions are open. That says nothing about shorter combinations or other paying symbols. The distinction explains why an expanding board can still settle without the particular win a player is watching.

Fifteen covers are a finite stock

The opening board has fifteen covered upper positions, not an unlimited supply. In a conditional sequence with distinct three-cover events A, B, C and D, four accepted removals would reveal twelve unique covers and leave three. That cover stock and a four-Wild collection counter can coincide, but they remain different measurements.

Suppose animation for event D highlights a tile already listed in C. A highlight alone cannot justify removing the same cover twice. The accepted mask needs twelve genuinely distinct transitions to support a twelve-cover claim. If it shows only eleven, keep that disagreement visible until the actual event record explains it; do not replace a missing tile with one chosen by the reviewer.

Five times three equals fifteen arithmetically, but it does not by itself establish the event scheduler when collection reaches five, several Wilds qualify together or fewer covers remain. The provider says Free Spins end the respin sequence and the sheet puts the bonus on a full grid. A full bonus screen therefore cannot prove which last covers were removed before that transition. Separate the last accepted respin mask from the first bonus board.

Bottom line: count only winning Phoenix Wilds, remove three cover tiles per qualifier and update the ways count with the revealed height.

How to verify the version you can actually open

A provider page proves that a title exists and describes the supplier's intended rules. It does not prove that a casino accepts players in New Zealand, that the title is enabled for a particular account, or that the highest published RTP is the version in the lobby. Treat availability, operator eligibility and product configuration as three separate checks.

Start with identity, then configuration

Open the game only through the authenticated casino lobby. The information or help panel should identify Quickspin, the exact title and the active mathematical return. Compare the reel or grid layout, paylines or cluster rules, named features and symbol behaviour with the official product material. Similar artwork or a matching title is not enough when the help file is missing or inconsistent.

When the supplier publishes several RTP values, report all of them as configurations. Do not assume the highest option is deployed. RTP is a theoretical long-run measure across a very large number of rounds; it is not a refund rate for one player and cannot predict the next result. Volatility is different: it describes how unevenly results are distributed on the provider's scale.

Read stake controls as money, not interface decoration

Provider sheets often quote a reference range in euros. That range does not establish New Zealand-dollar support or the limits in a specific account. Before a paid round, identify the total amount that will leave the balance. If the interface separates denomination, coins and lines, verify the combined total. If Extra Bet is active, calculate its full cost before pressing spin.

Feature-buy prices are multiples of the current bet, not promised returns. A 100x purchase at a $1 stake costs $100; at a $2 stake it costs $200. Availability can vary by market and some mathematical configurations may not support the control. If the live help does not explain the price, delivered feature and active RTP, leave the option unused.

Keep simulation figures in their proper scope

A game sheet may publish a maximum result observed in a large simulation. That is not automatically the contractual maximum payout and never describes a likely session. Preserve the provider's wording, sample size and configuration. Check the live rules for a binding cap and the operator terms for any separate payout limit. Do not turn an extreme result into a promotional headline.

Audit a disputed round

If an animation freezes or a connection drops, do not repeat the wager immediately. Reopen the game through the authenticated lobby and inspect round history. Record the time, total stake, balance movement and round identifier. The result can be settled by the gaming system even when the device never displays the final animation. Send evidence through verified operator support; never disclose a password, recovery phrase or one-time code.

Read the paytable as a calculation document

The paytable should explain what creates a win, which symbols substitute, where special symbols can land and how multiple awards combine. For line games, confirm direction and active paylines. For cluster games, confirm adjacency, minimum group size and the order of collection. For respins, identify what remains locked, what resets the counter and what ends the feature. A graphic effect can illustrate those rules but cannot replace them.

Separate addition from multiplication. Several prize values may be added before a multiplier applies, while reel-specific multipliers can sometimes multiply together only when each reel participates in the same win. Reconstruct one low-stake result from game history. If the arithmetic cannot be matched to the help file, stop and ask the operator rather than guessing.

Do not confuse hit frequency with a profitable round

Provider sheets can publish hit frequency or category probabilities. A hit simply means a round returned a qualifying amount; it can be smaller than the stake. “Big”, “Mega” or “Epic” thresholds are provider reporting categories, not promises. They are useful for comparing mathematical versions only when definitions and samples are the same.

Random outcomes do not become due after a long gap. A feature that appeared repeatedly in a demo or marketing clip has no obligation to repeat in a funded session. Previous rounds do not create a debt from the next random result.

Confirm market and device behaviour independently

A title can exist in the supplier catalogue while an operator disables it for a territory, currency, device or bonus. Language localisation is not evidence of legal availability. Confirm the operator's identity, accepted countries and current lobby separately from the provider review.

On mobile, verify that balance, total bet, feature state and help remain visible without overlap. On desktop, check that browser zoom does not hide a purchase control or change the apparent denomination. Mathematical configuration should not change merely because the screen changes; if the help shows another RTP, treat it as a different deployment and record it.

Keep a compact evidence record

For any fact used in a review, save the title, provider, official URL, document date when available, access date and exact territorial scope. For a live session, add the operator domain, Game ID, RTP, currency and a non-sensitive screenshot of the help panel. This makes later corrections possible when a supplier updates a sheet or an operator changes configuration.

Missing information should remain missing. Do not estimate an RTP from results, convert a euro reference range into an operator's NZD limit, or treat another casino's configuration as evidence. A transparent “not confirmed” is more useful than a precise-looking number without the correct source.

Use limits that survive the feature design

Collection meters, expanding grids, sticky symbols and near misses can make a session feel unfinished. Unless the rules explicitly preserve progress, the visible state has no value after the round or feature ends. Set a money limit and time limit before launch, count feature buys immediately, and stop at the limit even when a meter appears close to an upgrade.

No random game is an income plan. Do not borrow, use essential funds or raise the stake to recover a loss. If play stops feeling recreational, use timeout, deposit-limit or self-exclusion tools and consult the site's responsible gambling guide.