
There are tons of banana-themed “bonanza” slots out there, so most of us have seen it all. But have you heard about Bonzo’s Bananza? It’s a new release from ELK Studios, and it plays a bit differently from the usual ones but a very known affair between monkey and banana.
Unlike Sweet Bonanza, which focuses on scatter multipliers, this game is built around wild interactions, making the gameplay feel more dynamic and unpredictable.
The theme is fun and fruit-filled. It takes you deep into a South American jungle, where an ancient temple packed with treasure is guarded by a clever monkey named Bonzo. Instead of fighting him, treasure hunters use bananas to distract him, giving them just enough time to sneak inside and grab the gold. Overall, it’s a light, playful concept that mixes jungle adventure with sweet fruit vibes.
The game keeps things pretty simple when it comes to symbols. There are only seven regular pay symbols on the reels, the card ranks from Q to A, plus some fruity favourites like kiwi, orange, watermelon, and a few bird icons. Land five of the same symbol in a row, and you’ll score anywhere from 0.25x up to 5x your bet.
Bonzo’s Bananza runs on a 5-reel, 5-row grid with 259 ways to win, so hits can come from lots of different directions.
The Monkey Wild, when it lands, it can nudge to fill the entire reel, turning that whole column into wild symbols. Once it expands, it also gives you a random multiplier, boosting your win if you land a combo. After the win is paid, you get a respin, giving you another shot to stack more wins without placing a new bet.
This feature is a two-symbol-high Wild that doesn’t just sit there. When it appears, it will nudge either upward or downward on the reel. Every time it moves, you get a respin, so the action keeps going without using another bet.
It keeps nudging step by step, handing out respins each time, until it finally slides off the screen and disappears.
If Banana Wild shows up near the Monkey Wild, it can randomly link up with it. When they connect, every time the Monkey Wild nudges, the multiplier goes up, making your potential win bigger and bigger.
So instead of just one boost, the multiplier can keep growing as long as the nudging continues.

In Bonzo’s Bananza, hitting 3 or more Scatters in the base game starts a bonus round with 5 free spins. If you land 4 Scatters, you also get 1 Monkey Wild at the start, and if you land 5 Scatters, you get 2 Monkey Wilds right away. During the bonus, you can earn more free spins the same way — just land 3 or more Scatters again to add 5 extra spins, and any extra Monkey Wilds will show up on the next spin. The Monkey Wilds you collect during free spins stay locked on the reels the whole time, which helps you build better wins. If a Monkey or Banana Wild triggers respins, those don’t use up your free spins, so the bonus lasts longer. If the bonus starts while a respin is already happening, the game pauses the respin, plays the free spins first, and then goes back to where it left off. One thing to note: any Monkey Wilds that were on the screen when the bonus was triggered don’t come with you into the free spins
2. Bonus Hunt (2× bet):
Gives you a spin with 3× higher chance of triggering any bonus round.
3. Monkey Wild (10× bet):
Guarantees that a Monkey Wild symbol will land
4. Monkey Wild Bananza (25× bet):
Guarantees two Monkey Wilds on the reels
5. Buy Free Spins (100× bet):
Instantly starts the regular free spins bonus (as if you landed 3+ Scatters)
6. Super Bonus (500× bet):
Starts the best version of the bonus, triggered as if you landed 5 Scatters.
During my 100 spins playing Bonzo’s Bananza at a €1 bet, the game gave wins quite often, but they were mostly small. I frequently got around €5.55, sometimes about €4.90, and similar amounts, nothing really big. Monkey Wilds showed up fairly often, which kept things moving.
However, I didn’t manage to trigger the bonus round at all, even though the game teased it three times with anticipation effects. Overall, not much exciting happened. The gameplay felt a bit plain and steady, with regular small wins but no major moments.
The theme of Bonzo’s Bananza is familiar, using a colorful jungle-and-fruit style that many slot players already recognize. For experienced players, this can feel comfortably classic rather than brand-new, while still being visually fun and easy to follow. In terms of gameplay, the slot leans toward a higher-risk style, meaning wins may not appear constantly, but the game is designed to deliver larger payouts less often. Because of this, sessions can include quiet periods with several non-winning spins or smaller returns, followed by the possibility of stronger hits. Free spins start with five spins, bonus features can be pricey to buy directly, and overall results can vary from session to session, something that rewards patience and careful bankroll management rather than quick returns.
At the same time, the game provides solid opportunities for players who enjoy chasing bigger rewards, especially at higher stakes. It includes multiple feature-buy options that can create strong starting conditions, such as guaranteed Monkey Wilds or bonus rounds where respins don’t reduce your remaining free spins. This means once the action begins, it can continue for longer stretches and potentially build momentum. For players comfortable with larger bets, these tools make it easier to explore the game’s full potential and aim for high payouts, while others can still enjoy the base game at their own pace. Overall, it’s a risk-and-reward experience designed to suit different play styles depending on budget and expectations. But having said all above the game does not clear the standard slots in the market, maybe just an addition to one of them.
My name is Manish, and I’ve spent the last 6+ years working at the heart of the iGaming industry, not only as a reviewer, but as a developer building slot clients for some of the industry’s top providers. Read More→