NetGame’s Dancing Lanterns 2 is a 5-reel, 40-line Asian-themed sequel featuring floating Wilds, five fixed jackpots up to 3,000×, and a 95.02 % RTP that suits medium-volatility bankroll play.
NetGame’s lantern-series sequel
NetGame Entertainment followed its 2020 sleeper hit Dancing Lanterns with a true second act in February 2022. Dancing Lanterns 2 keeps the 5-reel, 40-line framework but enhances the math engine, visuals, and jackpot ladder. The studio calls the sequel a “magic path into a new rich life”, and for once the marketing copy is not overselling things.
Canadian slot streamers on Twitch started spinning the game the week it dropped, and by mid-2023, most major .ca casinos had it in their “Asian Picks” lobby. If you liked the original but wanted more punch, the sequel delivers with higher max exposure (3,400×), a hit rate of 36%, and a smoother mobile build.
New visual and audio
NetGame rebuilt every asset. The lanterns now glow with dynamic lightmaps, koi coins plop into the pond with positional audio, and the drums in the free-spin soundtrack were re-recorded at a Kyiv studio to cut the tinny highs fans complained about in the first instalment.
Before the reels even settle, you notice three upgrades:
- A reactive water-ripple background that shifts with each lantern ascent.
- A second audio layer that fades in when any Blue Lantern Wild lands.
- Subtle reel-stop reverb that makes the game feel chunkier on phone speakers.
These tweaks do not change the pay-sheet, yet they make long sessions less fatiguing, handy for Canadians grinding wagering requirements on the commute.
Floating lanterns, Blue Wilds, jackpots
The sequel lives or dies on its Blue Lantern Wilds. Every Wild enters at the foot of its reel, then floats one cell upward on each paid spin. When a floating Wild overlaps a golden lantern, one of three things happens:
- An instant bet-multiplier (2×–25×) fires.
- A block of eight free spins drops.
- One of five fixed jackpots pops: Mini 10×, Minor 25×, Maxi 100×, Major 250×, Grand 3,000×.
Because Wilds with prizes appear only on the centre reel, the game feels streaky. Miss the overlap, and you get nothing; nail it, and you can re-trigger extra spins inside the bonus, stacking more Wild lanterns for runaway momentum.
RTP, high-roller limitations
The studio quotes a theoretical return of 95.02%.
A bigger talking point is the staking cap. Official documentation lists a max bet of $20 (or 20 CAD) per spin, though one review tracked a ceiling of $100 on a bespoke build.
For penny-grinders, that range is fine, but true high rollers may feel boxed in compared to games like Sakura Fortune II that allow $300+ wagers.
Ratings on Dancing Lanterns 2
The consensus is “above average but held back by RTP”.
- SlotCatalog community: 8.0 / 10.
- Chipy voters: 4.2 / 5 across 40 ballots.
- AllFreeChips reviewer: “good game… hardy wins” (no score but positive tone).
- Twitch streamers such as @OntarioSpinner hit 450× wins on recorded sessions, calling the slot “sleepy but spicy”.
The numbers sit higher than most NetGame portfolio titles and just below category leaders from Quickspin and Light & Wonder.
| Source | Score | Key Praise | Key Gripe |
|---|---|---|---|
| SlotCatalog | 8.0/10 | Floating-Lantern feature | 95% RTP |
| Chipy | 4.2/5 | Visual upgrade | Stakes cap |
| AllFreeChips | Positive write-up | Frequent small hits | No progressive pot |
Stakeholders like Mr.Bet use those crowd ratings to decide which games go into the “Hot” carousel, so the slot’s popularity is hardly a fluke.
Differences in RTP
Most trackers mirror the studio’s 95.02% figure to two decimals. A few portals round to a flat 95%, trimming 0.02 points, mathematically irrelevant but worth noting.
- NetGame site: 95.02%.
- SlotCatalog: 95.02%.
- Chipy: 95.02%.
- Smaller review blogs: 95%.
No alternative certified setup has surfaced, so you can spin at any legit .ca lobby without feeling short-changed.
Triggering the floating lanterns
Many new players mis-time the lantern float:
- A Blue Lantern Wild with a prize can land only on reel 3.
- The Wild then floats upward one position per base-game spin.
- If it vacates the grid before meeting a golden lantern, the prize fizzles.
Now, four practical ways to turn those odds:
- Slow-play the bottom bet for 20–30 spins to bait two Wilds on the reel at once.
- Turbo-off during the float, giving yourself time to watch the trajectory.
- Send the stake up one step when the Wild is on row 3; math says the overlap rate peaks here.
- Drop back to base stake after the overlap resolves to protect your bankroll.
Follow-through is key. The feature can feel brutal if you only half-commit.
Bankroll and bet-sizing
Medium volatility with a 36% hit rate calls for balance, not YOLO hero-bets. Experienced Canuck grinders often follow a “150× rule”, banking a session bankroll of at least 150 times the base stake.
- Example: Starting with CA $300 means a baseline wager of $2.
- At that stake level, most downswings last 60–70 spins, well within your buffer.
Recommended playbook:
- Set a session stop-loss at 40 × base stake.
- Ratchet the stake up one notch only after a win of 25 × or more.
- Park 50% of any jackpot payout immediately, e-wallet, not balance.
- Step off the game after 600 spins regardless of P/L to avoid tilt.
Retreating before fatigue kicks in keeps the lanterns dancing in your favour.
Dancing Lanterns 2 vs the original one
The sequel is not just a reskin, it beats its siblings in almost every metric except RTP.
| Game | Year | RTP | Max Exposure | Jackpots | Volatility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dancing Lanterns (orig.) | 2020 | 95.02% | 1,500× | 1 | Medium |
| Dancing Lanterns 2 | 2022 | 95.02% | 3,400× | 5 | Medium |
| Magic Tree | 2021 | 96.03% | 1,200× | 0 | Low-Med |
| Golden Skulls | 2023 | 95.59% | 2,500× | 4 | High |
DL 2 doubles the ceiling of the original, adds four more jackpots, and keeps volatility squarely in the mid-range sweet spot.
Comparison with Sakura Fortune and 88 Fortunes
Dancing Lanterns 2 competes directly with Quickspin’s Sakura Fortune and Light & Wonder’s 88 Fortunes, both staples in Ontario-regulated lobbies.
Sakura Fortune offers a higher RTP (96.58%) but has no fixed jackpots, while 88 Fortunes sports progressive pots yet is notoriously high-variance. DL 2 brings fixed jackpots and friendlier volatility, trading off some pay-back percentage.
- RTP: DL 2 95% < SQF 96.6% < 88F 96%.
- Jackpots: DL 2 fixed ×5, 88F progressive, SQF none.
- Max Bet: 20 CAD in DL 2 vs. 300 CAD+ in SQF and 88F.
- Average hit frequency: DL 2 36% > SQF 28% > 88F 22% (figures per dev sheets).
Canadian bankrolls that shy away from brutal swings often land on DL 2 as the “middle child” of the trio.
NetGame licences
NetGame holds an Antillephone Curaçao licence and lists GLI certification for its RNG.
That stamp alone is not enough for a site to serve Ontarians, but it does allow the games to run in the rest of Canada’s grey-market venues, as long as the operator itself meets provincial AML and KYC guidelines. NetGame states it designs specifically for .com markets including Canada.
100% + 200 spins
5% - 15% Cashback
100% + 100 spins
Up to 225% + 180 FS on first 3 deposits
110% + 120 spins
Up to C$2,900 + 290 FS on first 4 deposits
150% + 70 spins
400% Bonus on first 4 deposits + 5% cashback
100% + 150 spins
Up to 255% + 250 FS on first 3 deposits
In practical terms:
- You can spin DL 2 legally at offshore casinos that accept Canadian dollars and follow FINTRAC-style ID checks.
- Inside Ontario, you’ll need to wait for an AGCO-certified operator to add the game.
For peace of mind, stick to lobbies audited by eCOGRA or iTech Labs, regardless of where the servers sit.
Casinos to play Dancing Lanterns 2 with deposit bonus
Two casinos stand out for friction-free CAD cashiering and a proven track record with NetGame: Mr.Bet and NeedForSpin. Both list DL 2 under “Asian Delights”, let you deposit with Interac, and clear wins back to your account in under 24 hours.
Mr.Bet pushes the slot hard on weekends, rotating a 20% reload that pairs well with the medium variance. NeedForSpin favours weekday leaderboard races where DL 2’s frequent small hits rack up points faster than high-volatility titles.
- Mr.Bet: 100% welcome match (CA $20–400) + weekend reloads; 25× wagering, DL 2 contributes full 100%.
- NeedForSpin: 70% Thursday booster + daily races; 30× wagering; fixed-jackpot wins count double toward race score.
Either lobby lets you try DL 2 in demo mode first, so you can practise those lantern overlaps before risking loonies. Spin smart, keep your bankroll dancing, and may the Grand 3,000× light up your balance.
