Wanted Dead or a Wild

Review Wanted Dead or a Wild

As you can imagine, Wanted Dead or a Wild is set in the wild west. So prepare for cowboys, revolvers, and an intense atmosphere which is as good as it sounds — at least if you’re up for the challenge. This online pokie from Hacksaw Gaming might just become the producer’s new gem as our first impression of the game is outstanding. Judging by the audiovisual part of this pokie, we’re quite excited as Hacksaw Gaming has opted for an own, original approach. This angle provides an intense gaming experience. Whether the rest of the game also meets our high expectations? Let’s say you’ll find out in this review.

How to Play

The Wanted Dead or a Wild pokie by Hacksaw has 5 reels, 5 rows and a total of 15 paylines. It comes with a maximum RTP of 96.38% although this percentage may vary depending on your favourite available online casino in New Zealand. Here’s how to play it:

• Make sure to first select your stake level by making use of the up and down arrows found on the left of the Spin button.
• Click the spin button to start playing using the total bet value.
• The wild substitutes for all symbols except the bonus game symbols and the VS symbols.
• Separate wins in a winning combination will be displayed on your screen during the win presentation. Please note that only the highest win is paid.
• It is recommended to always play responsibly. If you decide to play this game for real money, make sure to only wager money that you can afford. Online pokies are to be enjoyed and are meant for fun.

Furthermore; there are some options you can make use of if that suits your personal needs, preferences, and/or budget:

• Optionally: click the Bonus Buy button to buy any of the bonus features directly from the main game. We will discuss this later on in the review.
• Optionally: click on the small spin/play button which will open the Autoplay menu. Here you can select from 10 to 1000 automatic spins. Go for the Advanced tab to get access to the other settings.
• Optionally: click on the 3-line menu to the left of the control panel to select the turbo mode.

Symbol Wins

You’re about to become one with a dark night with the sun shining brightly in the backdrop together with what looks like a sky that is soaked in blood, the Wanted Dead or a Wild pokie doesn’t immediately give you the typical Wild West feeling as long as you ignore the symbols. This might be refreshing to some as it gives the theme a different perspective. The visuals the game comes with are great and look nice on both a desktop device and smaller screens.

The audio in Wanted Dead or a Wild doesn’t scream Western either, but it feels like a modern version to the traditional soundtracks most people will know from Wild West films. Although it doesn’t really match the game theme, we found the music to be pleasant after all. When a bonus feature gets triggered, things take a sharp turn which we find to give the online pokie a boost. This software provider never seems to let us down with their music.

On the reels, you’ll find yourself the usual A-10 royals as a set of lower paying symbols. The high value symbols include a goat’s skull, a bandit, a money bag, a whisky bottle, and a gun chamber. This latter symbol is the most valuable one, with combinations of 3, 4 or 5 awarding either 2, 10 or 20x the bet. The game’s wild also pays 20x the stake if 5 of them land anywhere on the reels. The symbol substitutes for all other symbols except VS and the bonus game symbols. Here’s what the symbols in Wanted Dead or a Wild do for you:Bonus Features

Wanted Dead or a Wild is played on a 5×5 square playing field and in terms of features, there is plenty to experience. In the basic game it is all about looking for different types of symbols, but in the end it’s all about the free spins feature. This brings us to the bonus features of Wanted Dead or a Wild. Here’s all you want to know:

VS Symbols

VS symbols can only appear in the base game. When they land, they expand to the total size of the reel and then turn into a wild. In addition, these symbols also have a multiplier which can be a minimum of x2 and a max of x100. The multiplier is applied to any winning combination, as long as the multiplier is visible on the reels. In case there are multiple multipliers on the reels they are added together before applied to a winning combination.

The Great Train Robbery

If 3 or more Train Robbery symbols land in the base game, the The Great Train Robbery feature gets activated. If this happens, you will receive 10 free spins. All spinning wilds remain fixed on the reels whilst the feature is active.

Duel At Dawn

When 3 or more Duel symbols land in the base game, the Duel at Dawn feature gets triggered, awarding 10 free spins. The chance that VS symbols land in this feature is a lot higher than in the base game.

Dead Man’s Hand

Although The Great Train Robbery feature and the Duel at Dawn feature are free spins features, in the end it really all revolves around the Dead Man’s Hand feature. This feature is activated by spinning at least 3 DEAD symbols and is split into 2 parts:

1. In the first part you receive 3 free spins and only wilds, multipliers, and blank symbols can land. When wilds and multipliers are spun, they are collected and the number of free spins is reset to 3. You can collect a maximum of 20 wilds and a multiplier of x31. The feature ends in case of 3 consecutive non-winning spins.
2. You will then proceed to the Showdown, in which you will again receive 3 free spins. The collected wilds are added to the reels every spin and the multiplier is applied to every winning combination.

Bonus Buy feature

Those who do not have the patience to unlock the free spins features can choose to use (rather: buy) the Bonus Buy feature for Wanted Dead or a Wild. You have 3 options:

• 80x the bet: gives you access to the Great Train Robbery feature.
• 200x the bet: gives you access to the Duel at Dawn feature.
• 400x the bet: gives you access to the Dead Man’s Hand feature.

Payout Metrics

The action on this Wanted Dead or a Wild pokie is brought to you on a 5×5 grid which counts 15 fixed paylines. A winning combination is formed by matching +3 symbols as seen from left to right, starting from reel 1. The RTP of Wanted Dead or a Wild is set at 96.38%, which is right above what we would call the 96% average (and minimum) for an online pokie. Do note that the hit frequency of 19.3% is fairly low in comparison with other pokies out there. This virtually means that just under a fifth of all spins will give you a winner. The maximum potential win in the game is 12,500x your bet, which is generous and higher than the 10,000x average of Hacksaw titles. As in most games, the bonus features will give you the best chance of earning the top prize. This is the moment you’ve got access to multipliers and sticky wilds to help you get to the top of the price table.

Summary

We have to say, there is definitely something about this launch that we highly enjoy. The game reminds us of some wild west heroes we’ve seen in so many films throughout the years, trying to mind their own business before a fight breaks out in a saloon. This is also how spinning on the reels of Wanted Dead or a Wild feels, as you’ll need to prepare yourself for a fair number of dead spins before a sudden VS duel boosts your bankroll.

If you’re looking for a Wild West-themed pokie that veers slightly away from the typical stuff you see with many other pokies, then this might just be the one for you. The graphics are solid and the soundtrack of the game is superb. It might not be what we would call typical Wild West music, but this is actually what makes the game stand out compared to other titles in this genre. The main attraction of the game is clearly the bonus feature that gives you Sticky Wilds and Multipliers up to 100x. The pokie is also fun to play, but the bigger wins don’t arrive until the Showdown. But in the end this is probably also what it’s all about in the wild west.