The world of online slots is vast and diverse, with countless games vying for players’ attention. Among them stands "Chicken Road", a farm-themed slot developed by reputable software provider, Games Global (formerly Microgaming). This game appears to be an interesting addition to the genre, but does it live up to expectations?
Theme and Chicken Road Design
At first glance, "Chicken Road" presents itself as a lighthearted, rural adventure. The design is colorful, with bright hues of green, blue, and yellow dominating the reels. Players are transported to a sun-kissed farm, complete with rolling hills, towering trees, and (of course) chickens.
The game’s 5-reel setup features a moderate number of paylines – exactly 40 in total. The symbol count is substantial as well, comprising various animals, fruits, and farming-related icons. Notably, the chicken is both the most rewarding standard symbol and the slot’s namesake.
Symbols
While there are many symbols to explore, we’ll focus on the higher-paying ones for brevity:
- Chickens: The game’s titular animal awards up to 20x bet per match (five of a kind).
- Cows: These gentle giants offer maximum wins of up to 15x.
- Pigs and Sheep: Other farm friends yield smaller payouts, with the pig providing 6x max win for five matching symbols, while sheep can grant up to 5x.
Fruits like Watermelon (up to 3.2x) and Berries (up to 2.4x) are present as well. The game’s use of both farm animals and edible delights may seem incongruous at first but is likely a deliberate decision, adding visual interest to the slot.
Payouts
Each winning combination will be paid according to the corresponding payout multiplier, with multiple wins stacking in sequences (from lowest to highest paying).
To illustrate this concept:
- If you land three chicken symbols on a payline, you receive 0.4x your bet.
- Adding two more chickens earns an additional win of 8x.
Wilds and Scatters
Two types of special icons can increase the odds of winning in "Chicken Road":
- Wild: A golden egg substitutes for all standard game symbols except Scatter to form a valid combination, paying up to 15x with five Wilds.
- Scatter: The farm tractor is both an expanding wild (expands to cover entire reel) and triggers the Chicken Frenzy feature.
Bonus Features
Several bonus features await players in "Chicken Road", starting with:
- Free Spins : Triggered by collecting three or more Scatters, this rewards 10–20 free games based on the number of scatters collected.
- Fowl Play Multiplier : Activated randomly during any spin and has two possible outcomes:
- Adds a multiplier from +1x to +15x to all wins in that round.
- Triggers an extra chance at winning with each subsequent match, stacking these chances together.
In addition to the above features, this game has:
- Chicken Frenzy – Upon triggering the feature by collecting six or more Scatters, players enter a progressive respin mechanism where they are awarded up to ten free games.
Respins begin immediately after initial Free Spins activation and can be triggered at any time during subsequent rounds; winning combinations are paid instantly before these occur. Chicken Frenzy awards continue until 0 spins left.
RTP
"Chicken Road’s RTP is calculated at 96% by the developer, which falls squarely within an industry standard for medium-volatility slots like this one – no red flags here!
In games with such a high percentage of returns paid to players (as opposed to house advantage), expect moderate wins throughout your session rather than spectacular jackpots but also increased probability at reaching average payouts.
Volatility
While difficult to measure accurately due to numerous bonus features, we can infer the slot’s volatility by analyzing various components like winning combinations frequency and maximum possible payouts per round. Based on this assessment:
- While certainly rewarding when it triggers, Chicken Frenzy has a lower than expected hit rate compared with other slots featuring similar respins-based mechanisms.
- With free spins added into consideration as well as high-scoring wild symbols in combination, medium-to-high payout volatility is noted.
Betting Range and Max Win
The slot can accommodate players of varying bankrolls via its comprehensive betting range: 0.25 – 100 coins per spin (no specific currency tied to any one bet).
For each round placed within the max coin capacity possible at that time, the maximum achievable win stands at x125,000.
Gameplay and Mobile Play
The experience in-game feels fluid thanks to polished animations and relatively quick loading times on our testing equipment.
All controls function smoothly across a variety of devices:
- Desktop platforms utilizing latest browsers or older versions.
- Tablets running modern Android or iOS software – all tested without issue.
A responsive layout allows seamless adjustment between portrait mode (ideal for most portable screens), full-screen orientations suitable for tablets, and even reduced to fit standard browser windows on the desktop side.
Gameplay is straightforward; spinning does not require much strategy since so many bonuses can be triggered randomly during any round. There’s no need for a deep understanding of slot mechanics or extensive prior experience needed before diving in.
Player Experience
The overall presentation might remind players somewhat of Microgaming classics such as ‘Mermaids Millions’ but the added bonus rounds create some unique surprises here that should keep users engaged longer than other competing farm-themed slots on the market today.