Buster’s Bones Slot by NetEnt 🎰 Free Demo and Review

Buster’s Bones Review

NetEnt used to release up to several new slots per month back in the good ole’ days, but things have changed since they got acquired by Evolution Gaming. You still get the odd release here and there, and Buster’s Bones is a visually pleasing wild west installment revolving around cowboy dogs. The base game plays out on the ‘never-ending canyon’, while the bonus round takes you into a typical frontier saloon.

The canines are charming with their cowboy hats and bandoliers, and as usual with this genre, wilds take center stage during features. The Buster Wild moves around to collect bones, turning these positions wild while also increasing its own wild multiplier. The same goes on persistently in the bonus round, with a Buster Wild Multiplier that only keeps building. The 973x potential will probably disappoint some players though, not least combined with medium to high volatility.

Buster’s Bones Slot - Reels Screen

Buster’s Bones Slot Features

You need at least 5 matching symbols adjacent vertically or horizontally anywhere on the grid to land a cluster win, and 3 dogs with green, blue, and purple wooden backgrounds are the top-tier symbols. Winning symbols are removed via the Avalanche feature, and replaced by new and/or existing symbols dropping down from above. This process repeats as long as you keep winning,

Wild symbols come into play during the Buster’s Bones feature, and wilds step in for pay symbols to help complete and/or improve wins. You need a Buster Special Symbol in view to trigger the feature, as well as at least one Bone Special Symbol. Buster will then move around the grid to collect any bones in view, and this turns the relevant positions wild.

Buster himself serves as a wild symbol as well, and a multiplier equal to the value of the collected bone symbols then becomes the win multiplier. When taking a break from the bone collection, the win multiplier is applied when the Buster Wild is part of a win. Buster and the multiplier disappear when the feature ends, but the feature can, of course, trigger again on a future spin.

The Buster’s Bones feature can trigger organically, as described above, or it can come about via the ‘Random Features’ feature. You will then see bones and the Buster Wild tossed onto random positions on the grid, and this activates the Buster’s Bones feature. It plays out exactly like described above after that.

The Bonus Round triggers when you land 2 free spins scatters and 1 Buster Wild in view, and this gives you 8 free spins. The Buster Wild moves around to collect bones, which turn the positions wild, while also building his own wild multiplier. The multiplier never resets for as long as the bonus round lasts, and you win +1 or +3 extra spins when you land 1 or 2 scatters on the same free spin, respectively.

Finally, non-UK players, and anyone eligible, can purchase the Bonus Round via the Buy Feature. This will set you back 60x your stake, and it gives you instant access to the free spins round.

Buster’s Bones Slot - Free Spins

Review Summary

While most “hot” developers these days tend to churn out highly volatile beasts most of the time, NetEnt seems to aim for a different player segment now that their “glory days” are over. Buster’s Bones is a charming canine wild west release for sure, but this medium to high volatility installment can hardly compete with the heavy hitters in this genre. The 973x potential says it all, really, and this is hardly up there with Dead or Alive 2.

By all means, it’s fun to see Buster the dog bounce around to collect bones, turn positions wild, and build his own wild multiplier. However, with measly returns like this you’re not going to attract mainstream attention outside of the starpower this developer can still muster. You get more of the Buster’s Bones feature in the bonus round, with a multiplier that never resets, but again, the win cap is an underwhelming 973x your stake. Buster’s Bones is worth a spin or two, and it will cater to a certain crowd, but this is hardly NetEnt at the top of their game, to put it mildly.