Rakin' Bacon Odyssey

Rakin' Bacon Odyssey Review

Cornsquealius, the beloved golden pig, is back and ready for a whole new set of adventures in AGS's latest release, Rakin' Bacon Odyssey. This time, our iconic piggy hero embarks on an exciting journey through ancient Greece, bringing fresh gameplay and delightful surprises to fans everywhere. The game serves as a sequel to the wildly popular Rakin' Bacon, a slot that has quickly become a player-favorite on casino floors across North America and continues to be adored to this day.

The original Rakin’ Bacon quickly became a sensation among players, captivating them with its charming visuals and engaging gameplay, and Cornsquealius, the golden pig, has become an icon. His popularity is so immense that Cornsquealius even has his own Instagram page, 'Cornsquealius The Pig,' with over 2,000 followers!

Building on this success, AGS collaborated with Gaming Realms in 2022 to release Slingo Rakin’ Bacon, which quickly became one of the most popular Slingo games. Now, with Rakin' Bacon Odyssey and its thematic counterpart, Rakin' Bacon Sahara, AGS continues to expand the franchise, offering players fresh adventures in distinct settings while staying true to the elements that made the original such a hit.

Rakin' Bacon Odyssey Slot - Base Game

At the core of the Rakin' Bacon Odyssey slot machine is still the exact same PowerXStream pay system, producing 243 ways to play on a 5x3 reel setup. To achieve a payout, players need to land at least 3 of the same symbols adjacently on the reels starting from the leftmost. For five-of-a-kind combinations, you get from 0.56x to 11.36x your bet.

In order to get the reels to spin, at least €0.88 is required, while at the higher end, bets up to €132 are accepted. The Rakin' Bacon Odyssey RTP value clocks in at 94.99%, way lower than average, and the volatility tends to the high side of the spectrum, so don’t expect to get returns too often. Returns won’t be dramatically big either, as far as the max win is capped at 2,840x the bet. Not the best math balancing we’ve seen, to say the least. However, it’s kind of a standard for progressive jackpot slots, which Rakin' Bacon Odyssey is.

Rakin' Bacon Odyssey Features

The gameplay in Rakin' Bacon Odyssey has undergone some notable changes, though it retains the core elements that made the original a hit. The main attraction remains the progressive jackpot feature, obviously. However, the free spins feature has been completely overhauled, offering a fresh experience for the players.

Wild Feature & Jackpot Pick Bonus

Keep an eye out for gold coins with Cornsquealius carved out. These symbols are Wild, which stand in for any of the regular symbols in winning combinations, helping you to achieve payouts. Wilds are available on reels 2, 3, and 4 during the base game, though they cannot naturally land on the reels in the free games but only through the bonus feature.

The key function of the Wilds perhaps is that they can trigger the Jackpot Pick bonus. Whenever one hits anywhere in view during the main game, there’s a little chance the feature may randomly come into play. Once activated, players are presented with 12 mystery pigs, which reveal jackpot icons when selected. When 3 of the same icons are revealed, players receive the associated progressive prize - Mini, Minor, Major, or Grand.

Free Spins

Landing 3, 4, or 5 Scatter symbols on consecutive reels starting from the leftmost awards an instant cash reward of 2x, 4x, or 20x the bet respectively and activates 10 free spins. In the same way, the feature can be retriggered.

During the Rakin' Bacon Odyssey free spins, new Arrow symbols are added to the mix. Landing one doubles the corresponding reel, expanding the height to 6 symbol positions. At maximum capacity, with all reels expanded, the game produces a staggering 7,776 paylines.

Rakin' Bacon Odyssey Slot - Free Spins

If an Arrow lands on an already-expanded reel, it randomly awards +1, +2, +3, +5, or +10 extra free spins or adds up to 3 Wild symbols to random positions within reels 2 through to 5. During the bonus, however, Wilds do not contribute to activating the Jackpot Pick.

Pros And Cons Of Rakin' Bacon Odyssey Slot

Our Verdict

Rakin' Bacon Odyssey is undeniably fun, especially for fans of the original game who will surely appreciate seeing Cornsquealius back in action within a new historical ancient Greek setting. The gameplay is engaging, and the revamped free spins bring a fresh twist to what made the original game such a smash hit. I found myself pretty much enjoying the familiar charm of the piggy hero and the thrill of chasing those progressive jackpots.

However, I couldn't help but notice that the game itself looks a bit "ancient" - and not just because of its Greek theme. While it feels like the developers intentionally went for a retro vibe as a nod to the past, the result, in my opinion, makes the game appear more dated than stylish. It’s as if the visual design is stuck in the past, and while this might evoke some nostalgia, it could also be a turn-off for players who prefer more modern graphics.

It’s also worth noting that Rakin' Bacon Odyssey was primarily designed for land-based casinos, and it really shows. The game is available as a physical slot machine in several major casinos across the US, including Caesars Atlantic City and MGM Grand Detroit, and I must admit, it looks far better on the physical machines than it does in the digital version. The tactile experience, combined with the larger screens and casino atmosphere, brings out the best in the game, something that the online version struggles to replicate.

All in all, still, Rakin' Bacon Odyssey is a solid choice for both fans of the franchise and those not yet familiar with the adorable Cornsquealius, especially if you get the chance to play it in a brick-and-mortar casino.