Squid Game 2: Mukunghwa

Squid Game 2: Mukunghwa Review

Squid Game 2: Mukunghwa is an online slot inspired by the popular survival thriller TV series Squid Game and, more precisely, its second season. The game was officially released on the 6th of January by the Maltese software developer Advant Play. Fans of the genre will appreciate the references to the series, such as the sound effects, the character design, and the bonus minigame.

Advant Play did not bring too much attention in 2024, and overall, the studio somehow remains in the industry periphery. However, the company, which was founded in 2020, already has nearly 70 released games, including in the innovative category Mini Games. Leprechaun's Fortune was the last slot for 2024, and it achieved some very good numbers across partner casino sites. The next one, expected at the end of January, is Piggy Bank Gold.

But let's get back to the branded Squid Game 2: Mukunghwa! The game comes in a mobile-first shape with a large but somehow generic grid consisting of 5 reels and 5 rows. Symbols pay from the leftmost reel to the right, on adjacent columns, and the payout system generates 25 fixed lines. Players can use Quickspin, Turbo Mode, Autoplay, Buy Feature, and Bonus Bet.

Squid Game 2: Mukunghwa and Advant Play are certified by Gaming Laboratories International (GLI). Therefore, all technical characteristics and payouts are approved and considered fair. The mobile design makes the machine not the most convenient game for desktop devices, but it will find any screen due to advanced HTML5 optimization. Nevertheless, I recommend playing it on smartphones or tablets, regardless of the operating system.

Squid Game 2: Mukunghwa Slot - Game Screen

Squid Game 2: Mukunghwa is packed with 2 types of symbols - low-valued and high-valued! The first type appears as shapes from the Cookie Game in the series when players had to separate them from the Dalgona cookies. Circles pay 0.32x to 4x, Triangles - 0.40x to 4.80x, Squares - 0.48x to 6x, Umbrellas - 0.60x to 7.20x, and Stars award from 0.80x to 12.80x the bet.

These low-tiered prizes seem tempting, but the characters from the show are even more lucrative. Seong Gi Hun, or the lucky Player 456, pays between 2.40x to 48x the stake for 3 to 5 on a line! The antagonist Front Man awards from 1.60x to 25.60, while the armed Pink Guards pay from 1.20x to 19.20x the wager.

The Squid Game 2: Mukunghwa slot is packed with wild symbols that substitute for all the others, except scatters. They land on reel 5 only and can randomly carry one of the fixed jackpots - Mini, Minor, or Major. If they do and participate in a winning combination, the size of the pot will be added to the total win once per payline.

The Squid Game 2: Mukunghwa RTP rate is fantastic - 97.05%, especially given the fact that the game is characterized by medium levels of volatility! The betting range is standard by default - €0.10 up to €100 per spin, but the title is available in a high-roller variant as well. Players will be allowed to stake from €1 to €1,000 per round!

However, the number of stake levels remains low, so applying betting strategies like Martingale is tricky. Therefore, large bets will be difficult to optimize! The max win is rather low, even for a medium-volatile slot - 1,400x the bet. Keep in mind that casino sites offering the high-roller version may limit the maximum exposure to a lower cap.

Squid Game 2: Mukunghwa Features

Squid Game 2: Mukunghwa is not packed with too many bonus features. However, similarly to other Advant Play slots, those that are available are creatively implemented. The bonus minigame is not a classic Free Spins, although the provider has named each round that way. You can find out more in the following lines!

Wild Symbol

As I already mentioned, wilds can land on the 5th reel only and can help for the creation of 5-of-a-kind combinations. Randomly, each wild symbol may or may not carry one of the jackpots displayed below. It'll be won if the corresponding wild is part of a winning combination. Thus, multiple jackpots can be won, and the frequency is much higher than usual, but their sizes are also lower than we are used to seeing.

• Major Jackpot - 25x the bet
• Minor Jackpot - 8x the bet
• Mini Jackpot - 4x the bet

Bonus Game

Scatter symbols in Squid Game 2: Mukunghwa land as cards with the Squid Game shapes - circle, triangle, and square. If you spot 6 or more of them on the reels at the same time, the bonus minigame will be started. Each card will then reveal 1, 2, or 3 free spins, and they will be totaled to determine the full length of the bonus.

The playground changes to 4x5 with the infamous Dolls on top of each column. They are actually placed at the end of paths that players must go through to win cash. In the beginning, from 0 to 3 players will appear on the bottom side of the grid, and from 0 to 2 red arrows will be displayed on each row, on their right.

Dolls will flip on every round and will carry Mini, Minor, or Major rewards. They will be selected randomly and will change. Whenever a red arrow is on the same row as one or more players, they will be activated. If a Doll flips against an activated player, the one on top of the column will be eliminated.

Players that are active but have not been eliminated move with one or two positions according to the number of red arrows. The player positions are cumulative, and if more than one stays in the same spot, that will be visualized via a multiplier. Each player who has reached a Doll wins the respective jackpot prize.

Squid Game 2: Mukunghwa Slot – Free Spins Gameplay Screen

Double Chance & Buy Free Games

Players who are not willing to wait for the necessary scatter combination to experience the bonus can use one of these features. Double Chance will add scatters on the reels and will naturally double the chance of triggering the minigame. In return, the base bet will be increased by 20%. The second option is the Buy Free Games tool that will deliver 6+ scatters on the following spin against a price of 50x the bet.

Theme & Graphics

Squid Game 2: Mukunghwa is a Branded slot inspired by the popular South Korean TV show. Interestingly, Advant Play started in the second season and has no game, branded or not, based on the first season. The mobile-first design fits perfectly smaller and larger screens of tablets and smartphones.

The blurred background seems to be the sleeping quarters of the players, and their heads can be spotted at the bottom. The active zone comes with high-quality graphics and animation effects, although the second is rather rare. The provider has used original tunes, voiceover, and music from the series.

That includes the flute chords during the base game and the "The Mugunghwa Flower Has Bloomed" saying during the bonus minigame. Actually, you'll hear the Korean version - "Mugunghwa Kkoci Pieot Seumnida", which brings to the authenticity of the game. This is the connection with the slot's name as well - "Mugunghwa", also known as the Rose of Sharon, which is a South Korean traditional flower.

Pros And Cons Of Squid Game 2: Mukunghwa Slot

Our Verdict

Considering the popularity of the Squid Game series, seasons 1 and 2, globally, the number of branded games is very slim. Actually, except for the Squid Game - One Lucky Day released by Light & Wonder in 2024, there were none. Well, Squid Game 2: Mukunghwa is a decent slot with a good presentation of key moments.

However, the gameplay remains slightly empty, at least from my point of view. Given the enormous potential and the skillset of the provider, Advent Play, the bonus minigame could have been more complex. Perhaps levels or simply several different games for players to choose from would be a better approach.

In February, Light & Wonder is about to release another slot - Squid Game Gganbu, so we’ll stay put. "One Lucky Day" is comparable with" Mukunghwa" in terms of volatility and features, but Advent Play has squeezed a much better RTP rate. Therefore, it's definitely worth the try, if only for its technical characteristics.