Wacky Panda Power Combo

Wacky Panda Power Combo Review

Slingshot Studios has been tasked with delivering the sequel to Games Global’s original Wacky Panda, and the result is a fairly similar game called Wacky Panda Power Combo. The visuals have been upgraded since the 2017-release, though, and this game takes you into a tranquil Asian garden. While the first game was a barebones and featureless affair, this follow-up comes with a Link&Win bonus round where up to 3 power combo features can be activated.

Wacky Panda Power Combo plays out on a classic 3x3 grid, just like the first game, and once again you’re up against a single-payline challenge. You win by landing matching symbols across this payline, with the highest-value panda symbol awarding 5x, 15x, and 1,000x your stake for 1, 2, and 3 of a kind, respectively. The remaining panda and fruit symbols only pay for 3 of a kind, awarding 20x to 300x your stake. There are no Wild symbols in the Wacky Panda Power Combo slot, and the base game is as free from features as the first game.

Wacky Panda Power Combo slot - Reels Screen

However, the Hyperspins feature allows you to respin individual reels for the price of 5x your stake per respin. You can respin the reels as many times as you want, allowing you to chase larger wins if, for example, 2 matching symbols are already present on the payline. You can also use Hyperspins to try to land feature symbols, but keep in mind that the Link&Win bonus round is triggered randomly when at least one of these is present. This means that landing 3 in view does not guarantee that the bonus round triggers.

Anyway, the Link&Win bonus round plays out on a 5x5 grid where each position spins individually, landing blanks, cash prize coins, or whatever feature symbols that became activated from the triggering spin. Via the Upsizer, you can pay extra to activate more feature symbols before the bonus round starts, and all possible power combos can also be purchased via the bonus buy menu (if available in your region). Wacky Panda Power Combo is a high volatility slot game, featuring an RTP of 96%, a hit frequency of 9.25%, and a max win of 9,674x your stake.

Wacky Panda Power Combo Features

While there aren’t too many features to cover, we will present them in full detail below. We would also like to remind you that you can sample the features for yourself via the Wacky Panda Power Combo free play demo game located at the top of this page. Let’s get to it!

Hyperspins

Hyperspins is an optional feature that allows you to respin any reel for the price of 5x your stake per respin. This means that you can create wins from dead spins, although there is no guarantee that this will happen. It’s a good idea to think twice before using this feature, as it can become expensive rather quickly if you get hooked on respinning the reels to chase a win.

Link&Win Bonus Round

Wacky Panda Power Combo slot - Link&Win Bonus Screen

The Link&Win bonus round triggers randomly when at least one feature symbol lands, and the feature symbols are known as the Connector, Collector, and Jackpot symbols. You can trigger the Link&Win bonus round with a single feature symbol, a combination of 2 feature symbols, or with all 3 of them. Either way, you start with 3 respins on a 5x5 grid where cash prize coin symbols and blanks land. All coins that land become sticky and reset the spin counter to 3 each time.

The Link&Win bonus round continues until you either land 3 consecutive spins with only blanks appearing or until you fill all 25 positions on the grid with coin symbols. The triggering feature symbols become active features during the bonus round, and here’s an overview of what each feature does:

• Connector - a multiplier of x2 boosts the first horizontal, vertical, or diagonal line of 5 coin symbols. All subsequent lines are boosted by an increasing multiplier that tops out at x15.
• Collector - absorbs all present coin values onto itself.
• Jackpot - allows you to win the 15x Mini, 50x Minor, 500x Major, and 2,500x Grand jackpot by landing 4 corresponding jackpot symbols.

Upsizer & Bonus Buy (not UK)

The Upsizer feature allows you to upgrade the Link&Win bonus round by activating features that were not activated by the triggering feature symbol or symbols. Of course, this is not free, and the price for each feature is listed below the symbol. Eligible players can also purchase the bonus round directly, with a choice of 1, 2, or all 3 features active. The price is 50x, 90x, or 180x your stake, respectively.

Theme & Graphics

Wacky Panda Power Combo plays out in a lush, sun-dappled bamboo forest where thick green stalks frame the screen, creating a tranquil, secluded Asian oasis complete with a stone bridge arching over a gentle stream. Bamboo frames the small 3x3 grid as well, with 3 red, green, and purple firecracker bundles placed above the reels, leading up to the feature symbols. The visual style is cheerful and cartoonish, with playful pandas and fruit symbols populating the reels. Overall, it’s an inviting presentation that balances a serene natural scene with a burst of high-energy, colorful charm.

Wacky Panda Power Combo Free Play

If you want to try the free Wacky Panda Power Combo demo, we have it available at the top of this page. This is your chance to see what you think about the game after reading all about it, and don’t forget to also read our verdict below before you head up there. The good news is that you can use the bonus buy menu to purchase any bonus round power combo you want, which gives you a good taste of what this game has to offer. After your Wacky Panda Power Combo free play session is over, casinos carrying this title are found below the demo game.

Pros and Cons of Wacky Panda Power Combo

Our Verdict

While the original Wacky Panda was a cute and charming release, it was soon forgotten due to the complete lack of features. The classic 3-reel and single payline setup has been carried over in Slingshot Studios’ follow-up, and the same can be said about the cuteness factor. The visuals have been given a decent overhaul as well, and Slingshot has done a good job modernizing the presentation while keeping the vibe of the first game intact. The paytable is still listed next to the reels, which is a neat touch you don’t see all that often.

That being said, the base game is still a rather tedious affair, with nothing going for it except occasional wins and the hope of landing feature symbols to trigger the Link&Win bonus round. With a hit frequency of only 9.25%, that single payline is hardly working overtime to deliver anything to keep your bankroll warm and fuzzy. The symbol values are above-average, though, topping out at 1,000x your stake. The highest-value panda even awards decent sums for 1 or 2 on the payline, which is an unusual twist worth noting.

However, let’s not forget that the base game was all there was in the original release, and now it at least serves as a runway to the main event. Personally, I am not a huge fan of the pay-to-respin-reels mechanic, and Hyperspins is not something I recommend using too much. It might come in handy if you need that third scatter to trigger a bonus round, but in a game like Wacky Panda Power Combo, where the bonus round is triggered randomly, the feature seems unnecessary. Of course, you can use it to chase a big win, but 5x a pop takes its toll quickly.

I have to admit that I never saw the point of the whole idea of triggering bonus rounds with different combinations of features. Sure, it makes the experience more varied, but you always feel like you’re missing out unless all 3 features are active. In Wacky Panda Power Combo, this pushes players towards the Upsizer feature or the bonus buy. However, I would much rather invest my time and money in a game that fires on all cylinders when I finally get the bonus round. Wacky Panda Power Combo is better than the original, sure, but I don’t see too much staying power in this release either.