Wicked Grin

Wicked Grin Review

Not enough you know the languageshould perhaps come with a hypnotic effect or dizziness warning. The game oozes nostalgia combined with an unsettling edge, an intriguing combo that draws you in from the start.

Wicked Grin plays out on a 5x5 grid with a scatter pays win system, meaning you win as long as enough matching symbols land anywhere in view. You can play with bet levels ranging from £0.10 to £100 per spin, and the premium fruit symbols pay 0.2x to 0.5x for 6-7 in view and 50x to 100x for 17+ in view. On the lower end of the paytable, the card suit symbols all pay 0.1x for 6-7 in view and 25x for 17+ in view. No Wild symbols are included in this game in any stage, but you get plenty of coin prize symbol action.

Winning symbols are removed and replaced thanks to the cascading wins feature, allowing for indefinite winning streaks in all stages. Wicked Grin symbols reaching the bottom row triggers an expanding effect, where the reel is filled with coin prizes worth up to 500x your stake. Multiplier coins of up to x20 can also be revealed from this feature, boosting the coin prizes above on the same reel as well as adjacent reels. Epic Wicked Grin symbols trigger this expanding coin reel effect even if the Wicked Grin symbols aren’t on the bottom row.

Wicked Grin - Reels Screen

There are 2 bonus rounds included in Wicked Grin slot, and both tweak the coin collect feature in their own way. The regular bonus is all about increasing coin-boosting reel multipliers while the super bonus is all about collecting coins in multiplier-boostable meters atop the reels. Both bonus rounds, as well as other features, can be purchased in the bonus buy menu (not UK). Wicked Grin is a medium volatility slot game, scoring 3 out of 5 on Hacksaw’s scale. It features RTP settings of 96.27%, 94.32%, 92.28%, and 86.28% (depending on operator and region) and a max win of 10,000x your stake.

Wicked Grin Features

Before we present all the features in more detail, we would like to remind you that the Wicked Grin free play demo is available at the top of this page. This allows you to see the features in action with no risk, as you make up your mind about the game. Let’s jump in!

Cascading Reels

Whenever you land at least 6 matching symbols in view, the winning symbols are removed from the grid thanks to the Cascading Reels mechanic. The remaining symbols then drop to their lowest possible position before a new batch of symbols fill the remaining gaps. If a new win is created, the process repeats until you land a non-winning cascade.

Expanding Wicked Grin Coins

When Wicked Grin or Epic Wicked Grin symbols land or reach the bottom row, the whole reel is filled with coin symbols after the regular wins have been paid. The coins come with random values ranging from 1x to 500x your stake or multiplier values ranging from x2 to x20. Multipliers boost all coins above on the same reel, as well as adjacent reels. Multipliers cannot appear on the top position of a reel. If you land an Epic Wicked Grin symbol, all present Wicked Grin symbols fill the reels with coins from their position and up.

Spreading Scatter Symbols

Landing scatter or super scatter symbols on the bottom row, either organically or via the cascading mechanic, fills the whole reel with scatter symbols. Each scatter displays a number between 1 and 3, and the numbers are then summed up as the number of free spins you win. You can land no more than 2 scatters on the same spin, and these will either be regular scatters or super scatters. This is how you trigger the bonus round or the super bonus round. Scatters hitting the bottom row award 5 to 15 additional free spins during the bonus or super bonus, and you can win up to 30 additional free spins this way.

Wicked Grin - Free Spins Win Screen

Stash N Stack Bonus Round

The Stash N Stack Bonus Round triggers when at least one scatter hits the bottom row in the base game, awarding 5-15 free spins from one triggering scatter and 10 to 30 free spins from two triggering scatters. The bonus round plays out similarly to the base game, but with an added Stash Multiplier starting at x1 above each reel. The Stash Multiplier increases by +1 each time a Wicked Grin symbol fills a reel with coins, boosting the coins accordingly. The Stash Multiplier increases after each coin win, not before.

Coin Craze Bonus Round

The Coin Craze Bonus Round triggers when at least one super scatter hits the bottom row, awarding 5 to 30 super free spins. The bonus plays out similarly to the base game, but with a Coin Collector starting at 1 sitting above each reel. All coins on Wicked Grin-triggered reels are collected by the Coin Collector. Multiplier coins boost both coins and the Coin Collector value on the same reel and adjacent reels. When the bonus round ends, all Coin Collector values are summed up and paid.

Bonus Buy (not UK)

The Bonus Buy menu is opened by hitting the yellow button, if indeed it is available in your region. It comes with the following options in Wicked Grin slot:

• BonusHunt FeatureSpins - pay 3x your stake to increase your bonus round chances by 5x.
• Grinny FeatureSpins - pay 50x to be guaranteed at least one Wicked Grin symbol (does not guarantee it will hit the bottom row).
• Stash N Stack - pay 80x your stake to trigger this bonus round.
• Coin Craze - pay 200x your stake to trigger this super bonus round.

Theme & Graphics

Wicked Grin is heavily inspired by the golden age of cartoons, complete with a monochrome background marked by subtle film grain, dust specks, and concentric rings. It’s like you’re stuck in a perpetual cartoon intro, with the rings moving to create an almost hypnotic tunneling effect. The uncanny game mascot looks like Mickey Mouse died and came back to haunt this game, although his characteristic big ears are missing or hidden beneath a hoodie. The slapstick soundtrack completes the picture, adding a playful vibe that blends well with the somewhat eerie atmosphere created by the presence of the Boney Bill ghoul.

Wicked Grin Free Play

You can test the free Wicked Grin demo right at the top of this page. We recommend that you read our verdict below first, though, so you know what we think of this release. Then, head up there and play as much as you want, and make sure to purchase features and bonus rounds if this option is available in your region. It’s a great way to see what the game has to offer without risking a single dime. When you’ve made up your mind, tell us what you think in the comments field. Also, once your Wicked Grin free play session is over, check casinos carrying this title below the demo game.

Pros and Cons of Wicked Grin

Our Verdict

First of all, it’s nice to see Hacksaw returning to their vintage cartoon roots, as what they have delivered lately has been a bit out of touch with what we have become used to from this provider over the years. The presentation is hardly the most complex we’ve seen from Hacksaw, but the somewhat menacing Mickey Mouse doppelganger has enough dark charisma to fuel this release. The hypnotic effect from the backdrop helps too, keeping you focused yet relaxed as the symbols drop.

The slapstick soundtrack neatly balances the somewhat uncanny presentation, together with the familiar fruit symbols. The game flows smoothly with the super turbo switched on, and the bonus round Wicked Grin tunes are catchy in a retro kind of way. The demonic, skeletal mascot lurking beside the grid looks a bit soulless, though, which is spooky enough, but he doesn’t really react too much to what is happening on the grid. Instead, he just wobbles back and forth in what looks like an eerie dance move, waving his finger in the air.

Regular payouts aren’t super impressive in Wicked Grin, which is something to take note of. Even as many as 12 of the highest-value 7 symbol awards only 4x your stake, so don’t expect much from the base game outside of what the sporadic Wicked Grin coins deliver. Coins worth up to 500x can manifest in lucky sessions, and coupled with a solid multiplier of up to x20, solid base game payouts are possible. However, in my experience, you mostly get top up wins, and this prize and multiplier system feels less potent than what’s on offer in many previous Hacksaw releases.

Both bonus rounds add a unique twist to the core expanding coins feature, with the Stash N Stack bonus offering progressive escalation as the reel multipliers grow. The bonus buy price tags are revealing, though, and larger wins are more likely in the Coin Craze super bonus. This is where multiplier symbols come in handy, boosting your total accumulated win as well as the coins. Overall, Hacksaw has made clever use of the coin prize feature, tweaking it into something that feels uniquely their own. Wicked Grin is worth trying, but not exactly an instant classic either.