Fruity Wild Bonanza

Every slot developer seems to include at least one fruit-based game in its collection, as this is a theme that never goes out of style. Oranges, lemons, watermelons and plums have been appearing on slot reels since the earliest cabinet-style games, but Stakelogic has moved away from the traditional 5 x 3 format with this latest release.

This game plays out on a 6 x 6 grid, and even does away with traditional paylines. The All Ways Pays mechanic means that 8 or more symbols in view wins a prize, no matter where they’re positioned. It gives a fresh, modern look to a game that could have looked a bit old, but how does it measure up elsewhere?

Design

Fruit isn’t necessarily something you associate with fun, but the Stakelogic graphic design team have managed to make it look as though it should be! Bold, colourful symbols are chunky and modern, and there’s a whimsical background scene that includes a house made from an apple.

Winning symbols explode with a satisfying ‘pop’, and a jaunty tune plays out in the background. It’s all quite light-hearted, but don’t let that fool you – this game packs a surprising punch in terms of volatility, so it’s not necessarily for the faint-hearted!

Gameplay

Fruity Wild Bonanza can be played across smartphones, tablets, laptops and PCs, without the need for any downloads. As an in-browser game it’s designed to load quickly and seamlessly, so you can get straight down to playing. The controls are all clearly laid out, but there’s quite a lot to take in, which is why a few sessions of demo play is a good starting point.

Base gameplay is extremely straightforward, with no special features, other than the Tumbling Reels mechanic. But if you decide to double your wager and activate the Super Stake mode, a multiplier symbol could randomly appear to increase the value of your wins. And you’ll also be more likely to trigger the Hold and Spin bonus too.

Land 3 or more Scatters to trigger the Hold and Spin bonus, in which your Scatters convert to prizes that set the round in motion. They’re placed on a new grid, with 3 respins that only land blanks or prize symbols. Any spin that lands one or more prize icons resets the respin counter back to 3.

Prize symbols come in the form of:

• Cash sums
• Multipliers worth up to 10x, which are applied to all visible prizes
• Collector symbols, which add the values of all displayed symbols, other than the Jackpot.

Some jurisdictions allow players to Buy the Bonus, with five bonus game modes, each offering a different number of starting symbols. Unfortunately, this isn’t an option that’s currently available in the UK.

Win Potential

At the lowest end of the scale 12 or more lemons in view will return 2x your bet. Oranges, plums and grapes have more to offer, with a top payout for watermelons coming in at 10x. Next, come strawberries and lucky red 7s, but it’s the final two paytable symbols that you’ll want to see on the reels. Stars pay up to 25x your bet, while gold crowns deliver a 50x return.

The Hold and Spin bonus feature is where the big money prizes are to be found, including the Jackpot prizes, which are calculated according to your current wager, as follows:

• Mini: 30x
• Minor: 100x
• Major: 500x
• Grand: 1,000x

The Grand Jackpot prize is awarded when you fill the entire Hold and Spin grid with prize symbols. The game’s top payout is capped at 20,000x.

Our Verdict

It’s difficult to find fault with Fruity Wild Bonanza, even if you’re not a particular fan of fruit-themed slots. The game mechanics and bonus features keep you interested, and you can even increase your winning chances by doubling your bet – although that’s not going to work for everyone, so use this feature cautiously!

Our only real complaint is that the symbols can take an age to land. That’s frustrating when you’re waiting to see what the reels are spinning up. Other than that, we were extremely impressed by Stakelogic’s approach to a well-worn theme, so we’re happy to give it a thumbs up!