The online casino industry is known for its diverse array of games, from classic card and table options to innovative video slots that transport players on thrilling adventures through time and space. Among these offerings is "Chicken Run," a slot machine game developed by Chicken Run gaming software provider Microgaming, which takes inspiration from Nick Park’s 2000 stop-motion animated comedy film of the same name. In this review, we will delve into every aspect of Chicken Run to uncover its mechanics, potential rewards, and overall player experience.
Theme and Design
Chicken Run transports players to a picturesque English countryside farm at the turn of the century. As they step inside the game’s reels, they are greeted by colorful characters straight out of the film: Ginger, Rocky, and Tweedie join forces with their human allies, trying to break free from the clutches of a sinister farmer named Mrs. Tweedy. The slot’s 5×3 grid is surrounded by wooden fence posts and adorned with bright blue skies filled with fluffy white clouds, adding to its wholesome charm.
The graphics in Chicken Run are undeniably pleasant and reminiscent of classic cartoons. Each character is lovingly crafted with intricate details that reveal a deep understanding of the film on which it’s based. When spinning the reels, players may notice birds flying about, and when triggered, bonus features like the "Ginger’s Egg" symbol can shower the screen in animated glory.
Symbols
Players will encounter several themed symbols while playing Chicken Run:
- Low-paying symbols comprise suits from hearts to diamonds.
- Mid-paying icons feature individual characters: Rocky, Tweedie, Mrs. Tweedy, and Ginger’s loyal pig.
- High-value symbols include pairs of characters trying to fly away (Tweedie holding a book, the Farmer’s wife on an ostrich backside), and three high-rewards eggs.
These symbols offer payouts in line with other similar video slots: when a combination lands, it triggers its corresponding cash reward. Players can thus begin accumulating decent winnings early on but are likely to crave bigger returns through wilds, scatters, or bonus rounds.
Payouts
Chicken Run features 10 non-progressive paylines and pays out based on matching symbols from the leftmost reel rightwards with a minimum three consecutive matches necessary for rewards. Microgaming lists various payout multipliers ranging between x1 and x1500 for each combination:
- Low-paying cards offer payouts up to £200 (x3-5 win combos).
- Character mid-value wins give players as much as £500 (combinations of 4 symbols in a row).
Higher paying symbols can bring rewards worth a maximum of £10000.
Wilds
A unique twist is the appearance of Ginger, the heroic heroine chicken from Nick Park’s movie, which acts both as a wild and scatter symbol. This dual identity allows her to stand for any icon on the reels (ensuring more winning combinations), while also triggering special features. With two Gingers at least, it becomes easier for players to form larger combinations.
Scatters
As we mentioned earlier, Ginger can double up by acting as both a wild and scatter symbol when at least three appear anywhere across the grid simultaneously. Scattered Ginger icons will open up a secondary "Ginger’s Egg" free spins mode:
- The first spin sets off 5 eggs for free.
- During each egg-busting iteration players gain another complimentary round (up to five total).
- Bonus feature can end after winning no more than x1000.
Bonus Features
Chicken Run has two main bonus elements that expand gameplay opportunities and, consequently, chances of hitting the big one:
- Free Spins: Ginger’s Egg Mode : Whenever Ginger appears three times on a spin anywhere across the board (not required to be adjacent), it will activate free spins mode.
In this section we discuss specific details about RTP, Volatility levels, betting range and also maximum payout in Chicken Run Slot machine.
The detailed information follows below.