The world of online casinos has seen its fair share of animal-themed slots over the years, but few have captured the hearts (and pockets) of players like Aardman Animations’ beloved film, "Chicken Run". Developed by Microgaming and based on the 2000 animated movie of the same name, Chicken Run slot is an action-packed, hilarious take on the classic farm-to-table story. In this review, we’ll delve into every aspect of this entertaining game to give you a comprehensive understanding of Chicken Run what makes it tick.
Theme
As mentioned earlier, Chicken Run’s theme revolves around Aardman Animations’ stop-motion animated film of the same name. Players are transported to a quaint British farm where Ginger (the protagonist) and her fellow hens must hatch an ingenious plan to outsmart their nefarious farmer and escape in search of better living conditions.
Throughout this review, we’ll examine various elements that enhance the game’s immersive nature and charm. You can bet that you won’t get bored or feel disconnected while spinning these reels!
Design
The colorful, whimsical design makes it easy for new players to adjust to this slot quickly. Chickens of all sizes adorn the 5×3 grid, providing an almost homey atmosphere. While most icons are simple illustrations from the original film, they have been cleverly arranged with attention-grabbing animations.
A variety of fonts and colors subtly reflect different on-screen elements – something both entertaining and pleasing to look at while playing! You will notice several bonus graphics here too. All said, it doesn’t break new ground in terms of slot designs but is a solid work nonetheless!
Symbols
The various symbols have an authentic connection to the movie or are loosely based upon farm animals we all know.
- 4 standard chicken breeds
- Egg-laying hens
- Farmer’s tractor ( Wild)
- Ginger and Rocky in loving couple pose – bonus
These birds join two unique wilds which provide the main pay table. Chickens and, more frequently than you might expect, their eggs can help round out any low-value wins!
Payouts
All the standard bird icons appear to be randomly combined. We see no evidence of a payout chart in the game client.
This could easily change however with each spin using a random number generator that draws one of 96 different combinations. Don’t assume you’ll encounter some birds more frequently than others, even though we’ve not looked up the math behind it!
The following are potential values (payout percentages) when matched five across in play mode:
- Rooster: ×5
- Blackbird: ×15
- Redcap Partridge: ×20 White Wyandotte Hen : ×25
We assume this last symbol is just another chicken variety, but could be incorrect. Please note the odds of hitting a combination for each will depend on your bet size!
Wilds
A ‘Rooster Wild’ appears when playing Chicken Run slot with more frequent appearances during the second and third reels compared to the others.
The most sought-after wild symbol is "Tractor" – though it’s relatively rare. This might seem odd, considering its connection to farming! In fact, when this tractor symbol hits either 2nd or 3rd position on the pay line that includes ‘Rocky’ icon; instead of paying out for both they’ll combine into a higher value single payment.
Keep in mind there is an exception here. If you end up seeing three chickens and one egg-laying hen from left to right over all five reels then only those symbols will be paid. They won’t pay together as initially expected!
Scatters
This game introduces what they call "Bonuses" (which look very much like ‘scatter’ icons) – which appear on the first 3 reels but not always.
While playing, if you hit any number of bonus symbols over these three locations then that number directly represents how many free games are awarded. For example:
- Hit one symbol to receive 1 round
- Two: 2 rounds And so forth until five scatters (which means fifteen rounds). If more than one is on the board but appears in same positions across subsequent spins you will keep adding extra game time!
Free gameplay can bring an average payout higher with potentially high-value symbols being randomly activated throughout; though these are relatively low value symbols.
Bonus Features
Once triggered during regular spin (non-stacked) a special screen shows Ginger and her flock trying to escape in search of freedom, animated in smooth style. Then your game will transition into 10 Free Games – offering multiple bonuses every few rounds – such as high-value bird landing positions where wilds become ‘normal’. In fact the whole point is making it harder for players not paying attention while placing bets elsewhere.
If you get four chickens on each of reels 1-2 they’ll join (wild symbol), giving extra multipliers to those who have them; otherwise, only five non-wild chicken icons pay out maximum odds. Free rounds give more chances at both winning higher value jackpots AND bonus scatter symbols landing too – making overall playtime rather thrilling experience indeed!
Free Spins
A ‘Bonus’ symbol triggers the free round game which awards players with varying amounts based on their count: five = fifteen, four = ten etc… As long as all reels display a high-paying bird, you’ll get wilds added – enhancing payouts when three standard non-wild ones appear too.
Gameplay here remains somewhat predictable. Although there might not be too much of newness happening every time – we won’t deny its charm still offering enjoyment!