Trailer
Review of Wanted Dead or a Wild Slot
This slot from Hacksaw Gaming was released on September 29, 2021. It quickly became a cult favorite in the online casino community thanks to its dark style and high win potential.
The game immerses players in the harsh world of the Wild West, filled with ruthless duels, train robberies, and bounty hunting. The slot’s design features a gloomy color palette with a red-yellow background depicting a sunset over desert lands, while the spaghetti western-inspired soundtrack adds tension and drama.
The game field is 5×5 with 15 fixed pay lines. The default RTP of the slot is 96.38%, which is above the industry average. However, operators may use lower RTP settings (88.42%, 92.33%, or 94.55%). Therefore, players should check this parameter before starting the game.
Wins can reach up to 12,500x, making the slot appealing for those seeking large payouts. High volatility (4 out of 5 on the provider’s scale) means wins may be rare, but they can be substantial, with a hit frequency of 19.3%. This indicates that a winning combination forms approximately once every five spins.
Betting ranges from 0.20 to 100 units of the chosen currency, catering to both cautious players and high rollers.
Features of Wanted Dead or a Wild
This slot stands out among others due to its unique mechanics and well-thought-out visual effects. The game is built on HTML5, ensuring smooth performance on any device.
A distinctive feature is the DuelReels™ mechanic, first introduced by Hacksaw Gaming in this slot. It activates when VS symbols land, transforming into reels filled with wild symbols and multipliers, adding dynamism and the potential for significant wins even in base gameplay.
The slot’s symbols fully align with its theme: low-paying symbols include card denominations, while high-paying symbols feature a money bag, revolver, whiskey bottle, bull skull, and bandit. The wild symbol (sheriff’s star) substitutes for all standard symbols except bonus ones and pays up to 20x the line bet for five symbols. Visually, the game impresses with its dark aesthetics and animations, especially during duel scenes where two gunslingers vie for multipliers, adding interactivity.
The slot has gained popularity among online casino streamers, contributing to its widespread recognition. In 2021, it became one of the key games that solidified Hacksaw Gaming’s reputation as an innovative developer. Despite the lack of a progressive jackpot, high volatility and bonus buy options make the game attractive to experienced players.
Bonus Game, Special Symbols
The slot features three unique bonus rounds, each with its own volatility and mechanics.
- The first is «The Great Train Robbery,» activated by landing 3 or more train robbery symbols, awarding 10 free spins. In this mode, all wild symbols become sticky and remain on the reels for the duration of the round. This bonus has medium volatility, making it the most stable of the three.
- The second bonus, «Duel at Dawn,» triggers when 3 or more Duel symbols appear and also includes 10 free spins. Here, VS symbols appear more frequently, expanding into wild reels with multipliers from x2 to x100. If multiple such symbols appear on the field, their multipliers are combined, potentially leading to impressive payouts. This round features very high volatility, making it risky but potentially the most rewarding.
- The third and most complex bonus, «Dead Man’s Hand,» is activated by landing 3 or more Dead symbols. It consists of two phases: in the first phase, the player receives 3 spins to collect wild symbols and multipliers (up to 20 wilds and a x31 multiplier), with each successful spin resetting the spin counter. After three empty spins, the second phase, Showdown, begins, where the wilds and multipliers accumulated during the 3 spins are applied to the reels. This mode features high volatility and is regarded as the most challenging yet rewarding.
The bonus buy feature allows for the instant activation of any round for 80x, 200x, or 400x the bet for “Robbery,” “Duel,” and “Hand,” respectively. The RTP when buying bonuses ranges from 96.27% to 96.43%.
Play Wanted Dead or a Wild for Free in Demo
The slot is available on most platforms, including the official provider’s website (https://www.hacksawgaming.com/games/wanted-dead-or-a-wild) and numerous online casinos. The free version allows players to test all mechanics, including bonus rounds and VS symbols, without the need for registration or a deposit. It serves as an excellent opportunity to explore the volatility and features of the slot before playing for real money.
In demo mode, players can experiment with various bet sizes and assess the frequency of bonus activations. For example, statistics show that activating bonus rounds in the base game may be rare due to high volatility, making the demo play especially beneficial for newcomers. Many casinos also offer promotions with free spins for this slot, increasing the chance of winning without risk.
The free version of this slot machine is available on our website. To launch it, return to the beginning of this review and click on the “Play Game” button.
