Chicken Run is a farm-themed online casino slot developed by NetEntertainment (NetEnt). The game takes inspiration from the 2000 animated film of the same name, directed by Nick Park and Peter Lord, produced by Aardman Animations. This review aims to delve into every aspect of this entertaining slot machine.
Game Theme and Design
Chicken Run is set in a small village surrounded by rolling hills and fields filled with chickens, symbolizing the British countryside’s rural charm. The game’s graphics are colorful and reminiscent of classic cartoon style animations, making it visually appealing to players. The design incorporates Chicken Run various characters from the movie, including Ginger and Rocky, alongside farm animals like chickens and horses.
The reels are set against a bright blue sky with white clouds, creating an immersive atmosphere. Each symbol is intricately designed, reflecting its respective character’s personality or attributes. NetEnt has also included animated chicken eggs as collectible symbols, further emphasizing the game’s farm theme.
Symbols
In Chicken Run, players will encounter a diverse range of symbols:
- Low-paying card values (10-Ace)
- Farm animal icons: Chickens, Horses, and Pigs
- High-value character-based symbols:
- Ginger (the main protagonist from the movie) serves as the highest-paying standard symbol.
- Rocky is another key character featured in this slot, offering substantial rewards for matching combinations.
Farm Egg Symbols
Egg symbols can appear on any reel. These eggs come in three varieties: Golden, Silver, and Bronze. Collecting all three of these eggs at once triggers the bonus feature.
Payouts and Wilds
Chicken Run offers an 8×5 grid layout with a cluster pay system, where wins are formed by adjacent connecting symbols without gaps. Wins range from 1-20 ways to achieve matches. To facilitate combinations, NetEnt has included four wild symbol types:
- Ginger as the main wild
- The Chicken coop serves as a second wild, transforming into any standard character.
- Farm Egg symbols function as multipliers (up to x5) for clusters formed without other egg symbols present.
Scatters and Bonus Features
Three scatter symbols, representing collectible eggs from the animated movie’s characters, initiate the bonus game. In this round:
- Golden Eggs: Three Golden Egg Scatter Symbols unlocks a Free Spins feature with 10 free games and multipliers that can increase up to x5.
- Silver Eggs: Collecting two Silver Eggs activates 5 Re-Spins and ensures that all wins during the re-spins will come from clusters formed by connecting adjacent eggs only.
Bonus Game Features
When three scatter symbols are collected in one spin, they activate a special bonus round where players participate in creating an "Egg Farm." This game mode features animated chickens hatching from their shells to create multiplier values ranging from 2x up to 10x for all wins achieved during this feature.
Free Spins and Re-Spins
In both the Free Spins and Re-Spin rounds:
- Winnings will be awarded according to clusters formed without gaps.
- Multipliers applied during these special games depend on specific egg types collected before starting them:
- Up to 3x (Golden Egg) multiplier is triggered for each spin where a Golden Egg appears, regardless of other wins occurring in this round.
- Silver Eggs apply multipliers from the start.
RTP and Volatility
The theoretical return-to-player (RTP) rate of Chicken Run slot machine stands at 96.4%, while its medium volatility implies moderate frequency of big wins but not as large, compared to games categorized under "high-volatility."
Betting Range
Available wagers range between €0.10 and €100 per spin, accommodating various player budgets.
Max Win
In a single spin with the highest winning combination (Ginger in a cluster), players could achieve winnings reaching up to 5,000 times the bet amount, offering substantial payout potential when high-value character combinations align properly on the reels.