But just when you will judge that this is one super classic/super ordinary slot, you will be confronted with the unconventional layout, consisting of 5 regular vertically spinning reels and 2 horizontally spinning reels.
The latter can only contain Wilds and Bonus symbols. Furthermore, when all reels are activated, the win ways are increased from 243 to 1125, which can provide some great wins up to the max of 272 000 CAD (translated as 2720x the total bet via the max stake).
Don’t be gulled by the laidback jazzy soundtrack or the lucid ordinary icons. This High Volatility slot is, by all means, irregular and needs a little bit of time studying the rules. But with several attractive features and sufficient return (RTP) of 96.02%, the SideWinder online slot can be both an amazing pastime and a good base for profit-making.
If you would like to practice for free, launch the DEMO version on our site. No registration is needed.
Personal testers’ opinion about SideWinder slot
- So, Microgaming Company appointed yet another remodel project to their partner JustForTheWin Studio. The Swedish-based software developer – JFTW, founded in 2016, began business with Microgaming to release its games on the Quickfire platform in 2017. They had just published the Rainbrew slot machine in 2018. They were ready with the same slot a month later but dressed up with classic casino symbols design – this SideWinder slot. Well, we need to forgive them. It seems they don’t have enough mathematicians to develop a new math template, or the mother-company mandates to sculpt 2 games (a double release) off of the same mould. Amazingly, this is a direct contradiction of what Johan Persson, CEO and co-founder of JFTW, shared with our colleagues during a 2020 interview: that the company’s strategy focuses “first on quality instead of quantity.”
- The provision table of the SideWinder exhibits poor values: Wilds and Bonus symbols, which have no value, and 10 paying symbols with a value between 8x the total bet (for the 7’s) and 2x the total bet (for the stars), all for 5OAK on adjacent reels. This is tolerable for a game with 243/1125 win ways.
- Unfortunately, due to the low hit frequency, the slot delivers only so few large rewards that are not enough to preserve the balance in long sessions. Combined with the stretched long cycle, this makes the game inapt for bonus money wagering. Our wagering scale substantiated this rating with 2.68 index points (out of 10). You can get large wins (35x-70x the total bet) easily even in the base game, but the waiting for the bonus round is quite extended – statistically, after 185 spins, you should expect the Free Spins.
All attributes considered: we do recommend sessions with real money here, as the SideWinder slot machine has proven its capacity for sizeable payouts (our test group hit 698x the total bet). Low-rollers can take enjoyment here (in rounds with 0.10 and 0.20 cents). The same counts for the high-rollers can raise the bar slightly to 3 – 4 CAD and naturally expect better profits. Unfortunately, the game is unfit for completing the bonus requirements.
Hidden parameters of the slot (data from the testing team)
- The frequency of triggering the bonus is statistically, every 185th spin (0,54%).
- The distribution of the winnings is 50% in the usual spins and 50% in the bonus feature.
- The maximum payout during the tests was 698x.
- The average winning from the bonus was 54x.
- Volatility is 11,57 out of 20 (high).
- The cycle length is long.
- The rating of the slot machine for the wagering is 2,68 out of 10.
- RTP of 96,02% allows getting a positive mathematical expectation at the casino.
Features
Sidewinder Feature – 2 (extra) horizontal reels on top and the bottom of the 5×3 grid are available only for Wild and Bonus symbols. Falling Wild in there will increase the win ways to 576 or 1125.
3 sorts of Wilds – regular, top, and bottom Wilds all stand-in for the other symbols, except the Free Spins symbols.
- The Yellow Wild (Regular) can land on the 2 horizontal (extra) lines.
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- The Top and Bottom Wilds are the ‘instigators’ for the Yellow Wild to appear on the extra lines, and they can instigate each other.
- During base spins, the Top Wild (a pointing up arrow) lands only on the 2nd reel or the upper extra reel, and the Bottom Wild (a pointing down arrow) only appears on the 4th reel or the lower extra reel.
Free Spins – If 2 logo Scatters appear on the 2nd and 4th reel, the extra reels will spin in the hope of at least 1 more Scatter. 6 Free Spins (for 3 Scatters) or 10 Free Spins (for 4 Scatters) can be awarded, and both extra reels are entirely active during each bonus spin. Therefore, the 1125 win ways are making combinations now where only Wilds and Free Spins Scatters appear on the extra reels. If Wild symbols land in the same position on the top and bottom reel, the vertical column between them will turn completely Wild.
Paytable:
- Stars and the 4 card suits – 0.4x/0.8x/2x the total bet
- Bars – 0.8x/1.5x/4x the total bet
- 4 leaf clover – 1x/2x/5x the total bet
- Horseshow – 1.2x/ 3x/6x the total bet
- Bells – 1.5x/4x/7x the total bet
- 7’s – 2x/5x/8x the total bet
Settings
- Provider – JFTW (Microgaming)
- Payment lines – 243 to 1125
- Volatility – High
- The default range of bets – 0.10 to 100 CAD
- Playing field – 3/5/5/5/3
- The maximum winning is – 2720x the total bet
- Bonuses – 3 types of Wilds, Horizontal feature, Expanding symbols and Free Spins
- Free Spins – Yes
- Progressive Jackpot – No
- Gamble feature – No
- RTP – 96.02% (allows getting a positive mathematical expectation of winning at the casino)
