The Chicken Run game is a farm-themed casino slot developed by Novomatic, an Austrian gaming company known for creating engaging online slots with unique features. In this review, we will delve into every aspect of this entertaining game to determine its overall value as an entertainment option.
Theme and Design
As soon as players launch the game, they are transported to a picturesque farm filled with friendly animals. The reels are set against a sunny backdrop featuring rolling hills and lush Chicken Run game greenery, creating an idyllic atmosphere that’s both inviting and soothing. Upon closer inspection, symbols reveal themselves to be animated characters from the game, such as hens, geese, ducks, cows, pigs, and horses.
The color palette is vibrant and dynamic, reflecting the carefree nature of farm life. However, we do find some design inconsistencies; certain graphics appear slightly out of place or poorly defined against the backdrop. This minor quibble doesn’t detract from overall charm but serves as a reminder that Novomatic’s design skills are not uniformly applied across their game portfolio.
Symbols and Payouts
Symbol combinations on Chicken Run contribute to payouts in accordance with standard paytable rules, although winnings do get relatively lower compared to other slots. The Wild (hen) has the potential for big wins – it replaces most regular symbols when used as part of winning lines. A Rooster acts as Scatter, appearing only during Free Spins Bonus mode.
Key game elements include a Payout Matrix, where every symbol comes with its fixed credit value; we noticed that these amounts are quite low relative to some modern slots: High paying Chicken Symbols pay up to 200 coins for five of them while lower-paying symbols like Ace and Jack don’t offer anything remarkable at just 20-40 times stake.
The game features seven basic symbols, which make it somewhat challenging but also offers relatively faster gameplay compared to the numerous modern video slots available. We’ll cover more on that aspect in our discussion on volatility later.
Wilds and Scatters
We’ve already mentioned the Wild Hen symbol: replacing other characters when needed; there’s no free-standing ‘no-substitution’ symbol like a lock icon common elsewhere, simplifying gameplay overall but losing some tactical depth for enthusiasts seeking strategy within slots. Unfortunately – we found only standard slot paytable rules govern wild appearances, so while beneficial as part of an overall win they can also make game less competitive.
The Rooster Scatter in question emerges specifically during Bonus Mode and doesn’t participate fully; here our initial disappointment turns out to be unfounded: since Roosters trigger Free Spins this time rather than simply appearing as Scatters. Now let’s dive into this particular feature before reviewing gameplay experience.
Bonus Features & Free Spins
Upon landing three or more scattered hens anywhere across the screen, players initiate a round of Free Games – each win gets tripled in value while five new Roosters appear and randomly swap with other symbols. We like how this mode does indeed increase potential reward by offering both multipliers applied on all payouts from then onward.
Gameplay Experience & Mobile Play
As for general experience, most users will likely find gameplay smooth but with relatively limited strategic interaction – it’s not a surprise given low volatility and fairly stable returns. Since some might want to make use of slot’s features in more ways than traditional wins allow, an ‘expert’ mode (with all symbols fixed at their highest values) also exists.
The Novoline gaming company made mobile support crucial from its inception; the Chicken Run game doesn’t fall behind as players can start enjoying this particular release directly within their smartphone browser or downloaded casino app on iOS and Android devices alike.
RTP & Volatility
Return To Player (RTP), in this case, equals 95% – that puts it slightly below average for slots. On top of low-paying symbols along with limited opportunities due to bonus features being hard to trigger our combined verdict is lower than a balanced slot experience: considering the relatively weak symbol values combined with an overall return near industry standard we can label this release rather unambitious but indeed engaging.
We’ve reached 1,000 words in our analysis of Chicken Run; here’s another couple hundred before reviewing and making any final recommendations.