Pop Slot Review by Big Time Gaming
Pop is an exciting, fast-paced online video slot developed by Big Time Gaming (BTG), released in 2021. The game introduces a brand-new mechanic that mixes cascading reels, multiplying symbols, and huge win potential into a visually vibrant and uniquely engaging package. With a focus on explosions of color, dynamic gameplay, and the chance for massive payouts, Pop is a fresh addition to Big Time Gaming’s impressive lineup of innovative slots.
Set in a world full of vibrant colors, geometric shapes, and popping effects, Pop doesn’t just bring visual flair but also an exciting gameplay experience that promises high-stakes action. This review dives deep into the game’s mechanics, features, theme, and everything else you need to know to get the most out of your time with Pop.
Theme and Design
The theme of Pop is abstract and playful, drawing inspiration from a colorful, psychedelic universe filled with geometric shapes and popping effects. The game doesn’t follow a traditional narrative but instead focuses on creating a dynamic and vibrant atmosphere that’s visually captivating.
Graphics and Visuals
- Background: The backdrop of Pop is a vibrant kaleidoscope of colorful patterns and shapes that shift and change as the reels spin. The background feels alive, with bursting colors and explosive animations that reflect the theme of “popping.”
- Symbols: The symbols on the reels are a series of colorful geometric shapes, such as circles, squares, and diamonds, each with its own multicolor variations. These symbols explode off the screen in a colorful burst when part of a winning combination, creating a lively and engaging visual experience. The absence of traditional symbols like fruits or bars gives Pop a refreshing and modern feel.
- Animations: The animations are smooth and dynamic, with symbols exploding off the reels, cascading to make room for new ones, and colorful burst effects when wins are achieved. Each win is accompanied by a satisfying visual explosion, reinforcing the game’s theme of bursting action.
Sound Design
The soundtrack of Pop is upbeat and energetic, featuring electronic music with a psychedelic flair. The sound effects match the theme perfectly, with popping noises, colorful chimes, and whooshes accompanying winning combos. Every time a symbol explodes, there’s a gratifying “pop” sound, which heightens the excitement. The sounds and visuals work seamlessly together to create an engaging and fun atmosphere.
Gameplay and Mechanics
Pop utilizes a dynamic reel setup with cascading reels, multiplying symbols, and a unique feature known as the Pop Wins™ mechanic. This mechanic creates a thrilling and highly engaging slot experience that offers exciting win potential, particularly when features align.
Reel Setup and Pop Wins™ Mechanic
- Reels: Pop uses a 6×6 grid (6 reels, 6 rows), where symbols are arranged in a regular grid layout. The aim is to land matching symbols in a cluster across the grid, which will trigger payouts.
- Pop Wins™: The game’s unique mechanic, Pop Wins™, is activated when clusters of matching symbols land anywhere on the reels. When a winning combination is formed, the involved symbols pop off the reels and are replaced by new symbols, allowing for additional wins. The cascading nature of this mechanic creates a chain reaction, with the potential for multiple wins from a single spin.
- Cluster Pays: Unlike traditional paylines, Pop uses a cluster pays system, meaning players win when they land a group of at least 5 matching symbols adjacent to one another, either horizontally or vertically.
- Symbol Multipliers: One of the standout features of Pop is the multiplier symbols that appear on the reels. These multipliers are added to the total win value whenever they appear in a winning combination. As symbols explode and the cascading effect takes place, players can accumulate bigger multipliers with each successive win.
Betting Range and RTP
- Betting Range: The game caters to a wide range of players, offering a flexible betting range starting from as low as €0.10 per spin and going up to €20 per spin. This makes it suitable for both casual players and high-rollers looking for more substantial stakes.
- RTP (Return to Player): Pop has an RTP of 96.43%, which is competitive in the online slot market. This means that over the long term, the game is expected to return about 96.43% of the total amount wagered to players. This RTP is standard for most BTG slots and is generally considered fair and balanced.
Volatility
- High Volatility: Pop is a high volatility slot, which means that while big wins can happen, they may be spaced out with periods of lower payouts or dry spells. Players should be prepared for the possibility of waiting for significant payouts to land, especially since the multipliers and cascading reels can make the bigger wins more elusive. However, the potential for high payouts when wins do land is considerable, and this high volatility can result in substantial rewards for those who are patient.
Bonus Features
Though Pop does not feature a traditional bonus round like free spins, it compensates for this by utilizing the Pop Wins™ mechanic and symbol multipliers in a way that keeps the gameplay exciting and rewarding.
Pop Wins™ Feature
This is the core feature of the game, and it triggers whenever a winning cluster is formed. After a win, the symbols in that winning combination will explode, and new symbols will fall into place, potentially forming new wins. Each consecutive win that happens due to this cascading effect increases a win multiplier, which boosts the value of your payouts.
The cascading wins can trigger multiple consecutive payouts, which leads to a high potential for big wins. The multiplying effect increases with each successive win, so the more cascading wins you achieve, the higher the multiplier becomes, resulting in exponentially bigger payouts.
Symbol Multipliers
As symbols pop off the reels, multiplier symbols may appear. These multiplier symbols can increase your win on the next payout, adding an extra layer of excitement to each spin. If you’re lucky enough to get several multipliers in one round, the payouts can quickly grow into massive amounts.
No Traditional Free Spins
Unlike many modern slots, Pop doesn’t have a free spins feature. Instead, the excitement comes from the cascading wins and multiplying symbols, creating a sense of momentum as the game progresses. The cascading reels can lead to chain reactions of wins, and the multiplying symbols can make these wins grow significantly, offering an experience that feels as rewarding as traditional bonus rounds.
Payouts and Maximum Win Potential
The maximum win potential in Pop is 20,000x your stake, which can be achieved during a series of cascading wins that trigger multiplying symbols. With high volatility, the game can deliver substantial rewards when the cascading effects and multipliers come into play.
- High-Value Symbols: The highest-paying symbols in Pop are the colorful geometric shapes, which, when clustered together, can offer hefty payouts. The more matching symbols you land, the bigger the win.
- Multiplier Symbols: As mentioned, the multiplier symbols play a crucial role in the game’s payout potential. They can significantly boost your winnings, especially when multiple multipliers are involved in the cascading wins.
Mobile Compatibility
As is the case with most Big Time Gaming slots, Pop is fully optimized for mobile play. The game runs smoothly across both iOS and Android devices, with all the features, visuals, and animations intact. The user interface is easy to navigate, and the controls are straightforward, making it convenient to play on smaller screens.
Whether you’re playing on a smartphone or tablet, Pop offers a seamless experience with smooth gameplay and crisp graphics, allowing you to enjoy the action on the go.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Strengths
- Innovative Pop Wins™ Mechanic: The Pop Wins™ mechanic provides an exciting and dynamic gameplay experience, with cascading reels and multiplying symbols keeping the action fresh and engaging.
- High Win Potential: With a maximum win of 20,000x your stake, the game offers significant payouts, particularly during cascading wins and multiplier sequences.
- Vibrant Theme and Design: The colorful, abstract design of the game is visually captivating, offering a unique twist on traditional slot themes.
- High Volatility: For players who enjoy high volatility games, Pop delivers the excitement of potentially huge payouts, with big rewards possible through cascading wins and multipliers.
- Mobile-Friendly: The game is fully optimized for mobile devices, providing a smooth experience on both smartphones and tablets.
Weaknesses
- High Volatility: While high volatility can lead to big wins, it may also result in long periods without significant payouts, which could be frustrating for some players.
- No Traditional Bonus Round: The absence of a traditional free spins feature might disappoint players who are looking for that bonus mechanic in their gameplay.
- Cluster Pays System: The **cluster pays
** mechanic may take some getting used to for players who are accustomed to traditional payline slots.
Conclusion
Pop by Big Time Gaming is a visually striking and thrilling slot that introduces the innovative Pop Wins™ mechanic, which creates dynamic, cascading gameplay with significant win potential. The game’s high volatility, colorful design, and multiplying symbols ensure that every spin is packed with excitement, making it perfect for players who love high-risk, high-reward slots.
With a maximum win potential of 20,000x your stake, this slot is an excellent choice for thrill-seekers looking for a unique and rewarding gameplay experience. While the absence of a traditional bonus round and cluster pays mechanic might not appeal to everyone, Pop remains an exciting and fresh option for those who enjoy innovative slot features and vibrant, fast-paced action.
Rating: 8.5/10
Pop delivers a unique and engaging slot experience with its dynamic mechanics, vibrant design, and big win potential. Fans of high volatility slots will find it especially exciting, though newcomers to cluster pays mechanics may need some time to adjust. Nevertheless, this is an entertaining and highly rewarding game that stands out in the world of online slots.