The world of online slots has given us countless variations on traditional themes, but none as charmingly quirky as "Chicken Run", a slot machine based on Aardman Animations’ beloved animated film. Developed by Microgaming, one of the pioneers in the field, this game takes players on an egg-cellent adventure where they must join Rocky and his feathered friends to escape from evil Farmer Frank and win big. In this exhaustive review, we’ll delve into every nook and cranny of "Chicken Run" slot machines, uncovering its fascinating features, mechanics, and gameplay.
Theme and Design
Inspired by the popular animated Chicken Run film released in 2000, "Chicken Run" takes players on a fun-filled journey to save our fine-feathered friends from their oppressors. The game’s theme is set amidst lush green farmland, complete with rolling hills, a pond, and plenty of trees. Upon launching the slot machine, players are greeted by an introduction cinematic showcasing the film’s lovable characters – Rocky, Ginger, and Ma Goose.
The interface features three main reels, surrounded by four additional reels on either side that display the game’s special symbols. The background is animated with subtle movements, while a soothing soundtrack adds to the atmosphere. Overall, Microgaming has done an outstanding job of capturing the whimsy and charm of Aardman Animations’ film, making "Chicken Run" both visually appealing and entertaining.
Symbols
As with most slot machines, symbols play a crucial role in determining payouts. In "Chicken Run", players can expect to encounter a diverse range of icons inspired by the film:
- Regular paytable symbols include playing card values (9-A) as well as images of fruits such as grapes, cherries, and lemons
- Themed symbols showcase movie characters like Rocky, Ginger, Ma Goose, Mrs. Tweedy’s farmhand (The Colonel), and even a sly rooster
- Wild symbols are represented by the "Farm" icon
These standard symbols pay out for combinations of three to five matching icons on active lines.
Payouts
As mentioned earlier, payouts vary depending on symbol value and number of matching combinations. The regular playing card values offer rewards ranging from 5x to 100x bet-per-line when five are lined up in a row, while fruit symbols payout between 20-50 times the original stake for four matches.
Themed icons take this further with awards ranging from 25:1 (The Colonel) up to an impressive 2000:1 prize for three Ma Goose wilds on any active payline. Other unique features like Free Spins and Special Symbols provide players with greater chances of claiming massive multipliers, especially when the entire 243 ways-to-win grid is fully activated.
Wilds
Microgaming has skillfully incorporated two types of Wild symbols into "Chicken Run" – Fixed Wilds (the ‘Farm’ symbol) as well as roaming wild that takes over an entire reel upon landing during base game or within Free Spins modes respectively! When any combination includes at least one regular Wild icon and then a new Roaming Wild, all icons on the screen will now transform into Chicken Run logo to give huge chance winning massive sums of credits.
Scatters
In "Chicken Run", the ‘Ginger’ symbol serves as both Scatter (indicated by three Ginger symbols) which triggers an incredible 243-Ways-to-win game mode plus unlocks a very rewarding Free Spins Round giving each participant access to extra free games. If you get five bonus rounds, one of these bonus rounds will have no wager attached so it’s pure fun!