Wanted Dead or a Wild Slot Review
Hacksaw Gaming has been fanning the hammer with their releases so far, and next on their agenda is Wanted Dead or a Wild.
Dead or a Wild takes us to what Hacksaw Gaming describes as a ‘rough Western-themed slot’ with merciless outlaws, deadly duels, and legendary robberies. If we were the citizens of a western frontier town or a representative for a bank, we’d be terrified, but thankfully, we’re not, so we’re tremendously excited instead.
If there’s one thing Hacksaw Gaming seems to love, it’s their grid slot format, and unsurprisingly, Wanted Dead or a Wild follows the same trend as Hacksaw Gaming slots that came before it. The similarities look to end right there, though. This is no tranquil day on the Hop’n’Pop Farm, nor is it a slapstick adventure with Canny the Can in Stack ‘Em.
Wanted Dead or a Wild is serious business, and serious business usually means serious potential in the iGaming industry. With a fixed RTP of 96.38% and a high (5/5) volatility release, players can duel till sunrise for 12,500x their bet.
The background of this game almost looks like a canvas. There isn’t much distinguishing detail there, but the sun, the trees and the complementary blood red colours create a pleasing aesthetic.
The slow soundtrack that whispers when the reels fall still ties in nicely with the theme, while the upbeat acoustic music that ensues when things start to kick off really makes Wanted Dead or a Wild a solid experience.
Without further ado, put on your best face covering and prepare to carry out the ultimate bank heist, guns blazing!
Base Game & Features
Wanted Dead or a Wild is a highly volatile, Wild West release from Hacksaw Gaming, operating 5 reels, 5 rows, and 15 fixed pay lines. Winning combinations occur when 3 or more identical symbols land from left to right, starting from reel 1.
In terms of symbols, the highest-paying symbol appears to be the Revolver Barrel, followed by whiskey, money bags, outlaws, and bison skulls. Other symbols include A, K, Q, J, & 10 Card Suits.
In addition, each visible Wild symbol substitutes for all paytable symbols, appearing on all reel positions during spins. The game also reveals multiple Scatters that are responsible for triggering individual Free Spins modes.
Full win lines of paytable symbols are not overly lucrative in Wanted Dead or a Wild, but thankfully, the VS Feature appears to up the ante (more on this below).
VS Symbols
During gameplay, each VS Symbol will expand until it fully covers the entirety of the reel. Once expanded, 2 Outlaws will appear on each end, revealing a Multiplier between 2x and 100x your bet.
A duel between the 2 Outlaws ensues, and the surviving Outlaw will apply its total Multiplier to the entire reel. At this time, the reel acts as a fully stacked Wild symbol. If more than 1 VS symbol hits, their values will add together and apply.
Furthermore, the game can land 1 VS symbol per reel in each spin. If this happens, the entire grid will transform into a single Wild symbol with an active Multiplier. This feature can be triggered in the base game and during the Duel at Dawn Free Spins mode.
Bonus Buy
Players within permissible regions can participate in 3 Bonus Buy options as follows:
- The Great Train Robbery: Direct access to this Free Spins mode for 80x your bet (RTP 96.27%)
- Duel at Dawn: Guaranteed access to this Free Spins mode for 200x your bet (RTP 96.33%)
- Dead Man’s Hand: Trigger this Free Spins mode instantly for 400x your bet (RTP 96.43%)
Options 1, 2, and 3 facilitate a unique volatility score of Medium, Very High, & High, respectively.
Wanted Dead or a Wild has a fixed max win potential of 12,500x your bet. If a game round exceeds this, the current mode ends, and the player returns to the base game carrying the full amount.
Wanted Dead or a Wild Free Spins
Triggering the Duel at Dawn bonus requires 3 ‘Duel’ Scatters to land in the base game, awarding 10 Free Spins.
In this feature, more VS symbols are guaranteed to appear on the reels, giving you a higher chance of triggering the VS Feature. This feature comes with a ‘very high‘ volatility score, with an ‘all or nothing’ motto.
Dead Man’s Hand
Triggering Dead Man’s Hand with 3 or more ‘Dead’ Scatters in the base game, awards 3 Respins.
During this mode, you will need to collect as many Wild & Multiplier symbols during the Collect Phase. Wild symbols are collected to the left, and the current Multiplier is revealed on the right.
Each time a Wild or Multiplier symbol is collected, the current Respins are reset to 3. The Collect Phase ends when 3 non-winning spins occur. At the start of the Showdown Phase, each spin will return the number of collected Wild symbols to the grid.
All wins that materialise from this are then multiplied by the total collected Multiplier. This feature is particularly exciting and has the potential to deliver significant wins. You will, however, want the Collect Phase to continue as long as possible to build up a headstart.
The Great Train Robbery
Last, but not least, is The Great Train Robbery feature, which is triggered when 3 ‘Train’ Scatters land in the base game, awarding 10 Free Spins.
In this round, all Wild symbols that appear on the reels become Sticky for the remainder of spins. This feature is very reminiscent of Pragmatic Play’s The Dog House series, among others.
Our Honest Verdict
Wanted Dead or a Wild is an extremely pleasant release with plenty of potential and exciting features. The base game has its dry moments, but for the most part, it keeps us on our toes through the appearance of VS symbols.
The 3 Free Spins modes available are unique to themselves, and once you hit one of the higher volatility options, you get an ‘edge of your seat’ sensation with each spin. If you’re a sucker for a Wild West slot, we can feel this game becoming a popular choice in both the iGaming industry and Bonus Buy market.
Players should take care when choosing to purchase the Duel at Dawn Free Spins mode. Not only is it the most expensive feature buy available, but it’s also the most volatile of the bunch (very high). It truly is a round of ‘all or nothing’ and shouldn’t be taken lightly.
For a game with a solid RTP of 96.38% and varying volatility scores, we’re equally pleased with the 12,500x max win potential on offer here.
All in all, Wanted Dead or a Wild has unfathomable levels of entertainment, making this a number 1 choice for players looking to duel their way to the top in a ‘rough’ Wild West setting.
*The images found in this slot review are currently from Demo Play. On average, our reviews are written prior to the initial release date and before real play is available.
Wanted Dead or a Wild FAQs
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What makes Wanted Dead or a Wild different from other Hacksaw Gaming slots?
While it uses Hacksaw Gaming’s familiar 5×5 grid format, Wanted Dead or a Wild stands out due to its VS Symbol mechanic, where reels can fully transform into Wilds with multipliers ranging from 2x to 100x. If multiple VS symbols land, their multipliers stack, creating far higher win potential than most standard grid slots. -
What is the VS Symbol and why is it important?
The VS Symbol is one of the game’s core mechanics. When it lands, it expands across the entire reel, triggers a duel animation, and applies a fixed multiplier to the whole reel, which then acts as a stacked Wild. If VS symbols land on every reel in a single spin, the entire grid becomes Wild with an active multiplier, which is where the biggest wins can occur. -
How volatile is Wanted Dead or a Wild?
The game is rated 5/5 high volatility, meaning wins can be infrequent but potentially very large. Some bonus modes – especially Duel at Dawn – are described as “all or nothing”, making them riskier than the others. This volatility is a key reason the game can reach its 12,500x max win. -
What is the maximum win potential in the game?
Wanted Dead or a Wild has a fixed maximum win of 12,500x the bet. If this cap is reached during a bonus or feature, the round ends immediately and the player is returned to the base game with the full amount awarded.
