Wild Pops Slot Review
AvatarUX have carved out a respected position as developers of engaging, feature-rich slots, and Wild Pops represents the second instalment in their PopWins series. Released in July 2020, this sequel builds on the success of PopRocks while offering refined gameplay balance that appeals to a broader audience. The game’s Oriental theme, combined with its sophisticated symbol-popping mechanics and expandable reel system, creates an experience that feels both polished and accessible. If you enjoyed PopRocks, Wild Pops delivers enough familiarity mixed with meaningful improvements to warrant a closer look.
Base Game & Features
Wild Pops operates on a 5-reel, 3 to 7 row expandable grid with the innovative PopWins mechanic at its core. The base game generates 486 ways to win, which escalates dramatically as the reels expand during winning sequences. You’ll find win-both-ways functionality, meaning symbols pay from both left-to-right and right-to-left, doubling win potential across the board.
The PopWins system forms the foundation of the gameplay experience. When a winning combination lands, those symbols pop and are replaced by new symbols tumbling down from above. This continues in cascading fashion until no more wins materialise. With each expansion triggered during the base game, the reel set grows taller, progressively unlocking additional rows and increasing your ways to win.
PopWins Mechanic & Expanding Reels
The PopWins mechanic distinguishes Wild Pops from conventional slots. Each winning pop triggers a reel expansion—reels grow from 3 to 4, then 5, 6, and finally 7 rows high. This progression transforms the game from a modest 486 ways to win into potential cascades reaching 33,614 ways to win when all reels reach maximum height. The visual excitement builds with each expansion, creating dynamic momentum during hot streaks.
Random Wilds Feature
Random Wilds inject additional volatility and excitement into base gameplay. After every three consecutive winning rounds (pops), two random wilds are added to the reels. This feature is retriggerable—additional wilds spawn at 6 and 9 consecutive wins, maintaining momentum during extended winning sequences. These wilds help maintain winning chains and can stretch a hot streak significantly.
Multiplier System
Wild Pops incorporates a multiplier progression mechanic that amplifies wins during extended sequences. In base gameplay, a multiplier accumulates in the Pop Vault meter—increasing by +1 for every seventh pop or symbol that cascades. During the bonus round (when reels reach full expansion), this multiplier remains active, applying to all wins generated within the 3 lives bonus mode, significantly boosting potential payouts.
Bonus Features & Free Spins
The bonus round in Wild Pops activates when you manage to expand the playing field to its maximum size of 5×7. More specifically, if a reel reaches seven symbols high thanks to the pop reactions during base gameplay, the bonus is triggered. Once activated, you receive 3 lives (not traditional free spins, though functionally equivalent) to continue playing with the grid locked at its full 5×7 height.
The 3 lives system works distinctly from conventional free spins. Each life is lost when a spin produces no winning combinations. Once a life is consumed, a new set of symbols appears on the reels. Crucially, the reel set remains at its maximum 5×7 configuration throughout the bonus mode, keeping those 33,614 ways to win fully active. The multiplier accumulated during base gameplay continues to apply, meaning substantial wins are genuinely possible.
Bonus Mechanics in Action
Wild Pops deliberately eschews a traditional bonus buy feature—the bonus can only be triggered through organic gameplay expansion. This design choice encourages base game engagement and rewards players for sustained play rather than instant bonus access. The game also incorporates no bonus buy functionality, keeping the experience purely skill and luck dependent on triggering the expanded grid naturally.
The game truly opens up during bonus mode. PopWins continue cascading with full reel height active, random wilds can still trigger after each three consecutive wins, and the multiplier keeps accumulating. This combination of expanding reels, cascading symbols, random wilds, and multiplier progression creates genuinely exciting bonus moments with meaningful big win potential.
Our Honest Verdict
- Overall Verdict: 8/10
- Wild Pops stands as a refined, well-engineered sequel that improves upon PopRocks in meaningful ways. The reduced volatility compared to its predecessor makes the game more forgiving while maintaining impressive win potential with the 17,707x maximum multiplier. The PopWins mechanic creates genuine excitement—each pop feels rewarding and each reel expansion drives anticipation. The game delivers strong gameplay balance that will appeal to both PopRocks devotees seeking familiarity and players new to the series who want sophisticated mechanics without excessive harshness. Fans of feature-rich slots with dynamic mechanics will find plenty to appreciate. Those chasing absolute maximum volatility may gravitate toward the original PopRocks, but for balanced, engaging gameplay with big win possibilities, Wild Pops represents excellent value. The mobile optimisation ensures consistent play across devices without quality loss, and the elegant Oriental theme with serene soundtrack creates an immersive, polished atmosphere throughout.
Wild Pops FAQs
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What is the RTP of Wild Pops?
The RTP (return to player) of Wild Pops is 96.2%, which is considered average, as average RTP slots are games with an RTP that ranges between 95% – 96.49%. RTP stands for Return To Player and refers to the percentage of the total amount bet that is returned to the player as wins. -
What is the maximum win on Wild Pops?
Wild Pops offers a maximum win of x17,707, which translates to a multiplier of your stake. At the maximum bet level of 50.00, that adds up to a win of 885,350.00. -
What is the volatility of Wild Pops?
Wild Pops has high volatility, meaning wins are less frequent but potentially larger. According to slot review sources, the volatility rating has been reduced compared to the original PopRocks, making it somewhat less volatile than its predecessor. -
How do I trigger the bonus in Wild Pops?
The Bonus Game is activated when you manage to enlarge the playing field to the maximum size of 5×7. More specifically, if a reel gets to be seven symbols high thanks to the Pop reactions, then the play triggers the Bonus game. Once triggered, you will be given three extra lives. -
Does Wild Pops have traditional free spins?
There isn’t a free spins round in the traditional sense of the term. Instead, free spins are known as extra ‘lives’ in Wild Pops. A life is lost when there are no more winnings, and a new set of symbols appears on the reels. The multiplier remains in play during this bonus mode. -
Can I play Wild Pops on mobile?
Yes, Wild Pops is mobile-optimized and can be played on smartphones and tablets running Android and iOS. It works across desktop and mobile platforms, so you can enjoy the game from almost anywhere. -
Does Wild Pops have a bonus buy feature?
Wild Pops does not have a traditional bonus buy feature. The bonus (lives/expanded bonus mode) is triggered by gameplay only through expanding the reels to their full 5×7 height. There is no option to purchase the bonus directly. -
What are the special features in Wild Pops?
Wild Pops includes the PopWins mechanic (where winning symbols pop and new symbols are added), expanding reels (up to 5×7), random wild symbols (added after 3 consecutive wins), multiplier progression (+1 on every 7th symbol), and a bonus mode that awards 3 extra lives when reels reach maximum height.
