As we dive into the world of online casinos, it’s not uncommon to come across games with quirky themes and colorful artwork. One such game that caught our attention is "Licence to Squirrel", a slot machine developed by a reputable software provider. This review aims to delve into every Licence to Squirrel aspect of this game, analyzing its features, mechanics, and overall gaming experience.
Theme, Setting, and Visual Design
" Licence to Squirrel" takes players on an adventure through the forest, where they’ll encounter various woodland creatures as symbols. The background features a whimsical depiction of trees, with leaves rustling in the wind and sunlight filtering through the branches. The game’s visuals are characterized by vibrant colors, from the bright green grass to the warm tones of the wooden furniture.
The reels themselves are designed to resemble tree trunks, complete with intricate carvings that add an extra layer of depth to the design. When winning combinations occur, animated explosions erupt on screen, sending leaves and other forest detritus flying in celebration. The sound effects perfectly complement these visuals, incorporating bird chirps, rustling leaves, and gentle wind chimes.
Symbols, Animations, and Sound Design
As you’d expect from a woodland-themed game, the symbols are all animals native to this environment. These include rabbits, squirrels (obviously!), owls, foxes, hedgehogs, badgers, deer, beavers, raccoons, frogs, and butterflies. Each symbol has its own animated sequence when it lands on screen, ranging from simple wiggles to more complex sequences like the squirrel collecting nuts.
The higher-paying symbols are depicted in a more realistic style, while the lower-value ones have a cartoonish flair reminiscent of children’s books. Speaking of which, there’s even an animated ‘Story Book’ feature that displays an illustrated scene on screen when certain combinations occur – this is definitely one of the standout features of "Licence to Squirrel".
Reels, Paylines, or Grid Mechanics
" Licence to Squirrel" uses a standard 5-reel arrangement with 3 rows and up to 25 fixed paylines. This grid layout offers players plenty of opportunities for winning combinations, including classic line pays as well as combinations involving the same symbol on adjacent reels.
A notable feature here is that some of the symbols are ‘Wanted’ – these appear only on specific reels (1st-3rd reel) and can trigger unique behavior when encountered. For instance, if an owl appears in the rightmost position on the 5th reel alongside a squirrel, it becomes sticky during the next two spins.
Core Gameplay Mechanics and Flow
The gameplay itself is designed to be intuitive: simply set your bet level (ranging from $0.10 to $50 per spin) and hit ‘Spin’ – after that, it’s down to Lady Luck. The minimum betting requirement ensures new players can try out the game without breaking the bank.
As mentioned earlier, special symbols are present throughout this game, including wilds and scatters. However, unlike other games in its class, these icons don’t contribute directly towards overall RTP – they’re merely tools used during bonus rounds or when encountering specific ‘Wanted’ features.
Wild Symbols, Scatter Symbols, and Special Icons
The first notable symbol here is the Squirrel Wild: substituting any base game payline icon except scatters. While active on-screen for each respective spin’s duration (1-2 spins max), it significantly increases odds of triggering that round – you’ll get a clear visual indication as its status changes.
Next up are Scattered Acorns, which can spawn multiple at once when five appear in any position across all reels during normal play or ‘Wild’ bonus rounds. When activated by wild symbols outside free games mode (the only spot without limiters), winning lines will result from these; they also add +100 to payouts per reel won on (‘normal’ ones).
The owl can either initiate ‘Story Time Bonus Play Round’ with unique story elements like animations above or, sometimes lead extra rounds within said rounds due new mechanics included!
Lastly we have some animal footprints near wilds whose sole purpose is creating sticky wilds during these rounds only (more about this later).