Wild West Zone is a 2020 slot release by Leander Games that draws its theme from the frontier days of the American West, when vigilantes, trappers, and cowboys roamed the land. The slot uses a lucrative Dynamic Ways payout mechanic, in which the number of possible winning combinations changes with each spin.
The base game is played on five reels, but a sixth reel appears during free spins, increasing the ways to win to 117,649. The title also includes several extra features, such as the Most Wanted Respins and the Something for Nothing Multiplier. The average theoretical return is 95.82%, while volatility is high, making this release a great option for players who crave substantial, though infrequent, payouts.
| Wild West Zone Slot Summary | |
|---|---|
| Software Provider | Leander Games |
| Payline Number | 243 to 3,125 winning ways in the base game; 15,625 to 117,649 winning ways during free spins |
| RTP | 95.82% |
| Minimum Bet | $0.20 |
| Maximum Bet | $100 |
| Wild Symbol | Yes, the wanted poster |
| Scatter | Yes, the free spins symbol |
| Bonus Features | Most Wanted Respins, Something for Nothing Multiplier, Canyon Heist Free Spins |
| Jackpot | 7,794x |
Symbols and Winning Combinations in Wild West Zone
The Dynamic Ways payout structure is the standout feature of this Leander release. The game features an unconventional grid where the number of symbols appearing per reel fluctuates on each spin. To win, you must match identical symbols in any position on adjacent reels, from the leftmost to the rightmost reel. Payouts for winning combinations are multiplied by the player’s overall stake.
The number of live icons per reel varies each round, depending on whether the symbols are part of the Dynamic Ways Zone. Symbols outside this zone are easy to distinguish because their colors appear fainter. Each reel can be three to five symbols high, producing anywhere between 243 and 3,125 potential ways to win in the base game.
The base game requires three to five matching symbols to produce payouts. Six-of-a-kind combinations are possible during the free spins round when a sixth reel is also in play. The high-value symbols all match the frontier theme and include a sheriff’s badge, dynamite sticks, a pistol, a whiskey bottle, and a pair of leather boots.
The maximum payouts for the badge reach 2x the bet in the base game and 5x the bet during free spins. The dynamite can deliver payouts of up to 1x in the base game and 2x during the special feature. The pistol returns even money during free spins and half the original bet in the main game.
As for the whiskey bottles and the boots, these can earn you top prizes of 0.75x and 0.6x your total stake in free-spins mode. Five-of-a-kind combinations with these symbols pay 0.4x and 0.35x the bet during the main game. The low-value icons A, K, Q, J, and 10 offer maximum returns of 0.4x the stake during free spins.
Bonus Features of Wild West Zone
As previously hinted, this Leander release offers several bonus features designed to boost engagement and profitability. For starters, the wanted poster is wild, allowing it to substitute for everything except the free-spins symbol. There is also the Most Wanted Respins Feature, which triggers each time one or more wild posters land within the Dynamic Ways Zone without creating a winning combination.
What follows is a respin, with all active wilds remaining in position during the feature. The reels keep respinning at no cost until the player scores a win and exits the feature. Each subsequent wanted poster that hits the reels during the respins also sticks in place. More importantly, the feature comes with dynamic multipliers that increase with every respin until the player eventually wins.
Two free-spins scatter symbols landing within the Dynamic Ways Zone on the first and third reels unlock the Something for Nothing Multiplier. This multiplier boosts your profits during the free-spins feature and increases by one unit when you land two scatters within the same round. Note that the software saves the multiplier value for every bet level. In other words, adjusting your wager will restore the multiplier to the value previously saved for the given amount staked.
The Canyon Heist Free Spins kick off whenever you land three free-spins icons within the Dynamic Zones on the first, third, and fifth reels. You will get 8 initial free rounds with the multiplier you have accumulated during the Something for Nothing feature.
A sixth reel will appear, increasing the Dynamic Zones’ size to a maximum of seven symbols high. This causes an increase in the number of winning ways, which ranges from 15,625 to 117,649 during free spins. Players can retrigger eight more free spins during the feature by landing three additional special symbols on the second, fourth, and sixth reels.
Verdict
With Wild West Zone, Leander Games delivers its unique take on the Megaways format pioneered by Big Time Gaming. The dynamic payout structure will surely maintain players’ interest as the ways to win change on every spin. The game does not lack special features, either, boasting sticky wilds, dynamic multipliers, respins, and an exciting free-spins round with an extra reel.