Personally, I have never been nostalgic for the 90s, even though I grew up in the 80s and 90s. The 80s stand out in many ways, especially with the outrageous fashion, terrible hairstyles, and epic pop music. AvatarUX attempted to capture all of this in their game 80sPop, but it comes across as too superficial and glossy to truly capture the essence of that legendary decade. The three pop star characters lack authenticity and charm, and on top of that, the game is just a reskin of HippoPop. The PopWins mechanic expands the grid, and reaching the maximum grid size awards a progressive multiplier and a bonus round. The multiplier does not reset during the feature, and the star symbol increases in value as the free spins grid expands. The game has a solid potential of 20,000x, but it could have easily been called 90sPop without anyone noticing. AvatarUX Studios burst onto the iGaming scene in 2018, fueled by Yggdrasil’s Masters program. Their main focus is PopWins mechanic slots, and they have released over 30 titles so far. AvatarUX sets themselves apart with their unusual visuals, unconventional themes, and bold vision. 80sPop by AvatarUX takes players back to the era of big hair and bold fashion. It offers a cartoon-style pop concert with face-painted singers, colorful hair, guitars, drums, and vibrant music notes. It promises a nostalgic trip down memory lane with infectious tunes and electrifying energy. The game has a high RTP of 96.01%, slightly above the industry average. It is a high volatility slot, meaning players can experience both big wins and losses in longer gaming sessions. The maximum win in 80sPop is 20,000x the stake, which is above average for this volatility level. Players can place bets between €0.2 and €100 per spin, offering a solid betting range for most players. The game features a default grid with 5 reels and 3 rows, totaling 243 win ways that pay both ways. Winning combinations cause symbols to explode and new symbols to appear, expanding the grid up to 6 rows in the base game and 8 rows in the bonus round. The progressive win multiplier is triggered by maxing out the base game grid, and it carries over into the bonus round. The bonus round starts with 5 free spins, and the multiplier and grid size continue to increase with each winning combination. The star symbol’s value also increases with the size of the grid. The game offers an option to purchase the bonus round, but it is not available in the UK. Overall, 80sPop lacks the nostalgic feel and representation of the 80s, and it is a disappointment from AvatarUX.
