For those who are familiar with the previous games in the series, BountyPop doesn’t offer much that is new. It follows the same formula of maxing out the base game and bonus round grid to earn a multiplier boost. While Avatar UX has made some changes to the math model for each game, BountyPop doesn’t stand out too much from the others in terms of gameplay. Fans of the PopWins mechanic will likely enjoy this game, but it doesn’t do much to attract new players or push the concept forward. The theme is not a major focus in these games, as the popping wins take center stage. Visually, there are no surprises and the lengthy PopWins animations might be frustrating for impatient players. The PopWins mechanic is the core feature, triggering whenever a winning combination lands. The winning symbols expand into 2 new positions, and consecutive wins can expand the reel set up to 6 rows in the base game. The grid resets to the regular 5×3 when a non-winning spin occurs. If all reels are expanded to the maximum of 6 rows, the Mystery Wheel feature is triggered. This two-tiered wheel offers multipliers of 2x, 3x, or 5x on the outer level, and 3x, 5x, or 10x on the inner level. The multiplier is applied to the total win. The free spins round is activated by landing at least 3 scatter symbols on the same spin. The number of spins awarded depends on the number of scatters, with 6, 9, or 12 spins given for 3, 4, or 5 scatters respectively. During the free spins round, the PopWins can expand each reel up to 9 rows, creating 59,049 win-both-ways paylines at full capacity. The expanded grid does not reset on losing spins, but adjusts to the least expanded reel. If all reels reach at least 7 rows, an enhanced version of the Mystery Wheel is triggered after the free spins round ends. The multiplier obtained from the wheel will boost the total bonus round win. On average, it takes 300 spins to reach the bonus round, but players can also purchase the feature instead of grinding through the base game. The bonus buy option is not available to UK players and costs 100x the stake for 6 spins. There is a gambling option to try and increase the number of spins on the Mystery Wheel, but this also risks losing the entire feature. Players familiar with the PopWins mechanic will have no trouble understanding the game, but newcomers might need some visual guidance. A highlight video showcasing a 200 spins test session is available to give an overview of the gameplay. The core elements of the PopWins series remain consistent in BountyPop. The goal is to expand the grid and achieve the highest possible multiplier boost. While the game offers a solid potential of 55,000x, it falls short compared to PopRocks. The RTP of 96% is the lowest in the series. Visually, BountyPop shares a similar style with the other games, with reels against a blurred backdrop. It would have been nice to see some innovation to move the series forward, and the lengthy PopWins animations can be tiresome, especially when only small wins result from them. Pros of the PopWins series include the innovative mechanic and high potential in games like PopRocks. WildPops offers a lower potential but includes a random wild feature to keep the action going. CherryPop, inspired by fruit machines, has a progressive multiplier in the bonus round and has been the most successful game in the series so far with a potential of 56,386x.
