Those familiar with the previous games will not find anything really new here. It’s still about maxing out the base game and bonus round grid, and being rewarded with a multiplier boost. Avatar UX keeps tweaking the math model for each game, but BountyPop doesn’t stick out too much from what might be deemed the “norm” in this series (like WildPops did with its much lower potential that is still higher than most games out there).
Fans of the PopWins mechanic will probably like this game, but it does very little to hook new players or drive the whole concept forward. The theme is not really that important in these games, as you will care more about the popping wins than anything else. Visually, there are no surprises here, and players lacking in patience might get a bit of a stomach ache having to watch the length PopWins animations.
As expected, everything centers around the PopWins mechanic, and it comes into play whenever you land a winning combo. The winning symbols “pop” into 2 new symbol positions, and landing enough consecutive wins expands the reel set up to 6 rows in the base game. The grid resets to the regular 5×3 when you land a non-winning spin.
If you expand all reels to the maximum of 6 rows, you trigger the Mystery Wheel feature. This is a 2-tier wheel of fortune where the outer level awards 2x, 3x or 5x multipliers. Hit the arrow to get to the inner level, where multipliers of 3-5x and 10x can be won. The multiplier you get will then be applied to your total win.
The free spins round is triggered when you land at least 3 scatter symbols anywhere on the same spin. You get 6, 9 or 12 spins when you land 3, 4 or 5 scatters, respectively. The PopWins can now expand each reel up to 9 rows, and this equals 59,049 win-both-ways paylines at full capacity. The expanded grid does not reset to 5×3 again on losing spins. It will instead adjust to the least expanded reel.
If you manage to get all the reels to at least 7 rows, you trigger an enhanced version of the Mystery Wheel. The feature starts as soon as the free spins round is finished, and whatever multiplier you get will boost your total bonus round win as follows:
It takes on average 300 spins to get to the bonus round, but you can avoid the base game grind altogether by purchasing the feature. The bonus buy option not available for UK players however, and it will set you back 100x your stake for 6 spins. You can choose to gamble to get up to 12 spins on the Mystery Wheel, but then you also risk losing the whole feature you just paid for.
Those familiar with the PopWins mechanic will have no trouble getting right into the action here. However, if you’re brand new to the innovative engine, you might need some visual guidance to fully grasp the concept. We have put together a nice highlight video from our 200 spins test session, and it will give you a good overview of what this game is all about. We buy the bonus round at 0:56 into the video. Enjoy!
The main ingredients are the same in all PopWins titles from AvatarUX. It’s all about expanding the grid to the max, and getting the biggest possible multiplier boost one way or the other. BountyPop is no different in that regard. The 55,000x potential is rock solid, although it’s not even close to what PopRocks offers, and the RTP of 96 % is the lowest in the series so far.
Visually, BountyPop has a similar style as the other titles, where the reels are set against a blurry out-of-focus backdrop. Admittedly, we had hoped for some innovation this time to bring the series forward, and we still think the PopWins animations drag on for way too long. This is especially annoying when only smaller wins come from it.
Pros
Cons
PopRocks- is the first game that introduced the PopWins mechanic to the world. It also comes with what’s arguably the best math model so far. The RTP is 96.8 % here, and you can win up to an incredible 72,188x your stake in this highly volatile title.
WildPops- is an asian-themed PopWins game where the max win potential has been reduced to “only” 17,707x for whatever reason. This is by far the lowest potential in the series, but there is a random wild feature here that can be really helpful to keep the pops going.
CherryPop- is a fruit machine inspired PopWins title that comes with a progressive multiplier in the bonus round. The max win potential has “popped” back up to 56,386x here, and this fruity title has been the most successful of the lot so far.
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.