If you examine AvatarUX’s portfolio closely, you’ll notice most of the content has ‘POP’ in the name, which stands for thePopWins mechanicsthe developers are so fond of and can’t seem to get enough of. When we say most, we mean that actually almost every game is built on PopWins. Precisely, at the time of writing, only 2 out of 29 titles operate on a different engine, namely the company’s debut slotLilith’s Infernoand one of the recent games calledDonKey & the GOATS.
The latter also introduced a new reel system, Golden Ways, and as the release of the studio’s latest Nugget slot suggests, it wasn’t just one single exception to the rules. This one also takes a step away from AvatarUX’s beloved PopWins in favor of Golden Ways, and it brings a number of changes, expanding the engine’s capabilities greatly and providing new experiences for the players.
AvatarUX Studiosis an ambitious and creative iGaming studio powered byYggdrasil’s Masters program. It was launched in 2018 and so far has a collection of little under 30 games, including slots such asBountyPop,WildpopsandTikiPop. The team is young but pretty skilled, which can be seen in the masterful design, solid, math, and entertaining features the Nugget slot incorporates.
Those expecting to see chicken nuggets here, we have to disappoint you. Here, you are to hunt for a different kind of nuggets, gold ones, as the actions of the game take place during the period of the Gold Rush, somewhere in the Old West. While the theme might seem pretty generic, AvatarUX made sure their Nugget slot stands out from the crowd with top-notch photorealistic visuals. Quite an uncommon style for the studio, but the design team has nailed the assignment and created one hell of a Western game.
As alluded to above, at the core of the Nugget slot machine is the Golden Ways pay system, featuring a6x4 main gridand anextra 6-position horizontal reelabove, calledZap Reel(first introduced inLooneyPop). The mechanic provides fixed15,625 paylines in the base game, but in the free spins, the number can rise crazily to over half a million ways. We’ll get back to it in the features section of our Nugget slot review.
Winnnig combinations are scored when at least 3 of the symbols land adjacently on the reels starting from the leftmost, and each win triggers acascade. Winning symbols get removed, the remaining fall to lower available positions, and new ones tumble down from above to fill the gaps. The process is repeatable and goes on until there are no new wins in view.
Getting the reels to spin comes at a cost of at least€0.2, which players tight on budget should appreciate. Default bets go up to€100per spin, and there are several different bonus buy and ante bet options.
The symbol collection of the Nugget online slot includes 11 symbols that are split into four different categories, namely low, mid, high, and super-high. The latter lot is represented by Gunslinger, followed by three high-paying characters. Then are medium hammers, whiskey glasses, and Stetson hats, and finally classic A-J card royals for the lows. As for Wilds, however, the developers decided to omit them.
When it comes to the gameplay of the Nugget slot, there’s a lot for players to get stuck into. There are three different modifiers available at any stage, a round of powerful free spins, four bonus bets, and five different bonus buys.
Keep an eye out forPaydaysymbols. Whenever one appears anywhere in view, it awards one of the random available modifiers, calledWild West Rewards. In the base game, each reward comes with arandom lives counter from 1 to 4 that count down on each subsequent spin. Possible modifiers are the following:
When at least3 Scatter symbolsappear on a base game spin, a round of NuggetFree Spinsis awarded. Before the feature kicks off, players are given aselection between two Prospector Wheelsto determine the number of initial spins and win ways. At max,up to 15 initial spinscan be won, and the number of possible win ways can be as high as531,441.
During the free games, Wild West Rewards come withup to5 lives, and they tend to trigger more often. Additionally, each modifier trigger awardsextra spinsequal to the number of lives unlocked for that reward. Multiple rewards can be unlocked at a time, and if an already existing reward is unlocked again, additional lives are granted.
Once per bonus round, theGold Rushfeature can come into play randomly on any free spin. When this happens, players receivemore free spins, and thefrequency of Payday and Gunslinger symbols is increased significantly. Plus, if the HOTX Gunslinger modifier is active, themultiplier gained per symbol is doubled. In other words, each Gunslinger would increase the value by +2x instead of +1x.
From the extensive Nuggetbonus buymenu, players can opt for different feature purchase options as well as a range of extra bets, as follows:
To get started with the Nugget real money game, simply follow these easy steps:
1.Check out thebest Nugget casino sitesavailable for your country.
2.Get acquainted with available promotions.
3.Select one that you prefer and proceed to the casino.
4.Sign up and activate the bonus.
5.Find Nugget in the slots section.
6.Choose your bet and spin the reels!
The game is powered by ahighly-volatilemath model, and the default Nugget RTP is decent at96.05%, which is a whisker above average. Win frequency is also decent at23.24%, meaning that roughly every 4 spins will bring a return. However, stats may change during bonus buys or bonus bets.
For instance, the Nugget max win of25,000xis achievable in around 83 million spins during the main game, but with the Buy Bonus Max on, for instance, the chances are boosted incredibly to 1:1,496. The same applies to the features – Wild West Rewards tend to trigger once in every 70 spins during the main game, but even with the lowest-tier bonus buy, the frequency is increased to every 3.5 spins.
One thing you’d better do before rushing to a real-money casino is check out theNugget demoon our website. It’s 100% free and requires neither registration nor download, so you can play it right away. The Nugget free play version gives you an opportunity to get to know the gameplay better, see how features operate, and try out all the bonus bets and bonus buys, etc, all without spending any of your own money.
The game isfully optimized for any known platform, and you can play Nugget game on both smartphones and tablets seamlessly, no matter the OS. It runs perfectly whether on iOS, Android, or anything else, and all you need to launch it on mobile is a web browser app.
The best Nugget strategy would be to take note of the following tips and advice, which can boost your winning odds and enhance your overall gaming experience:
Pros
Cons
Wanted Dead or a Wild- aHacksaw Gamingrelease that has a similar deep Western vibe. The highlight here is the exciting Duel feature with a massive winning potential.
DonKey and the GOATS- a previousAvatarUXinstallment based on the GoldenWays mechanics, featuring a boxing theme with a huge number of bonus features.
First and foremost, kudos to AvatarUX for presenting something different than PopWins, as the Nugget slot really feels like a breath of fresh air. Not only it offers gameplay that is newer and less recycled, but it is also extremely entertaining and rewarding, providing an exceptional gaming experience. Overall, the GoldenWays engine definitely has lots of potential, and we’re looking forward to seeing new titles featuring these mechanics.

When examining AvatarUX’s portfolio, it becomes clear that the majority of their content is centered around their beloved PopWins mechanics. Nearly every game, with the exception of two, is built on this engine. However, their latest release, Nugget slot, breaks away from PopWins and introduces the Golden Ways engine. This game offers a unique Western theme with stunning visuals and a new reel system. The Nugget slot utilizes the Golden Ways pay system, providing a large number of paylines and exciting gameplay. Players can expect cascading wins and a range of modifiers, free spins, and bonus bets. The game is available for real money play and has a decent RTP. Before playing at a real-money casino, players can try out the free demo version of the Nugget slot to familiarize themselves with the gameplay. The game is optimized for mobile play and can be enjoyed on various devices. Overall, the Nugget slot offers a refreshing and entertaining experience, showcasing AvatarUX’s creativity and potential in game development.