Finding new themes for real money online slots is increasingly hard for slot developers, but sometimes, the most basic ideas can be the best. Vending Machine from Hacksaw Gaming is a prime example of this, with the slot focused on, well, a vending machine. The game is about capturing a chilled-out mood, with Hacksaw Gaming stepping back from its high-volatility model and opting for something more relaxing. Let’s see how successful they are in this Vending Machine slot review.

One of the coolest things about the Vending Machine slot game is its design. Hacksaw Gaming always does a fantastic job of bringing concepts to life, and it has made the simple idea of using a vending machine as a set of reels work well. In other Hacksaw Gaming slots like Gronk’s Gems and Hand of Anubis, the developer has opted to have some sort of creature standing next to the reels to add to the intensity. In Vending Machine, a teenager is chewing gum and scrolling through their phone, which helps add to the chilled-out vibe. All of the symbols in the game feature food you would find in a vending machine, and the art style gives off a lo-fi vibe that sets the mood.

The Vending Machine slot has been developed to work on a range of different mobile devices and operating systems. The game is fully optimized to run on Android and iOS systems and is supported on popular mobile browsers, including Google Chrome and Safari. It will also be supported on a popular mobile casino app.

Vending Machine has an enjoyable base game that can lead to some good winning sequences. The slot uses a 5x5 game grid, with 35 paylines active on each spin. The slot keeps the action rolling with a cascading sequence. Winning combinations are removed from the grid and replaced with new ones. This continues until no new winning combinations have been formed.

The game may also want to keep the action going when there isn’t a win. It can trigger the Remove & Cascade feature on any spin, with all symbols being removed from a grid following a non-winning spin and new ones falling to replace them.

The slot can be played for sums between $0.10 and $100, ensuring that the game covers all budgets.

Hacksaw Gaming has done a really good job of mixing the game’s theme with its bonus features. The first feature you are likely to notice is the Multiplier Lights that run along the side of the reels. These are each highlighting an individual row.

Whenever a winning combination and subsequent cascade hit, the light of a row will activate and display a multiplier related to the number of winning symbols on that row. If a winning combination then features a symbol on that row, the multiplier is activated and applied. You can also just trigger a multiplier by landing a lightning bolt on a row. Be careful of the blackout symbols, though, as these can just shut off an entire row.

There are two different free spins bonuses in the game. The Lo-Fi spins round is triggered when you land three Scatter symbols. This will activate three multiplier rows, and spins will continue until they are deactivated. The Spin and Chill round is triggered by four Scatters. During this round, all five multipliers are active, and the round ends when they have been deactivated.

Like other Hacksaw Gaming slots, the studio has also featured a Bonus Buy option. You can buy your way into either the Lo-Fi or Spin and Chill bonuses for 100x or 200x your bet, respectively.

The math model of Vending Machine is a little more relaxed than what you would find in a typical Hacksaw Gaming slot. The game has an RTP of 96.28%, which is solid and is considered to be medium volatility. The maximum win in the game is 5,000x your stake, which is a good amount, though not as high as you might find in some of the company’s other top online slots.

By Hacksaw Gaming’s standards, Vending Machine is a much calmer slot. The developer has swapped its extremely volatile style for a medium volatility game with more modest winning potential. It has still managed to sprinkle in its trademark creativity, though, and the game’s premise works really nicely. The developer has made the theme work well with the bonuses, and there are some really nice gameplay sequences. A maximum win of 5,000x, while not earth-shattering, is still solid enough. If you’re a fan of Hacksaw Gaming’s creativity but want something that is not as volatile as usual, then this is the game for you. 

So, go on to your favorite online casino site, grab a free spins bonus, and enjoy!