Certain eras have a way of inspiring awe, regardless of their lawlessness and not-so-shiny truth. The wild West and cowboy era is one of the times in history that continues to capture hearts and minds.
Also known as buckaroos, cowboys originated from the Spanish vaqueros skilled at cattle herding on horseback. Many tales about small western towns riddled by bandits or run by lawless sheriffs appeared on the silver screen and in novels which inspired our love for cowboys and the wild West.
Western stories remain a favourite in pop culture, and online slots inspired by cowboy country are just as popular. The newest Wild West slots in the iGaming industry come from Just for the Win, Greentube, Push Gaming, Dragon Gaming, and Light & Wonder.
Jump on the saddle and take a ride with us as we unveil Western-themed slot games in today's roundup.
✓ Western Gold 2 Double Barrel by Just For The Win
Software provider, Just for the Win reveals the sequel to their popular western-themed slot, and the developers ensured it comes with solid mechanics and entertainment value. Western Gold 2 Double Barrel is the perfect cowboy slot, taking the original Scatter collection feature to the next level.
Slot Fun with Country Twang
The wild west welcomes us as we enter the slot game with its grid positioned in the middle of the desert with a majestic mountain range in the background. A shiny gold frame surrounds the reels and other displays. There are bonus feature reels that trigger with certain combinations, and the twangy western country music gets us in the mood to round up cattle and ride off into the sunset.
Low-paying symbols appear as playing cards, cowboy boots, cowboy hats, and pistols. The developers used more traditional slot symbols as the mid to high-paying icons, with single BAR, double BAR, triple BAR representing medium returns and a 7 symbol representing high payouts. The 'W' Wild symbol substitutes all paying symbols.
Staring Into the Barrel for Extras
Take a chance with this western slot game where Wrangler, the cowboy, awards random prizes in the base game, and the white stallion does the same during Free Spins. The more horseshoe Scatters that appear in one spin, the bigger the cash prize. Players need at least 4 Scatters in the base game to win, but in Free Spins, every Scatter pays out.
Land 3 sheriff badge Scatters to trigger the Free Spin bonus, which starts with 3 rounds and a progressive multiplier. The feature barrel spins for exciting enhancers like multipliers, barrel, and spin upgrades, while the Scatter barrel spins for payouts. Trigger Super Free Spins when 3 badge Scatters land during the base game along with 2 Wrangler symbols where payout happens more frequently.
✓ A Fistful of Wilds by Greentube
Strap in your chaps and polish your spurs because Greentube launched their exciting online slot, A Fistful of Wilds. This western adventure takes us on a slot experience with cascading wins and a bounty of rewards.
Nothing Holds This Cowboy Back
A soundtrack worthy of the best western film welcomes us to a breached jail, and the slot grid appears in front of this curious scene. The cowboy stands next to the reels, awaiting his cue to perform game-enhancing moves and above the reels are wooden arrows pointing to a wanted poster. Stellar graphics paired with animations and music create an immersive slot experience.
Card symbols represent the low-paying returns, and the cowboy hat, sheriff badge, revolver, and sheriff pay medium wins. The cowboy and game title symbol pays the higher rewards in the base game and a titled Wild symbol substitutes for all standard paying symbols.
Extras Wanted Dead or Alive
The wanted poster above the reels indicates a feature that changes with every new spin. The number of arrows before the poster varies too and only cascading wins light the trail to reach the wanted feature. These include Wild Shot, Wild Whip, Wild Dreams, Wild Dynamite, and Free Spins. When these triggers, the cowboy acts out the enhancer by shooting, whipping, or replacing symbols with Wilds.
When the trail lights up to a Free Spins wanted poster, the player enters the bonus game, where the enhancers continue to trigger a wild slot experience, and stacked symbols appear for bigger wins. Travel back to the Wild West and enjoy reel spins with A Fistful of Wilds and Greentube.
✓ Deadly 5 by Push Gaming
Prepare to run into the wildest bunch of bandits in Push Gaming's new video slot inspired by tales from the old west. Enjoy expanding Wilds and Free Spins as you help the Sheriff find his most wanted in the new slot game, Deadly 5.
It is Wild in the West
The reels await in a wooden frame positioned in a desolate western town. All the action takes place on the slot grid. An impressive soundtrack of western instrumental music takes us horseback riding to the era when shooting from the hip was a skill, not a vice. The Sheriff is about to introduce the most wanted cowboys this side of the canyon, so strap in and cock your pistols.
Lower wins trigger when the horseshoes, boots, hipflask, and holstered pistol align in matching combinations. The paytable jumps from low returns to high wins with the four bandit symbols: Billy the Bull, Eliza 'Ryder', Irene 'Bullseye', and El Fuego. The Bonus safe symbol pays equal rewards to Eliza 'Ryder', while the sheriff badge Scatter pays premium rewards.
Sheriff Runs This Town
Trigger the Sheriff Bonus feature when 3 to 5 Scatter symbols appear in one spin and award 10, 15, or 20 Free Spins. Scatter also awards payouts worth x3, x10, and x50 for 3, 4, and 5 of a kind. During this feature, a persistent Scatter appears on reel 5 as a Stacked image of the intimidating Sheriff.
All the high-paying symbols can expand to become stacked symbols during Free Spins. Above reels 1 to 4, there are wanted posters of each of the bandits. When a corresponding symbol lands on the reel below its matching poster, the symbol expands and becomes a Wild.
✓ Sheriff vs Bandits by Dragon Gaming
Time to play some cowboys and crooks with Dragon Gaming's western-themed slot release. In Sheriff vs Bandits, punters pick sides and determine their bonus features in this video slot with brilliant math and excellent graphics.
Before the Dust Settles
The western town has a sheriff willing to go to any lengths to make the community safe and let peace reign. On the other side is the hooligan band of bandits, just as eager to fill their pockets and wreak havoc along the way. Find the slot in the middle of this battle in the dusty town streets where western music sets the scene. Pick a side and hope for the best.
Paying symbols comprise card symbols 9 to Ace for lower returns, while wanted posters of the bandits appear as mid-paying symbols. Land combinations of three to five of a kind containing the store, saloon, train, or bank symbols for higher returns. The Sheriff Wild represents the premium payouts and is the substitute symbol.
Pick Your Side
When enough sheriff badge Scatters appear, players must make the call and pick their side. With 3, 4, or 5 Scatters in view, punters win 10, 15, or 20 Free Spins. Before the feature starts, two options appear on the screen where you must decide whether to play for the Sheriff or the Bandits.
The bandit posters are special symbols, and in the Sheriff Free Spin feature, these become money symbols with rewards displayed on them. Once Sheriff Wild appears with these posters, players win the values displayed. In the Bandits Free Spin feature, the wanted posters become Wild symbols with multipliers, increasing any win a Wild bandit compliments.
✓ Wild Showdown by Light & Wonder
Light & Wonder presents a western slot inspired by the wild parties enjoyed by cowboys of yonder. Wild Showdown comes with all the bells and whistles of a stellar reel production alongside excellent mechanics to enhance the iGaming experience even further.
The Saloon
In this 5-reel, 4-row slot, the action takes place inside a dark saloon while we can interpret through the sound effects and music that it is the morning after. Guitar country music, paired with quintessential western country whistling and humming, creates a theatrical feeling. Ambient sounds of bottles clanging and hee-haws while pistols fire take us on an authentic western trip.
Win lower payouts when the card symbols align in combinations of 3 to 5 of a kind and medium payouts with the whiskey symbol. The gun-swinging bandit, saloon waitress, and the Sheriff are the stars of the show and pay higher rewards. The Sheriff's badge is the Wild substitute and only appears on reels 2 to 4.
Loaded Guns
Two revolver cylinders represent different bonus feature triggers, with one leading to multipliers bonus features and the other including Wild enhancers. The multiplier cylinder appears on reel 2 and acts as a Wild that multiplies any win it is a part of. The Wild cylinder appears on reel 4 and spins at the end of the sequence to reveal how many random Wilds it releases onto the reels.
When a Bonus symbol appears on the centre reel, punters win 8 Free Spins. Without the presence of any revolver cylinders in the triggering spin, the Bonus symbol becomes a sticky Wild for the duration of the feature. During the Free Spins feature, revolver cylinders become persistent when they appear and apply to every next spin until the feature ends.
Video slots have improved since the days of the three-reel slot games, with a greater number of paylines and ways to win, and superb features all designed to keep you playing. Knowing how these work can guide you to maximise your potential profits.
Kate Gavrilenko of Platipus Gaming explains how slot mathematical models are built, balancing RTP, volatility, probabilities, payouts and bonus features for successful games.
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