The Chicken Run slot machine is a farm-themed online slot developed by Microgaming. The game takes inspiration from the classic animated film of the same name, where a group of chickens hatch a plan to escape from an evil farmer’s clutches.
Theme and Design
As you load up the game, you’re immediately transported to a Chicken Run demo picturesque countryside setting, complete with rolling hills, fluffy sheep, and (of course) plenty of chickens. The design is colorful and vibrant, making for an immersive experience that feels almost like stepping into the world of the movie itself. But while the visuals are undeniably charming, it’s clear that Microgaming has prioritized gameplay over graphics – more on this later.
Symbols
The game features a variety of symbols inspired by both the film and farm life in general. These include:
- Wilds : Represented by a stylized image of Ginger (the plucky heroine from the movie), these wilds substitute for any standard symbol to help create winning combinations.
- Scatters : A picture of the coop, which can trigger free spins when two or more appear on an active payline.
- Standard Symbols : These are comprised of eggs in different colors and shapes (e.g. red, blue, green), as well as a pair of pigs and some chickens.
Payouts
Speaking of standard symbols, let’s examine their payouts:
Symbol Payout Multiplier Red Egg 2x-5x bet multiplier Blue Egg 3x-6x bet multiplier Green Egg 4x-8x bet multiplier Chicken Pair 10x-20x bet multiplier
As you can see, these payouts are relatively standard fare – we’d expect a slot to offer some degree of variety in its base-game symbols.
Wilds and Scatters
Ginger’s wild image can substitute for any standard symbol on an active payline, which can be useful in the absence of other high-paying combinations. The coop scatter triggers 15 free spins when two or more appear, during which all wins are multiplied by four times their original value. More free spins can be re-activated by landing additional coops.
Bonus Features
Chicken Run’s bonus features are where things start to get interesting:
- Pecking Order : When three coop scatters land on the first and last reels (1st, 2nd, 5th), the Pecking Order feature is triggered. This awards 20 additional free spins.
- Fowl Frenzy : Two or more standard chicken symbols landing in any position activate this bonus game. Three chickens award a prize of up to x5000 your total bet.
Free Spins
As mentioned earlier, two or more coop scatters on an active payline trigger 15 free spins with all wins multiplied by four times their original value. More coops will add additional free spins – if you’re lucky enough to land five in a row (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and fifth reels), this awards ten extra freebies!
RTP
Chicken Run boasts an above-average Return To Player percentage of approximately 96.5%, ensuring that players stand a reasonable chance at breaking even or better over the course of extended gameplay.
Volatility
This Microgaming-developed slot falls into medium-to-high volatility territory, which typically translates to fewer but larger wins in exchange for more frequent smaller ones. This is something you’ll need to be mindful of while playing, especially considering your bankroll and betting range.
Betting Range and Max Win
Stakes can vary between £0.15 and a maximum of £60 per spin (or 90p and £45 on mobile). While these may seem like reasonable limits for most players, we should note that the upper end of this spectrum represents substantial wagers in many countries – something to be aware of before committing big bucks.
Gameplay
Chicken Run is an all-around pleasant slot machine experience. With a straightforward 5×3 layout and five reels, navigating gameplay feels intuitive even if you’re not familiar with farm-themed slots. As for the actual gameplay itself? Well…
Let’s face it: micro-optimized engine notwithstanding (some might say the mechanics aren’t up to par), we can conclude that gameplay has some areas ripe for improvement – particularly concerning variety and originality.
Mobile Play
As expected from a modern online slot, Chicken Run is fully compatible with mobile devices running both iOS and Android. Although Microgaming didn’t develop it specifically as a mobile-first game (it’s an adaptation of the classic desktop title), there are some minor tweaks to enhance usability on smaller screens – albeit without compromising its core identity.
Player Experience
All in all, Chicken Run feels like more than just another farm-themed slot machine. While we’d love to see slightly improved gameplay diversity and originality within this Microgaming development, these factors don’t detract significantly from an otherwise delightful experience that does well enough at maintaining your interest over longer periods. For those drawn into its charming narrative (fans of the animated film will undoubtedly appreciate it) – especially considering solid returns – it won’t feel like ‘fowl play’ to keep putting real money through this game repeatedly…