Introduction

The world of online casinos has seen its fair share of games, but few have captured the imagination quite like Wanted Dead or Alive (or rather, "Dead or A Wild"). This slot game from Microgaming is an amalgamation of western charm and high-risk gaming experience. With a focus on cowboys, outlaws, website and lawmen, players are transported to a world where the stakes are high and the potential rewards are greater.

Theme

The theme of Wanted Dead or Alive revolves around the classic American West setting. The game’s background features dusty roads, tumbleweeds, and cacti, with images of bandits and bounty hunters roaming in the distance. This creates an immersive atmosphere that is reminiscent of spaghetti westerns. Players are presented with a thrilling narrative where they play the role of the main character, navigating the perilous world of 1885 Texas.

Design

Wanted Dead or Alive features stunning visuals, complete with realistic graphics and intricate animations. The slot game itself has five reels, each adorned with nine different symbols that add to the overall excitement. These include Aces through Kings (the classic poker cards), along with special symbols representing various outlaws and a bounty poster icon.

Symbols

The paytable is composed of 14 unique icons, including:

• Lower-value A-K playing card suits
• Western-themed images featuring wanted posters, cacti, and bandits
• A range of higher-paying symbols showcasing individual characters, such as Billy the Kid or Butch Cassidy

Players should note that there are three high-risk scatter symbols: the Wild West Logo (Bounty Poster) with a top value reward of 5x bet for five of these icons.

Payouts

The payouts in Wanted Dead or Alive can be broken down into several tiers. A standard win is rewarded for matching two to nine icon combinations on an active payline, starting from the leftmost reel and moving rightwards. Multipliers range between x1 (for 2 identical symbols) up to a maximum of 125x bet when five-of-a-kind occurs with a lower-value suit symbol.

Wilds

One Wild icon exists: the "Wanted Dead or Alive Logo." This logo, found on reels 1-4 and represented in gold lettering at the bottom center of reel 5, acts as both Wild and Scatter. A single Wild can replace any base game symbol to generate a winning combination.

Scatters

Besides being wilds, Scattered Bounty Posters (Bounty Logo) pay out up to x10 the total bet if three or more land on an active payline. Two Bonus scatters initiate either Free Spins feature in different variations of gameplay called: "Wanted Dead" and/or "Or Alive."

Bonus Features

There are two bonus features within Wanted Dead or A Wild Slot:

1. Free Spin with Gamble : Triggered by three scatter icons, this round awards a multiplier (1x to 5x) tied to the triggering icon count on reels during Free Spins play mode.
2. Dead/Alive Bonus : Earn one of two potential bonus rounds: either "Wanted Dead" where five outlaws must be eliminated with up to ten possible rewards, or an ‘Or Alive’ version that allows you to pick between three bandit faces hidden behind each respective reward value, ranging from a few gold coins (gold bar symbol) upwards.

Free Spins

Two Free Spin sets are available via different bonus scatter triggers:

1. Wanted Dead : Three scatters initiate this set with x2 multiplier and one added reel per spin.
2. Or Alive : Four or more Scatter icons will activate the Or Alive free spins (up to five free spins) starting each round at an increased chance of wilds showing on the reels.

RTP

Wanted Dead or Alive features a Return-to-Player percentage, denoted as RTP = 96%, which offers players confidence that in the long term their real money bets will result in decent payouts from what was bet out initially when compared against this very high-end average rate of return experienced across other slot titles with varying themes and complexity.

Volatility

While its medium-high variance provides adequate scope for some higher chances to win more valuable amounts during each session, overall there’s still a moderate degree associated risk involved because it doesn’t offer an excessive opportunity set relative most slots out currently available.