Wanted Dead or a Wild at a Glance
- Developer
- Hacksaw Gaming
- Release date
- September 2021
- Grid
- 5 reels × 5 rows
- How wins are formed
- 15 paylines
- RTP
- 96.38%
- Volatility
- High
- Maximum win
- 12,500x the stake
- Key base feature
- VS symbols with 2x to 100x multipliers
- Bonus features
- Great Train Robbery, Duel at Dawn and Dead Man's Hand
- Extra options
- Bonus buy where permitted
Figures are based on information published for the game. Always check the information screen of the version you are playing, because the RTP and available options can differ between casinos and regions.
How Wanted Dead or a Wild Works
The game has a gritty, comic-book Wild West style, with outlaws, whiskey bottles and revolvers set against a dusty frontier town. Wins are formed by three or more matching symbols along one of 15 paylines, starting from the leftmost reel.
Symbols
- Card ranks are the lower-paying symbols.
- Western-themed symbols, such as a revolver, whiskey, money bags, outlaws and a bison skull, are the higher-paying symbols.
- The wild substitutes for standard symbols. See Wild Symbols Explained.
- VS symbols trigger duels that turn reels wild.
- Three different scatters each trigger one of the three bonus features.
The game's paytable lists the value of each symbol.
VS Symbols and Duels
VS symbols are the game's signature mechanic. When a VS symbol lands and can form a win:
1. It expands to cover its whole reel.
2. Two outlaws face off in a duel, each showing a multiplier between 2x and 100x.
3. The winner's multiplier is applied, and the whole reel becomes wild.
If several VS reels are part of the same win, their multipliers are added together. If VS symbols land on every reel, the entire grid becomes wild. Large multipliers are rare, but they are where many of the game's biggest wins come from. See Slot Multipliers Explained.
Bonus Features
Each bonus feature is triggered by landing three of its own scatter symbols.
The Great Train Robbery
Awards 10 free spins. Every wild that lands becomes sticky and stays in place for the rest of the round, so wins can build as more wilds appear. Of the three bonuses, it is generally considered the steadiest.
Duel at Dawn
Awards 10 free spins in which VS symbols land more often. This creates more chances for multiplied wild reels, but the outcome depends heavily on whether duels connect to wins and on the size of the multipliers. Results can range from very little to very large.
Dead Man's Hand
A two-stage feature:
- Collect stage: a series of respins in which wilds and multiplier symbols are collected into meters. Respins reset as new items are collected, and the stage ends when no more are collected.
- Showdown stage: a set of spins in which the collected wilds are placed on the grid, and every win is multiplied by the collected multiplier.
Because both stages depend on what is collected, Dead Man's Hand can pay modestly or produce some of the game's largest results.
Bonus Buy
In some markets, players can pay to enter each of the three bonuses directly, with a different price for each. The option is not available in every region, including the UK. Bonus buy prices are large multiples of the stake, and many bonus rounds return less than they cost. Read Slot Buy Features Explained before considering it.
RTP and Volatility
The published RTP is 96.38%. Check the game's information screen to confirm the figure for the version you are playing. See Pokies RTP Explained.
The game is rated high volatility. In practice:
- Many spins return little or nothing
- Most of the game's potential depends on VS multipliers and the bonus features
- Bonuses can pay far less than expected, or occasionally very large amounts
- Results over a session can vary enormously
See Slot Volatility Explained and RTP vs Actual Slot Results.
Maximum Win
The maximum win is 12,500 times the stake. If it is reached, the round ends. A win of this size is extremely rare and should never be treated as a realistic goal.
Gameplay, Design and Mobile Play
Wanted Dead or a Wild stands out for its bold artwork, tense duel animations and soundtrack. Having three distinct bonuses gives the game more variety than many single-feature titles. Like most Hacksaw Gaming games, it is designed with mobile play in mind and works well on smaller screens. A free-play demo is widely available. See Demo Slots Explained.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Three different bonus features with distinct styles
- VS duels can turn ordinary spins into big multiplied wins
- High maximum win
- Strong visual style and presentation
Cons
- High volatility, with long dry spells common
- Bonus results vary widely and can pay very little
- More complex than many simpler games
- Bonus buy options, where available, put large amounts at risk
Who Might Like Wanted Dead or a Wild?
Wanted Dead or a Wild may appeal to players who enjoy varied bonus features and are comfortable with very uneven results. It is not suited to players looking for steady, frequent returns or a low-risk experience. Every spin is random, and the house edge applies throughout.
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Playing Responsibly
With high volatility and tempting bonus buy options in some markets, it is easy to spend more than planned. Set a budget and time limit before you start, and stop when you reach them. Our guides on setting gambling limits and recognising gambling harm explain practical steps, and Gambling Help Online offers free, confidential support 24/7 on 1800 858 858.
In Australia, it is illegal for companies to offer online casino games, including online pokies, to people in Australia under the Interactive Gambling Act 2001.
