By Doug Holmes
Summary:
- Pragmatic Play releases Cheetah Wild slot
- Min/max bet: 0.20/240
- Max payout: 5,000x
Pragmatic Play newest game, “Cheetah Wild“, carries fans of the genre into the mesmerizing African savannah, bringing together a familiar wildlife setting with a collection-based feature system and evolving free spins.
While the theme will feel familiar to regular slot players, the game adds some extra depth through its Level Up mechanic, which gradually turns premium animal symbols into Money symbols during the bonus round.
The result is a relatively low-volatility slot that focuses more on building wins through features than delivering huge payouts from individual spins.
Cheetah Wild uses a 5×4 layout with 1,024 ways to win. Wins are formed from matching symbols starting on the leftmost reel, while the betting range runs from $/€0.20 to $/€240 per spin.
The lower-paying symbols are the familiar 9 through A card ranks. Above them are gazelles, zebras, rhinos and elephants, with five matching symbols paying between 2.5x and 4x the stake. Five-of-a-kind royal symbols pay between 1.5x and 2.25x.
The game has a maximum theoretical RTP of 96.5%, and its low-volatility math model is aimed at players who prefer more regular features and wins rather than long stretches of higher-risk play. The maximum win is capped at 5,000x the bet.
Wilds can substitute for regular symbols and come with multiplier values, giving winning combinations an opportunity to increase their value. Money symbols are another important part of the game, forming the basis of its collection mechanics.
Special Features
The main bonus is the Free Spins feature. Three, four or five scatters award 8, 15 or 20 free spins, while also providing a payout of 1x, 6.25x or 11.25x the bet. Additional scatters can award more spins during the feature.
The free spins round also introduces Level Up symbols. These are collected in a meter and gradually unlock new Money symbols.
The feature starts at Level 1. Collecting four Level Up symbols moves the game to Level 2, where elephant symbols can be replaced by Money symbols on the reels. Three additional Level Ups unlock Level 3, adding rhinos to the Money symbol pool.
Six more Level Ups take the feature to Level 4, where zebras can become Money symbols. Finally, two additional Level Ups unlock Level 5, bringing gazelles into the Money symbol mix.
Once the final level has been reached, Level Up symbols are no longer collected, allowing the focus to shift toward landing Money symbols and building the final payout.
Players can also buy the free spins feature for 100x the stake. A Super Free Spins option costs 500x the bet and begins the bonus at a minimum of Level 3, giving players access to some of the upgraded mechanics from the start.
An Ante Bet is available for players who want to increase their chances of seeing the game’s more valuable features.
The option raises the stake to 2.5x but provides reel strips with more wilds, a greater chance of landing x3 multipliers and larger Money symbol values. Free spins triggered while the Ante Bet is active also receive these enhanced conditions.
For fans of Money symbol mechanics and progressive bonus rounds, there is plenty to explore. Players looking for an entirely new slot concept may find the game less exciting, but Cheetah Wild does a good job of combining familiar Pragmatic Play mechanics into a coherent package.
