Extra Wild Slot Review
4.0 /5 
– Like many Merkur Gaming slots, Extra Wild combines both relatively straightforward gameplay with some innovative features that mean there is more happening than might at first appear. The overall style is quite stark and simple, with symbols that are relatively plain (although they are well designed), plus music and sound effects that are also fairly unremarkable.
GAME SCREENSHOTS
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However, the way wins are awarded — paying both ways and in the middle — is an interesting innovation, as is the fact that hitting a single wild symbol pays out your bet amount.
In many ways, this is a game for slot aficionados, in that it’s a medium to high volatility slot with no bonus rounds or free spins, and without particularly flashy graphics or sound effects. However, there are a variety of ways in which you can win, plus the chance to gamble and significantly increase every payout, so there is enough action in Extra Wild for us to recommend that you check it out for yourself at one of our featured UK online casinos.
How to play
Extra Wild is a 5 reel, 3 row slot with 10 fixed paylines. Wins pay left to right, right to left and in the middle on reels 2, 3 and 4, and symbols can appear stacked on all reels. Bets range in size from £0.10 to £10, with all wins multiples of the total bet.
- The SAFE symbol is wild and substitutes for all other symbols
- Wild symbol appears only on reel 3
- All wins featuring the wild have a 2x, 3x or 7x multiplier randomly applied
- Hitting the wild symbol on reel 3 as part of a middle winning combination pays out left to right, right to left, and in the middle
- If the wild symbol appears on reel 3 but is not in a winning combination, it pays out the bet amount
- Hitting 5x Diamond symbols = 250x total bet (up to £2,500)
- Hitting 5x Sapphire symbols = 50x total bet (up to £500)
- Hitting 5x Ruby symbols = 50x total bet (up to £500)
Jackpot
The maximum payout on Extra Wild is £17,500 for hitting 5x Diamond symbols on any payline, with the Wild symbol substituting and the 7x multiplier in play (when betting the max).
This is a medium to high volatility game, with a 95.79% RTP.
Special features
Gamble feature
After a winning spin, you have several ways to gamble and multiply your winnings. With the Card Gamble feature, you are presented with a face-down playing card and asked to predict which colour it will be; if you choose correctly, your win is doubled.
With the Ladder Gamble feature, you touch the 1:1 button and either step up the ladder or drop down a lower value, meaning you can either increase or decrease the amount you can win — right down to zero. When you click the 1:1 button, the amount the ladder stops on is how much you win.
After any win, you can click on the Collect Half button, which means you bank half of your win and gamble with the other half.
Graphics and Sounds
In terms of graphics and sounds, this certainly isn’t one of the most impressive games in the Merkur Gaming catalogue. There is a simple blue background to the reels, while the symbols — which include a ruby, an emerald, a sapphire, a pocket watch, coins and a gold nugget — are stylised and well drawn without being very spectacular. The plain beige background of each symbol also seems something of an uninspiring choice. Likewise, the music and sound effects are also quite limited, although the soundtrack does come to life after a win and during the Gamble Feature.
Conclusion
This game manages to be simple and straightforward on the one hand, while also offering some quite innovative gameplay features at the same time. Although several games have the win both ways feature, not many also offer middle payouts as well, and this is what makes Extra Wild stand out. Another highlight is the multiplier applied to all wild wins, along with the fact that any wild symbol will return your bet, so while this seems like a fairly run of the mill slot, there is a lot more happening here than it might seem at first. However, it has to be said that if you’re looking for spectacular graphics, elaborate bonus rounds and a pumping soundtrack, this probably isn’t the game for you.
If you’re intrigued by the pay three ways feature, as well as the range of different Gamble Feature options, then it’s worth checking out Extra Wild at one of our recommended UK slot sites.
Author
Mark Angus is a professional writer and editor currently based in Adelaide and London. Mark writes on a variety of sports betting and gaming topics, most notably football and cricket (he has been a season ticket holder at Fulham for far too many years), as well as horse racing, in particular jumps racing. In addition, Mark produces website content, blogs and articles for a variety of publications, organisations and businesses, and has extensive experience in writing for all forms of online, print and broadcast media.
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