Wild Skullz

Step aside Play’n GO, there’s a new slot developer with a metal music band-themed game on the scene. Only, Pragmatic Play hasn’t found a rock band to make this slot, it invented one. The group of masked, leather-clad, spike-decorated musicians appearing in the Wild Skullz slot are the main characters of this rock slot. The heavy rock band is not famous (or probably in existence at all) but they do rock it out on the stage that is the 5×3 grid of Wild Skullz.

The game has Wilds that expand, as well as Multipliers and Free Spins. The Expanding Wilds are the most potent feature as it appears the most (but Multipliers can reach up to 512x which is stellar). Obviously, there are also Ante bets, Feature Buys, and other surprises hiding in the game. The game looks like a lot of fun – but is it actually worth your time?

Wild Skullz operates on a 5×3 reel grid with 243 ways to win. You have 243 possible winning combos to make on the grid to get a payout, which can go up to 10,000x if you land the game’s top prize.

To form a winning combo, you need the symbols. Ten symbol types occupy the reels: 10-to-A royals wrapped in chains form the low end, while keyboards, microphones, drums, and guitars make up the premium tier. Regular payouts can go up to 6.25x for 5 OAK for premium icons. Besides paying symbols, you’ll also get the pleasure of seeing Wilds, Multipliers, and Scatters on the grid. If you want to speed things up, you can turn on Buy Bonus (which we don’t actually recommend for a slot of this volatility).

Theme & Design

The visual aspect leans fully into the game’s heavy rock aesthetic: dark hues all around, spikes on instruments, and a band of masked individuals who are obviously performing. The main colors are reds, blacks, and metallic tones that are reflected in every single element of the background, reel grid, and characters.

The soundtrack delivers exactly what the visual promises, grinding guitar riffs that fit the genre of heavy rock. But then again, anything less would not be good enough.

Basic spins in Wild Skullz range from $0.20 to $240. You can also use three additional bet modes outside the standard spin:

• Ante Bet costs 5x the base stake, increases free spins trigger chances
• Super Spin costs 10x, guarantees an expanded wild on the spin, but free spins cannot trigger
• Buy Bonus costs 100x or 600x, which unlocks basic and Super Free Spins, respectively

Paytable

• 10, J, Q — 0.75x for 5 OAK
• K, A — 1.25x for 5 OAK
• Keyboard — 2.5x for 5 OAK
• Microphone — 3x for 5 OAK
• Drums — 4x for 5 OAK
• Guitar — 6.25x for 5 OAK

The expanded wild is the game’s engine. In the base game, it can appear on reels 2 through 5, landing with a random multiplier anywhere between 2x and 512x. Only one can appear per spin. And when it forms part of a winning combination, it will get the corresponding multiplier applied to those wins.

Free spins trigger with three scatters. When they unlock, you get five spins. The expanded wild enters on reel 5 (first reel on the right) on the opening spin and moves one reel to the left on each subsequent spin. If an additional scatter lands on reel 5 during the round, the wild resets to reel 5 and the counter starts again, effectively extending play.

The wild begins on the grid without a multiplier, but once it is part of a win, it gets up to 2x. Each subsequent spin where it is also part of a win doubles that value.

Feature buys are available as well. You can purchase free spins for 100x the stake, or super free spins for 600x. These are essentially the same, except the pricier option also starts the round with a wild multiplier set at 32x.

RTP & Volatility

Wild Skullz carries a theoretical RTP of 96.44% at its highest configuration. There are two other options as well, but both are lower than this. The default RTP is actually great for a game with high variance.

High volatility means win frequency is low, but when the expanded wild multiplier stacks during free spins, the payouts swing sharply upward, earning you a hefty payday. But please be careful: hitting massive wins is not something easily done. The game might have a 10,000x payout potential, but it’s not going to relinquish it that easily.

Our Experience

The base game was smooth and easy for me. Nothing to write home about. Spins roll over without much fanfare between wild appearances, which is something that I expected from a game with this high variance model, and patience is part of the deal. When the expanded wild does land with a meaningful multiplier, though, it made things a bit better and more fun, particularly as I watched it travel from reel 5 all across the board to the other side.

Free spins are the game’s main feature, although I liked Wilds a bit more. Obviously, you have several ways to get into free spins, but please be careful: Feature Buy might not be available in your market, and it might be too pricey for you. All in all, a solid music-themed slot, although I found it rare that it’s not related to a specific band (Play’n GOO is still the boss of that, clearly) but rather a fictional band made up by Pragmatic Play.

Pros & Cons

Pros:

• Expanded wild multiplier up to 512x
• Highly volatile game with three RTP models
• Heavy rock music focused game
• Clean, focused design with no unnecessary feature bloat

Cons:

• Only one expanded wild per spin
• Super free spins buy at 600x is pricey

Similar Slots

Players who enjoy Wild Skullz may also want to check out:

• Gates of Olympus (Pragmatic Play)
• Testament (Play’n GO)
• Wild West Gold (Pragmatic Play)
• Dead or Alive 2 (NetEnt)
• The Dog House Megaways (Pragmatic Play)