Crossy Road is a 3-reel slot game developed by Yggdrasil Gaming, a renowned software provider in the iGaming industry. Released in 2020, this slot machine combines two seemingly unrelated elements: classic casino gaming and iconic street crossing. In this review, we’ll delve into the intricacies of Crossy Road, covering its theme, design, symbols, payouts, bonus features, free spins, RTP, volatility, betting range, max win, gameplay, mobile play, player experience, and overall analysis.
Theme and Design
Crossy Road is set in a stylized version of a classic city street. The background showcases a sunny day with buildings, Crossy Road Canada trees, and other urban elements. The game’s design is reminiscent of the popular Crossy Road mobile game, which was launched by Hipster Whale in 2014. The slot machine features vibrant colors, detailed graphics, and a nostalgic feel that appeals to players who grew up playing classic video games.
The reels are framed within a road crossing, complete with stop signs, pedestrian crossings, and other street furniture. Players will notice the absence of traditional slot symbols such as bars or 7s; instead, Crossy Road features cartoon-like graphics representing various city elements like buildings, cars, bicycles, and pedestrians.
Symbols
The game’s symbols are divided into three categories: low-paying symbols, medium-paying symbols, and high-paying symbols. The low-paying symbols include the classic A-10 card suits, which award relatively small payouts for combinations of 3-5 identical symbols.
Medium-paying symbols showcase various city elements like bicycles (20x bet), cars (30x bet), and buildings (40x bet). These symbols pay out more substantial amounts for combinations of 4-6 identical symbols. High-paying symbols include the Walking Woman (100x bet) and the Running Man (150x bet).
Payouts
The payouts in Crossy Road are relatively standard compared to other Yggdrasil slots. The game features a maximum payout of 500x bet, which is achieved when landing six high-paying symbols on a payline.
While the individual symbol payouts may seem modest, the game’s volatility and bonus features create opportunities for more substantial wins. We’ll explore these aspects in greater detail later in this review.
Wilds
Crossy Road does not feature traditional wild symbols that can substitute for other symbols to form winning combinations. However, there are two special symbols that play a crucial role in triggering the game’s bonus features: the Scattered Pedestrian and the Walking Woman (wild symbol).
The Scattered Pedestrian is represented by a cartoon pedestrian holding a cell phone. Landing three or more of these symbols anywhere on the reels triggers the Free Spins feature.
Scatters
As mentioned earlier, the Scattered Pedestrian serves as the game’s scatter symbol. While it doesn’t offer any direct payouts for combinations of 2-5 identical scatters (unlike in some other slots), its primary function is to trigger the free spins round when landing three or more on the reels.
Bonus Features
Crossy Road features a variety of bonus features that enhance gameplay and create opportunities for bigger wins:
- Free Spins : As mentioned earlier, landing three or more Scattered Pedestrians anywhere on the reels triggers 10 free spins.
- Mystery Reel : The Walking Woman symbol serves as both a wild symbol and an opportunity to trigger the Mystery Reel feature. When this happens, one of four randomly selected high-paying symbols is displayed above each reel for all remaining spins.
Free Spins
The Free Spins feature is activated when three or more Scattered Pedestrians land on the reels. Players are awarded 10 free spins, with a chance to retrigger the feature during the bonus round by landing additional scattered pedestrians.
During free spins, players can also benefit from Mystery Reels, which display high-paying symbols above each reel for all remaining spins. This feature is particularly exciting because it allows players to land combinations of four or six high-paying symbols on adjacent reels, leading to substantial payouts.
RTP and Volatility
Crossy Road has a theoretical return-to-player (RTP) rate of 96%, which means that for every $100 wagered, the game pays out an average of $96 in winnings. This RTP is above the industry standard, indicating a relatively player-friendly slot machine.
In terms of volatility, Crossy Road falls into the medium-volatility category. While not as volatile as some other slots on the market, this Yggdrasil title still offers a degree of unpredictability and excitement that’s characteristic of many modern online slots.
Betting Range
Crossy Road allows players to adjust their bet per spin from $0.20 up to $100, catering to various budgets and player preferences. With 25 adjustable paylines, the game provides plenty of opportunities for creative betting strategies and combinations.
The max win in Crossy Road is capped at 500x the initial bet, which can result in a maximum payout of $50,000 when playing with the highest stake ($100). While not excessively high compared to other slots on the market, this amount should satisfy many players’ expectations for substantial wins.