101 Candies (NetEnt) Slot Review

101 Candies: Slot Overview 

Released on September 5, 2023, 101 Candies by NetEnt is another sweet-themed addition to the developer’s growing collection of food-flavored slots. Following in the footsteps of Cupcakes, Taco Fury XXXtreme, and Milkshake XXXtreme, this title ventures into the cluster-pays category, offering players a colorful sugar rush filled with multiplying wilds, coin-triggered modifiers, and feature-rich free spins. 

Played on a 7×7 grid with a cluster pays mechanic, 101 Candies challenges players to land clusters of 5 or more connected symbols for a win. With a relatively low volatility profile and a maximum win of 3,580x, it clearly targets a more casual audience. The top RTP is 96.08%, and the game supports a bet range of €0.20 to €120, giving it wide appeal to both cautious and enthusiastic spinners. 

However, beneath the mountains of candy and coin symbols lies a game with slightly uneven execution — one that’s conceptually rich but visually divisive and mechanically a bit underwhelming in places.

Design and Graphics 

101 Candies sports a bright, saturated, and arguably juvenile art style. The main screen places the grid on the side of a cartoonish vehicle, adorned with balloons and a pastel landscape in the background. The color palette is overwhelmingly shiny, plastic, and almost “MS Paint-esque” in presentation. The style is reminiscent of early mobile puzzle games or budget sweet-themed Facebook games rather than a modern slot release from an established developer like NetEnt.Symbols are made up of various candy icons — jelly beans, stars, lollipops, and wrapped sweets — in different colors and shapes. Three premium symbols come packaged in candy wrappers to differentiate them from the rest. A conveyor belt of wild multipliers sits above the reels, while a bonus meter to the right showcases potential multipliers up to x101. 

While the theme might appeal to some, especially younger audiences or casual players, the visual execution lacks polish and modern finesse. For seasoned players, it may feel rushed or outdated.

Gameplay Mechanics 

At its core, 101 Candies is a cluster pays slot, where wins are achieved by landing 5 or more identical symbols connected vertically or horizontally. With 49 symbols dropping per round onto a 7×7 grid, the game heavily emphasizes the use of its Avalanche mechanic and wild multiplier interactions to build up winning combinations. 

When a cluster win occurs, the Avalanche feature is triggered. Winning symbols are removed, and new ones cascade down to fill gaps, allowing for repeated win opportunities. This continues until no further clusters appear. 

While the base cluster values are modest (0.05x–0.15x for 5-of-a-kind), they scale significantly for larger clusters: 

A 12+ symbol cluster can pay up to 30x the bet.
However, real value typically comes through the Wild Conveyor system, which enhances payouts through powerful multipliers.

Sound and Music 

The audio landscape of 101 Candies is upbeat and whimsical, keeping in line with the slot’s candy-coated theme. Expect bubbly tunes, chimes, and sugary squelches accompanying each spin and cluster collapse. The sound effects when triggering wild multipliers or free spins are crisp but subtle, never overwhelming. 

However, similar to the visual presentation, the audio package leans toward generic. It lacks the thematic punch or innovation found in more premium NetEnt titles. While functional, it’s unlikely to leave a lasting impression — more background filler than immersive enhancer. 

Bonus Features 

Despite its light tone, 101 Candies packs in several bonus mechanics designed to add depth and variety.

Wild Conveyor Feature 

The Wild Conveyor sits above the reels, loaded with wild symbols each featuring a multiplier ranging from x2 to x101. During Avalanches, the leftmost wild on the conveyor slides onto the grid to replace a symbol (unless a scatter or another wild is in place), then the other wilds shift left and a new wild joins the right. 

If a wild is part of a win, its multiplier is applied to the cluster payout. If multiple wilds are involved, the multipliers are added. In the base game, the conveyor resets with each spin. In Free Spins, it resets once at the start and persists through the round. 

Feature Coin Symbols 

During Avalanches, Feature Coins may land and trigger one of four unique modifiers: 

Upgrade Symbol – Increases the multiplier of all wilds by +1 (max x101). 

Destroy Symbol – Removes 5 wilds from the conveyor. 

Scramble Symbol – Randomizes all wilds on the conveyor. 

Transform Symbol – Picks one symbol on the reels and transforms all of its kind into another. 

These effects add dynamism and can significantly boost winning potential when timed alongside avalanches or multiplier-filled wilds. 

Free Spins 

Free Spins are triggered by 3 to 8 scatter symbols, awarding 10 to 15 free spins. In this mode:The Wild Conveyor resets only once, persisting for the remainder of the round. 

All wild multipliers function as in base game but retain position across spins. 

Feature Coins and Avalanche rules remain active. 

This setup increases the potential for large wins through accumulating multipliers and repeat cluster hits. 

Buy FeaturePlayers can purchase Free Spins at the cost of 100x the bet, receiving 10 to 15 free spins at random. The buy bonus skips the need for scatter collection and is a valuable shortcut for those eager to access the slot’s main win engine.

Betting Options and Payouts 

Min Bet: €0.20 

Max Bet: €120 

Volatility: Low/Medium 

Max Win: 3,580x 

RTP: 96.08% (with alternative RTP models likely available) 

Payout potential in 101 Candies is modest compared to today’s ultra-high volatility releases. However, the wild multipliers (up to x101) paired with multiple winning clusters on a 7×7 grid help provide decent win streaks. Still, the maximum win of 3,580x may feel underwhelming considering the visible stacking of big multipliers, especially when actual payouts often fall short of their perceived promise.

Conclusion 

101 Candies attempts to blend cluster-based gameplay with a conveyor-driven multiplier system and a candy theme, but the final product lands somewhere between innovative and undercooked. While the Wild Conveyor mechanic is clever, especially with the addition of Feature Coins and persistent wild multipliers during Free Spins, the rest of the game — including visuals, pace, and overall polish — feels lacking. 

The slot caters primarily to casual and low-stakes players who enjoy sweet themes and accessible gameplay. Its low-medium volatility, relatively low max win, and low symbol values make it ill-suited for those seeking high-risk, high-reward excitement. Even players who enjoy cluster slots may find the overall pace and impact a bit tame compared to titles like Jammin’ Jars or Sweet Bonanza. 

Still, credit goes to NetEnt for attempting something different with the Wild Conveyor and Feature Coin system. It’s not a total misfire — just a sugar-coated spin that may leave more serious players craving something bolder.