Animals Strike (AvatarUX) Slot Review

Animals Strike: Slot Overview 

With Animals Strike, released on December 11, 2024, AvatarUX once again proves that it isn’t afraid to experiment with unconventional slot formats. Inspired by jogo do bicho, a Brazilian numbers game rooted in 19th-century gambling culture, this title merges animal symbolism with modern slot mechanics, creating a curious blend of history, chance, and entertainment. 

At first glance, Animals Strike may seem chaotic. A beach backdrop sets a chilled vibe, but the reel set is bustling with activity: cascading symbols, locked sections, multipliers, upgrades, and bonus wheels all compete for attention. The grid begins as a 6×3 layout with 729 ways to win, but it can expand to 6×6, unlocking a massive 46,656 paylines when fully opened. 

The slot operates on a high-volatility math model, with an RTP of 96% and a maximum win potential of 10,000x the stake. Bets range from €0.10 to €50 per spin, offering flexibility for both casual players and those willing to take bigger risks. 

Though packed with interlocking mechanics, Animals Strike is designed to reward persistence, teasing players with upgrades, multipliers, and expanding grids that build towards thrilling bonus rounds.

Design and Graphics 

Animals Strike offers a unique juxtaposition: a sunlit beach scene in the background and a busy, grid-based reel setup in the foreground. On one side of the screen, you’ll find palm trees and a shoreline bar, exuding a relaxed Brazilian holiday vibe. On the other, the reels pulse with vibrant animal symbols and shifting mechanics that make the game feel intense and layered.The symbols themselves split into two categories: 

Low pays: Classic card ranks (9–A), styled in bright colors. 

High pays: Six animals tied to the jogo do bicho theme — a bunny, donkey, crocodile, buffalo, tiger, and lion. 

The lion is the highest-paying symbol, while the others offer moderate payouts. Winning combinations of 6-of-a-kind low symbols return 1.6x to 2.4x the bet, while animal symbols pay between 3.2x and 8x the bet. 

One notable absence: there are no wild symbols. Instead, AvatarUX leans entirely on cascading mechanics and upgrades to deliver excitement. While some players may miss the familiarity of wilds, the slot compensates with a visually dense, evolving grid that holds attention.

Gameplay Mechanics 

At its core, Animals Strike revolves around grid expansion, cascading wins, and upgrades, ensuring that no two spins feel alike. 

Base Grid: Starts as a 6×3 layout (729 ways). 

Expansions: Section blockers at the bottom can unlock additional rows. Fully unlocked, the grid reaches 6×6, maxing out at 46,656 ways to win. 

Cascading Wins: Winning symbols are removed, causing new ones to drop down. Cascades continue until no further wins appear. 

Symbol Upgrades: Winning or unlocking blockers can trigger upgrades, removing specific high-paying symbols to leave only stronger ones on the reels. 

This structure creates a snowball effect: as wins cascade, the grid expands, multipliers rise, and weaker symbols vanish, making room for larger payouts.

Sound and Music 

The soundtrack blends sultry Latin-inspired beats with a lighthearted carnival flair, echoing the Brazilian roots of the jogo do bicho theme. At times, the music even hints at modern funk influences, giving spins a celebratory rhythm. 

Sound effects are layered to emphasize momentum. When cascades hit, the audio intensifies with upbeat flourishes. Unlocking blockers or hitting symbol upgrades triggers distinct audio cues, reinforcing the sense of progression. During free spins, the soundtrack heightens further, underlining the elevated stakes. 

It’s a lively and fitting soundtrack, though some players may find the busy mix overwhelming alongside the equally frenetic visuals.

Bonus Features 

GridUnlockThe grid starts at 6×3 but can expand to 6×5 by unlocking blockers. 

Each cascade removes one blocker, starting from top to bottom. 

Blockers may hide rewards like multipliers or high symbol upgrades. 

Multipliers are added to the global win multiplier, which resets in the base game but becomes persistent during free spins. 

Multipliers in the base game can reach +20, while in the bonus round they can climb as high as +25. 

High Symbol Upgrade

At random, 1 to 5 high symbols may be removed from the grid. 

This makes it easier to land higher-value wins since weaker high symbols are excluded. 

In the base game, upgrades reset with each spin. 

In the bonus round, upgrades become persistent, steadily improving the reel quality. 

Bonus Round (Free Spins)

Triggered by landing 3 scatters. 

Players begin with 6 free spins, and the 6th row is automatically unlocked, creating a 6×6 grid. 

Every time the grid is fully unlocked during free spins, +2 spins are added. 

Multipliers from blockers and upgrades persist through the round, fueling exponential win growth. 

GambleWheel 

Before free spins begin, players can gamble for more spins. 

The starting allocation is 6 spins, but successful gambles can raise this to 12 or even 15 spins. 

A golden segment on the wheel enhances the chance of hitting maximum spins. 

Losing the gamble forfeits the bonus and returns players to the base game, adding extra risk. 

Xpress Bonus Buys

For markets where bonus buys are allowed, Animals Strike includes several Xpress options:Loaded Up – all section blockers carry rewards (5x bet). 

Gamble Wheel Buy – gamble up to 15 free spins (60x bet). 

Bonus – 6 free spins (60x bet). 

Bonus Max – 15 free spins (500x bet). 

These options cater to players who prefer immediate access to the game’s most volatile features.

Betting Options and Payouts 

Animals Strike provides a wide range of betting flexibility, with minimum bets of €0.10 and a maximum of €50 per spin. 

RTP: 96% (industry standard). 

Volatility: High — expect streaky gameplay with dry spells punctuated by explosive wins. 

Max Win: 10,000x the stake. 

The game’s design encourages building momentum through cascades, upgrades, and multipliers, meaning the biggest payouts often arrive during extended sequences rather than isolated wins. 

While the absence of wilds or scatter-based pay mechanics might feel odd to some, the layered upgrades and persistent free spin modifiers more than compensate, especially in the bonus round where the global multiplier can snowball dramatically.

Conclusion 

Animals Strike by AvatarUX is a fascinating fusion of cultural inspiration and slot innovation. Rooted in the history of jogo do bicho, it reimagines animal-themed slots with a unique twist, blending cascading wins, symbol upgrades, and expanding grids into a dense, feature-rich experience. 

The presentation may feel cluttered at times, with a busy reel set sitting awkwardly against the laid-back beach backdrop, but the gameplay more than makes up for it. The expanding grid, persistent upgrades, and stacking multipliers ensure that each session has the potential to snowball into something spectacular. 

On the downside, the lack of wilds and the slightly clunky rhythm of the base game might deter players who prefer smoother, more streamlined gameplay. However, the bonus round more than delivers, especially with the gamble wheel and the potential for 15 persistent free spins with multipliers up to +25. 

With a 10,000x max win, Animals Strike offers plenty of incentive for risk-takers. While it may not have the instant polish of AvatarUX’s PopWins series, it succeeds in carving out a distinct identity with its layered mechanics and cultural backstory.