Donuts (Big Time Gaming) Slot Review

Donuts: Slot Overview 

Launched with little fanfare after its announcement at the ICE conference in London, Donuts by Big Time Gaming (BTG) quickly turned heads upon release thanks to its quirky retro diner theme and high-volatility gameplay. Unlike the expansive Megaways titles that BTG is best known for, Donuts takes a more focused approach with its 4-reel, 4-row structure and a maximum of 256 ways to win in the base game. 

However, don’t be fooled by the compact layout. Behind the game’s sweet and colorful presentation is a brutal bonus system capable of generating some of the biggest multipliers seen in BTG history. With a reported max win of 20,000x your stake, Donuts is less about slow-burn gameplay and more about surviving the variance until you land that dream hit in the free spins round. It’s not for the faint of heart, but it is for the ambitious.

Design and Graphics 

Donuts embraces a nostalgic aesthetic inspired by 1950s American diners, complete with a jukebox Wild, golden scatter donuts, and a background showing a highway diner under a sun-drenched desert sky. The reel set is clean and bold, bordered by neon lights and framed like a vintage television. When special symbols appear—such as the glowing purple premium donut or golden multipliers—the visual effects amplify, with coins and lights adding energy. Visually, it’s a cheerful slot filled with color, cartoon flair, and kitschy charm. Its playful look evokes memories of The Simpsons, which may not be accidental given the font style and use of doughnuts as a central motif. It’s all wrapped in a warm pastel palette that keeps things bright even as the slot’s volatility threatens to wipe you out in a flash.

Gameplay Mechanics 

At its core, Donuts is a 4×4 slot with up to 2401 ways to win when multipliers extend the paylines. By default, the game has 256 fixed ways, but this increases when donut boxes expand symbols during the bonus setup. Wins are paid left to right on adjacent reels. 

You’ll find 6 low-value symbols (9 to A card royals) and 4 premium symbols—green, blue, red, and purple donuts. The purple donut is the highest-paying, delivering 15x your stake for 4 of a kind. These wins may seem modest, but when combined with multipliers (which can reach astronomical levels), their value can grow exponentially. 

Wilds only appear on reels 2 and 4 in the form of a jukebox, substituting for any regular symbol. Donut Boxes—which appear throughout both the base and bonus game—are key to unlocking the slot’s true potential. They can reveal up to 4 donut symbols or multiplier wilds of up to x4, drastically boosting your paylines and win potential.

Sound and Music 

Sound plays a huge role in Donuts. From the satisfying “thud” of a golden donut scatter landing, to the crescendo of beeping and pulsing during a suspenseful reel drop, the audio creates palpable tension—especially during the free spins buildup. 

The music during regular spins is subtle but fits the retro diner setting, sounding like something from an old-school jukebox. During the bonus round, however, the pace picks up with sound effects that evoke classic arcade vibes. The heart-stopping “slow reveal” sound that BTG is known for—seen in Dragon Born and White Rabbit—returns here to add drama when a big win is about to drop.

Bonus Features

This is where Donuts sets itself apart. Landing 3 or 4 golden donut scatters triggers the bonus, awarding 12 or 20 free spins, respectively. But before the actual free spins begin, players enter a multiplier collection round on a 4×4 grid of 16 independent 1×1 reels. Each of these positions can reveal either a blank or a multiplier donut (between x1 and x50). Every time a multiplier lands, spins reset to 3. The round continues until no new multipliers appear for 3 spins or all reels are filled. 

The sum of the collected multipliers is then carried over into the main free spins round and applied to all wins, including retriggers. For example, if you collect a total of x80 from the setup, every win during the free spins is multiplied by 80. 

Additional golden scatters during the free spins retrigger 10, 20, or 30 free spins, depending on whether you land 2, 3, or 4 scatter symbols. This can go on indefinitely, although retriggers are rare. 

The Donut Boxes also remain active during the bonus, revealing additional symbols or multipliers that interact with the overall win multiplier. Combine this with the existing boost, and the potential for absurd wins becomes clear.

Betting Options and Payouts 

Donuts offers a wide betting range suitable for both casual players and high rollers, starting at just €0.05 and maxing out at €10 per spin. This makes the game accessible while still offering room to chase the headline 20,000x max win. 

The slot carries a 96.54% RTP, which is fairly standard for high-volatility BTG games. However, players should be warned—the base game is slow and features few major wins. The real value lies in the free spins, which may take dozens (or hundreds) of spins to trigger, depending on your luck. 

Despite its simplicity, Donuts provides solid payout potential, especially if you manage to build a multiplier of 50x or more before the bonus begins. Hitting the purple donut with a full-screen and a massive multiplier is the dream setup—one that may not happen often, but when it does, it’s unforgettable.

Conclusion 

Donuts by Big Time Gaming is a deceptively sweet package wrapped around a viciously volatile heart. Its 1950s Americana design, playful visuals, and catchy soundscape may lure you into a false sense of sugary safety, but beneath the frosting lies a game capable of colossal payouts and gut-wrenching dead spins. 

What makes Donuts special is its unique bonus setup—a two-phase feature that builds tension with every multiplier reveal. It’s a slot where hope builds slowly, culminating in one high-stakes burst of action during the free spins. 

However, that same setup makes it a grind to play at times. Bonus triggers are few and far between. You might go hundreds of spins without even a tease, which can wear on your patience and bankroll. But for players who enjoy high-risk, high-reward gameplay, Donuts is one of BTG’s most exciting non-Megaways releases. 

In conclusion, while Donuts isn’t for everyone—particularly those who prefer frequent wins or progressive features—it absolutely rewards patience and courage with one of the most explosive bonus rounds BTG has ever created.