ReefPop (AvatarUX) Slot Review

ReefPop: Slot Overview 

Released on March 10, 2023, ReefPop by AvatarUX plunges players deep beneath the waves into an underwater world bursting with quirky aquatic life and the studio’s signature PopWins mechanic. It’s part of AvatarUX’s ever-expanding PopWins series and bears a strong resemblance to PiggyPop, which makes sense as it is effectively a reskin of that title. However, the theme and presentation provide enough of a shift to give ReefPop its own identity. 

The game is played on a 6×4 grid, which dynamically expands as winning symbols pop and new ones cascade into place. With the ability to grow up to 8 rows high, ReefPop offers a staggering 524,288 ways to win when fully expanded. This makes it one of the most feature-rich and high-potential PopWins slots to date. 

ReefPop delivers a high volatility experience with an RTP of 96% and a maximum win of 10,000x the bet. Bets start from €0.20 and scale up to €100, suiting a wide variety of bankrolls. Alongside its expanding reels, ReefPop incorporates unlimited free spins, a gamble wheel, multipliers, and bonus buy options to keep the gameplay engaging and packed with potential.

Design and Graphics 

Visually, ReefPop is a lively and colorful slot that transports players to a playful version of the ocean floor. Rather than focusing on realism, the game embraces a cartoon-like art style, with fish and sea creatures that display humorous, anthropomorphic qualities. Many of the aquatic characters wear accessories like bandanas, sunglasses, or even wield baseball bats, giving the slot a cheeky and entertaining personality.The reels themselves are framed within a coral reef setting, with bright colors and bold outlines making every symbol pop. The animations are smooth and exaggerated, particularly when the PopWins mechanic expands reels and dramatically boosts the number of paylines. The overall design creates a vibrant, fast-paced atmosphere that mirrors the chaotic and unpredictable nature of the ocean. 

This is not a calm underwater scene — ReefPop is brimming with energy, humor, and style, offering players a highly polished audiovisual experience that sets it apart from more serious deep-sea-themed slots.

Gameplay Mechanics 

At its core, ReefPop revolves around AvatarUX’s trademark PopWins system, which forms the backbone of the gameplay. 

Base Grid and Expansion 

Starting grid: 6 reels, 4 rows = 8,192 ways to win. 

Maximum expansion: 6 reels, 8 rows = 524,288 ways to win. 

Wins are paid both left-to-right and right-to-left, as long as symbols land on three or more adjacent reels. 

Symbol Values 

ReefPop includes a mix of card royals and quirky marine creatures: 

Low-paying symbols: Q–A royals, paying up to 0.6x the bet for six-of-a-kind. 

Medium-paying creatures: Colorful fish, paying up to 1.5x the bet. 

High-paying shark (super high): Pays up to 3x the bet for six-of-a-kind. 

Interestingly, there are no wilds or scatter symbols in ReefPop. Instead, all of the game’s depth comes from its expanding reels and free spins features. 

PopWins Mechanic 

Every time a winning combination appears, the winning symbols are removed and replaced with two new symbols, expanding the reel’s height. This continues until no further wins occur. In the base game, reels can grow up to 6 positions tall, while free spins raise the cap to 8 rows. 

The mechanic ensures that every spin can snowball into something much larger, creating both excitement and unpredictability.

Sound and Music 

The soundtrack of ReefPop is upbeat and jazzy, fitting the quirky underwater theme perfectly. Rather than taking inspiration from epic orchestral scores or mysterious aquatic soundscapes, ReefPop keeps things light and playful with music that would feel right at home in a funky cartoon. 

Sound effects are crisp and well-timed. Wins are punctuated with splashes and bubbly pops, while the reels expanding create a satisfying rising tone that matches the visual growth of the grid. During free spins, the audio intensifies to build anticipation as multipliers and expanding rows escalate. 

Overall, the sound design mirrors the humor and energy of the visuals, making ReefPop a lively and engaging audiovisual package.

Bonus Features 

ReefPop includes several bonus features that expand on the PopWins system and introduce multipliers to maximize winning potential.Unlimited Free Spins 

Free spins are triggered when all six reels reach their maximum height during the base game. Once activated: 

The reels reset only to the lowest achieved height between spins (not back to four rows). 

The round starts with three free spins. 

Each new win resets the spin counter back to three. 

A global multiplier begins at x1 and increases by +1 after every win. 

If the golden shark symbol lands during free spins, it adds an extra multiplier equal to the number of golden sharks in view. 

If all reels reach their full height, golden sharks increase the multiplier by +2 each. 

This creates potentially endless spins, provided new wins keep dropping, and the multiplier can climb to enormous levels. 

Gamble Wheel 

Before free spins begin, players can gamble for more reel height: 

First gamble: Increases starting reels from 4 to 5. 

Second gamble: Increases reels from 5 to 6. 

Losing the gamble forfeits the free spins entirely, adding a risk/reward element. 

Bonus Buy Options 

Players who want to skip straight to the action can choose from three buy options:100x the bet: Standard free spins entry. 

100x the bet (gamble option): Enter free spins with a chance to start with a larger grid, depending on gamble success. 

400x the bet: Guarantees free spins starting with a full 6-high grid. 

These options cater to different risk appetites, with the higher buy-in offering the strongest setup for big wins.

Betting Options and Payouts 

ReefPop allows bets from €0.20 to €100 per spin, providing flexibility for casual players and high rollers alike. 

The RTP is 96%, which is fair for a highly volatile slot. However, some sources note that the theoretical return can dip slightly depending on regional versions (e.g., 95.5%). Players should always check their casino’s configuration before playing. 

The game is high volatility, meaning wins may not come frequently, but when they do, they can be significant. The maximum payout is capped at 10,000x the bet, which, while lower than some other PopWins titles, still represents a highly attractive prize for risk-seeking players. 

Because ReefPop offers over half a million ways to win at full expansion, the sheer number of paylines combined with multipliers ensures that even medium-sized wins can quickly accumulate.

Conclusion 

ReefPop is a colorful and chaotic addition to AvatarUX’s PopWins series, delivering high-octane underwater fun with a quirky cast of characters and the studio’s tried-and-tested expanding reels mechanic. While it shares much of its DNA with PiggyPop, the underwater theme, jazz-inspired soundtrack, and golden shark multiplier give it enough personality to stand on its own. 

The game’s biggest strengths lie in its unlimited free spins with progressive multipliers, the risk/reward gamble wheel, and the staggering potential of up to 524,288 paylines. Though the maximum win of 10,000x is slightly lower than some of AvatarUX’s other releases, it’s still highly competitive in the world of high-volatility slots. 

Visually charming, aurally entertaining, and mechanically robust, ReefPop proves that even a reskin can shine when the foundation is this solid. Fans of PopWins mechanics will feel right at home, while newcomers will appreciate the sheer excitement of reels that just keep growing and multiplying.