Chocolates: Slot Overview

Carrying on from where Donuts finished, Big Time Gaming returns with Chocolates. Just like the earlier game, it’s coated in sugary charm on the outside, but underneath sits a serious math model that can either punish or pay out hard. For players who’ve been hoping for something closer to a more ‘classic’ Big Time Gaming style—and who may be tiring of the more experimental direction—Chocolates should feel like a welcome addition. It may look modest and understated beside the studio’s famous ‘Mega’ titles, but Chocolates is still a dangerous gambling-focused slot that shouldn’t be underestimated.

Before getting into the details, Big Time Gaming has shared a short piece of lore to connect its games:

The Bonanza mine to this day, is still pumping out GOLD, the Mexican Chilli Stand still has a good turnover, furthermore, the 321 Donuts diner is now in orbit. After trying his hand in Vegas and running out of options, our hero of the Mega-verse, Jose, has left nothing to chance with his next venture. Heading to the Swiss/German border to a small town, known only for its Cuckoo Clocks and Chocolates, a somewhat broken Jose begins once again to channel his entrepreneurial spirit into the making of the finest chocolates known to man, with the man, the legend José Cavadoré at the helm; you just know there’ll be some deliciously big wins afoot!

Visually, the presentation feels much more cosy this time. The dry desert backdrop is swapped out for an Alpine scene, with the 4×4 grid set inside a charming wooden frame, surrounded by meadows, woodland, and mountain peaks. Birdsong adds a calm atmosphere, which contrasts sharply with the louder slot sound effects once the reels start spinning. Along with the beeps and clacks, gears and mechanisms spring into action next to the reels, creating a strong cuckoo-clock vibe. A cuckoo even pops out when the bonus is triggered. All in all, it comes across as noticeably warmer than Donuts, even though the setting is colder.

Chocolate fans can play on any device, with stakes ranging from 10 p/c to $/€20. Donuts became known for extreme volatility, and that same feel is present in Chocolates too, although it’s slightly softened. Solid base-game wins can happen, largely thanks to the box mechanic. Still, the main goal remains landing free spins, which appears a bit easier than in Donuts, though it’s certainly not effortless. There’s also a small RTP increase to 96.6%—it may not be dramatic in practice, but it’s still a step in the right direction.

As with the previous game, wins are formed with three or four matching symbols from left to right starting on reel one. At its simplest, the game offers 256 ways to win. With box symbols involved, that total can climb to 2,401 win ways in the base game without adding extra reels or rows. It may sound unlikely at first, but the feature explanations below show how it’s possible.

Chocolates’ paytable includes 10 paying symbols, two wilds, and a scatter. The 9-A royals come first and only pay when four of a kind appear. After that are four higher-value chocolate symbols—some shaped like the triangular pieces you’d find in a Toblerone-style bar. Premium payouts begin at 0.3x for the green chocolate and reach 1x for the purple one. The values are lower than in Donuts, though the features can boost returns. One boost comes from the two wilds, which appear on reels 2-4 and substitute for any paying symbol. The standout is the Golden Ticket Wild. Each Golden Ticket included in a win multiplies the payout by x6—so landing three at once delivers a hefty x216 multiplier.

Chocolates: Slot Features

Chocolates keeps its features refreshingly straightforward, and that simplicity is exactly what makes them effective. They may not seem spectacular when described, and in small doses they can look modest, but they stack up quickly and can deliver the kind of swing that changes the whole session.

The core mechanic is the yellow boxes marked with ‘BTG’. These can land on any reel, and each one opens to reveal up to 4 premium chocolate symbols. If multiple boxes appear at the same time, they always reveals the same chocolate symbol. This also increases the number of win ways. For instance, if three boxes each reveal 4 chocolates, that creates 12 ways to win.

The next feature is triggered by the rotating clock hands scatter—landing 3 or 4 awards 7 or 10 free spins. When the free spins start, one or more of the triggering scatters randomly transforms into a sticky box. During free spins, every box symbol that lands becomes sticky, meaning it locks in place for the rest of the bonus. If an entire reel becomes filled with sticky boxes, 3 free spins are added to what remains. With reels filled using 4-symbol boxes, it’s technically possible to reach 16 symbols per reel and generate 65,656 ways to win.

Chocolates: Slot Verdict

Anyone who has played Donuts will already have a solid sense of what Chocolates brings to the table. Both are high-volatility titles with many of the same strengths and drawbacks. The base game can feel quiet at times, but huge wins are still technically available outside the bonus, especially with the help of the x6 wilds that drive the biggest payouts here. The fact that a massive hit can land on virtually any spin—similar to how Danger! High Voltage can explode thanks to its x6 multipliers—adds a real edge to the experience.

In several respects, Chocolates is the kind of release Big Time Gaming needed right now: a strong, familiar option to enjoy between the studio’s more experimental projects. As many players know, Donuts went on to become a major success for the developer. Chocolates should also perform well with fans of the original, as it introduces the sort of sensible tweaks and additions people would hope for—neither excessive nor disappointing.

If you’re after a more straightforward slot with a sharper bite, Chocolates delivers. The gameplay can be tough, but when everything lines up it can erupt, with potential of up to 65,536 times the stake on a single spin. Overall, it’s a strong alternative, even if it doesn’t stray far from what Donuts already offered.

Don’t Miss

If you like Big Time Gaming’s 4×4 layout series, make sure you also check out the first entry Donuts, along with the balloon-themed third instalment called Pop.