Drop ‘Em: Slot Overview

As Canny the Can would say, “We are back” — and this time he’s not just talking about himself, but also his tiny sidekick, Mona the Mouse. The reason for the reunion is Drop ‘Em, an online slot from developer Hacksaw Gaming and the latest entry in the studio’s ‘Em series. Up to now, that lineup has featured titles such as Stick ‘Em and Stack ‘Em, and now it’s Drop ‘Em’s turn. Fun bit of slot trivia: Stick ‘Em was Hacksaw Gaming’s very first online slot — a relatively understated debut that ended up laying the groundwork for some of the most ferocious gambling machines on the market. So, is Drop ‘Em another full-throttle Hacksaw Gaming face-melter, or something a little more laid-back? Let’s find out.

Even though it carries the ‘Em branding, Drop ‘Em visually feels closer to another Canny the Cat and Mona the Mouse release, Canny the Can and the Book of Time. As the name suggests, that one was the studio’s spin on the classic ‘Book of’ format, but delivered with a heavily stylized presentation and plenty of extra flourishes. Drop ‘Em, on the other hand, isn’t about books at all. Instead, it brings a more distinctive gameplay hook, which is explained in detail below. With Canny and his rodent buddy back on screen, the game also carries that friendly, cartoonish charm Hacksaw Gaming often bakes into its cuter titles.

As ever, the cute exterior doesn’t mean the internals are gentle: Drop ‘Em runs on a medium-high volatile math model and comes with a default RTP of 96.21%. Alternative RTP models may exist, and the return also shifts when using feature buys, as covered later. Stakes range from 10 p/c to $/€100 per spin, and once you spin, a 5-reel, 6-row layout appears, offering 7,776 ways to win.

That’s a hefty ways count for a Hacksaw Gaming slot, since the studio often keeps things tighter with fewer paylines. Here, any matching symbols that land on at least 3 consecutive reels from the left create a win. The paying symbols look like wooden blocks, starting with 10-A card royals, followed by a leaf, a bird, a skull, a snake head, and a hand clutching a lightning bolt — an impressively odd mix. In payout terms, a 5 OAK royal combination returns 0.5 times the bet, while 5 matching picture symbols award 1.5 to 5 times the bet. Wilds can land on all reels and substitute for any standard pay symbol. If you manage a five-wild winning way, it pays 20 times the stake.

Drop ‘Em: Slot Features

Two additional symbols are central to how Drop ‘Em plays: the Drop symbol, which activates a removal modifier, and the FS symbol, which is required to start free spins.

Drop Symbol

Whenever at least 1 Drop symbol is visible, the Drop mechanic activates after any wins on the starting grid have been paid. Each Drop symbol then drops down and off the reels, removing all symbols below it. Any symbols positioned above the Drop symbol fall to the bottom of the reel. The resulting gaps are then filled with the same randomly selected symbol to create a potential win. In the base game, that replacement can be any pay symbol or the wild.

Drop Spins Bonus

Hitting 3 FS symbols in the base game triggers 10 free spins. The feature begins with all pay symbols plus the wild included in a pool of possible symbols that the Drop mechanic can choose from. When an FS symbol hits, it can reveal +1, +2, or +3 extra free spins and/or an Upgrade. If an Upgrade appears, it removes 1 to 10 paying symbols from the selection pool. Wilds can never be removed.

High Drop Spins Bonus

Landing 4 FS symbols in the base game awards this feature with 10 free spins. This version starts with only high-pay symbols and the wild in the choice pool. Just like the standard round, an FS symbol can reveal +1, +2, or +3 free spins and/or an Upgrade that removes 1 to 5 symbols from the pool. Again, wilds can never be taken out of the pool.

Wild Drop Spins Bonus

Scoring 5 FS symbols in the base game launches the Wild Drop Spins bonus with 10 free spins. In this mode, only the wild symbol can be selected by the Drop mechanic. Landing an FS symbol grants +1, +2, or +3 free spins.

Buy Bonus

By opening the feature buy menu, players can choose from the following options:

• BonusHunt FeatureSpins – 3x the bet where each spin is 5 times more likely to trigger a bonus game. Very highly volatile, with a default RTP of 96.32%.
• Big Drop FeatureSpins – 40x the bet where each spin guarantees at least 3 Drop symbols land. Very highly volatile, with a default RTP of 96.16%.
• Mega Drop FeatureSpins – 150x the bet where each spin guarantees 5 Drop symbols land. Highly volatile with a default RTP of 96.34%.
• Drop Spins – 10 free spins for 100x the bet with all possible symbols in the choice pool. Highly volatile with a default RTP of 96.23%.
• High Drop Spins – 10 free spins for 200x the bet with high pays and wilds as replacing symbols. Very highly volatile, with a default RTP of 96.29%.

Drop ‘Em: Slot Verdict

It’s good to have Canny the Can back, since he typically stars in a lively little production from the Hacksaw Gaming crew. Drop ‘Em continues that trend, packing in the qualities fans of the studio tend to look for — charm, smart feature design, tense gameplay, a streak of brutality, and the promise of big rewards. If you’ve enjoyed Canny’s earlier outings or you’re into Hacksaw Gaming’s particular style of high-risk/high-reward entertainment, the new Drop mechanic is well worth a look to see what it can deliver.

Although the core idea is straightforward, the Drop mechanic has a couple of advantages that let it erupt when conditions line up. One of the biggest is the sheer number of ways to win. That alone can massively change outcomes, turning what might have been an average Drop mechanic result on paylines into something far more eye-widening thanks to all those ways. Of course, it can just as easily go the other direction. The Drop mechanic can shine during free spins, but its wildest moments showed up most clearly when testing Mega Drop FeatureSpins via the bonus buy. At 150x the bet for a single spin, they’re undeniably pricey, and the outcomes bounced hard from underwhelming to jaw-dropping, with plenty in between. In other words, it’s not something to take casually — but knowing Drop symbols will land on every reel, guaranteeing a win, makes it hard not to be tempted. Another potential lure is the possibility of buying into the Wild Drop Spins bonus. With only wild symbols available in the choice pool, it’s a serious proposition — and probably not something you’ll trigger naturally all that often.

Still, it’s nice to have something to chase, and Drop ‘Em rounds things off with a max win of 10,000x the bet. After watching the game in action, that ceiling certainly feels within reach for the fortunate punter. Most players won’t ever hit the max, naturally, but Drop ‘Em serves up explosive moments through a relatively simple feature that can turn dramatic in a hurry.