Goodfeathers (Blueprint Gaming): Review

Get ready to ruffle a few feathers in this high-flying spin on the classic American mobster tale from Blueprint Gaming. Built on a cascading mechanic across a 5-reel, 20-payline layout and playable on any device with stakes from 0.20€ to 500€ per spin, it packs plenty of action thanks to 3 core base-game modifiers and 5 separate bonus modes.

While Blueprint is well known for its large selection of branded titles, it’s not entirely obvious whether this slot is linked in any way to the American cartoon comedy TV-series Animaniacs, which featured a pigeon gang called The Goodfeathers—clear parodies of Robert DeNiro, Ray Liotta, and Joe Pesci’s characters in Goodfellas. If it isn’t connected (and there’s no official statement indicating that it is), then it’s certainly a daring choice by Blueprint.

On the audiovisual front, Blueprint Gaming is typically dependable, and Goodfeathers delivers. Like many of the studio’s other releases, it feels big and busy because of the sheer number of features included. The setting is Prohibition-era New York with cartoon-style visuals, and the reel symbols feature stiletto knives, revolvers, and 7 mobster birds. The Godfeather bird is the top payer, awarding 25 times your stake for landing 5 across a full payline. Acting as a substitute for all symbols, the wild matches The Godfeather bird’s value.

Goodfeathers (Blueprint Gaming): Features

True to Blueprint’s style and almost overflowing with content, Goodfeathers is stacked with features so the reels rarely feel quiet. During the base game, The Birdfather Bonus can activate randomly and grant you 1 of these 3 modifiers:

• FlyBy Wilds: a mob bird swoops in and flies across the reel set, shooting birds which in turn turns them into wilds.
• Egg Bomb: a bomb is thrown onto the reels, forcing the symbols to reset.
• Stork Wilds: at least one fully stacked wild is dropped onto the reels.

In this outlaw-themed slot, there’s no scatter symbol to trigger the bonus. Instead, entry to the Briefing Room Bonus is earned by hitting 4 consecutive wins on the cascading reel set. A sheriff’s badge lights up after each win to show your progress, and once all 4 are illuminated, the bonus begins. If you don’t like the feature you’re offered, you can take on the gamble option in hopes of upgrading to a better one. The available bonuses are:

• Prison Escape Bonus: with 6 jail cells to choose from you’re prompted to pick cells to reveal cash prizes until you hit the collect symbol. Watch out for the level up poster as it will grant you access to the next stage with higher cash prizes.
• Warehouse Bonus: in this picking bonus you’re asked to choose one of 5 suitcases to reveal a cash prize. You can then either take the offer or leave it and open another suitcase.
• ScarBird Free Spins: starting with 5 free spins, any Scarbird wild appearing on the reels will create bullet hole wilds. When all free spins have been played, you will be asked to pick 1 of 3 suitcases. If it reveals bullets, the feature is retriggered. If a collect symbol is revealed, the feature ends.
• Infeathergation Free Spins: starting with 8 free spins, a new reel set is introduced that include Infeathergation wilds. When all free spins have been played, you will be asked to pick 1 of 2 cards. If the Good Cop is revealed the feature is retriggered. If the Bad Cop turns up, the feature ends and the winnings are paid out.
• Crime Scene Free Spins: starting with 10 free spins, in this feature you’ll benefit from an increasing win multiplier that can reach up to x20. 3 additional free spins are awarded if an FBI badge appears on the reels.

Goodfeathers (Blueprint Gaming): Verdict

Theme originality aside, it’s difficult not to see Goodfeathers as another multi-feature Blueprint clone—especially when the voice-over even brings TED to mind. Still, there are a few fresh angles worth checking out. The consecutive-win bonus trigger, for instance, can be thrilling one moment and annoying the next, since it may either award a bonus or reset the meter back to zero. The cut-scenes are also well done and do a good job of reinforcing the storyline.

The theme may be featherlight, but the finished slot is a true heavyweight loaded with features. If you can overlook the familiar Blueprint feel, there’s an engaging game here with a huge 10,000 times your stake maximum win potential.