Stick ‘Em (Hacksaw Gaming): Overview

Hacksaw Gaming is a fairly young studio that has assembled a skilled team of developers based in Malta and Stockholm. Whatever the secret ingredient is in Sweden’s capital, it certainly seems to help inspire fresh ideas. If you already know Hacksaw Gaming, it’s likely through their online Scratch Cards, with around 30 different versions released so far. Here, we see their first step into slots with the offbeat Stick ‘Em. Along with the new title, we meet Canny the Can, a cheerful little container who welcomes us into the upbeat Stick ‘Em universe. He doesn’t exactly take center stage, but he’s a fun companion—much like Clippy, the paperclip that used to pop up in Windows.

When you first launch Stick ‘Em, the visuals can feel a bit plain at a quick glance. Still, it’s never wise to judge a slot purely by appearance, so it’s worth giving it a proper spin. Hacksaw Gaming uses a grid of 5 reels and 4 rows, and skips traditional paylines. Instead, you just need to land 3-of-a-kind combinations anywhere across the reels (left to right) to form wins. The format is straightforward, and here that simplicity works well—Stick ‘Em is ideal for easygoing, enjoyable play.

In truth, the biggest returns are largely driven by the bonus features, which we’ll cover shortly. A quick look at the paytable shows the base symbols aren’t especially lucrative on their own. What’s nice, however, is that they’re all distinct—no standard card ranks or suits in sight. The downside is that even the top symbol, five money bags, pays only 3x the stake. That may turn some players away, but it’s worth trying the game in free play before writing it off entirely. Hacksaw Gaming has delivered a slot that ends up being much more than it initially appears.

Part of that comes from the music and sound design, which are genuinely catchy and make each spin feel more entertaining. Of course, a great soundtrack alone won’t convince anyone to wager real money, no matter how toe-tapping it is. Luckily, when you pair the game’s charm with its overall gameplay, it comes together better than expected. Add in a set of thoughtfully designed features, and you’ve got a very solid slot.

Stick ‘Em (Hacksaw Gaming): Features

Keeping the quirky vibe intact, the game includes several extras with a creative spin. First is the ‘thumbs up’ symbol—always a welcome sight. Land three of these positive icons and they stick to the grid while the reels respin. This keeps going as long as at least one ‘thumbs up’ lands during a respin. Along the way, players can still land winning combinations too, which are added to the running total. If you manage to fill the reels with thumbs, you’ll score a hefty 2,048x your total bet, which is a very tasty payout. This feature is called the Sticky Win Spin feature.

As ever, Free Spins sit high on most players’ wish lists, and the ‘free spins’ symbols are what activate this bonus. When two appear, you’ll get a neat animation on the fifth reel to ramp up the suspense. In return, players receive free spins based on how many free spins symbols land:

• 3 scatters are worth 5 free spins.
• 4 scatters get you 10 free spins.
• 5 scatters return 15 free spins.

Free spins play out automatically until they’re finished, and bonus game symbols do not appear during this part.

To round things off, Hacksaw Gaming adds one more treat in the form of Bonus Game symbols. Hit three of these hard-to-find icons to spin the bonus wheel and win up to 1,000x your stake. So while standard symbol payouts may be a bit modest, they’re meaningfully enhanced by the generous set of added features.

Stick ‘Em (Hacksaw Gaming): Verdict

Hacksaw Gaming’s debut slot release won’t redefine online gambling, but it still brings plenty to the table for players after something different. Stick ‘Em should suit a broad audience. For instance, if you only know Hacksaw from their scratch cards, this is an easy, friendly introduction to slot play. It’s light and breezy, yet it also offers a top prize that can make those cute spins more than worthwhile.

If you’re the type of player who wants a high-octane slot packed with cutting-edge 3D visuals, Stick ‘Em likely won’t be your pick. But visuals aren’t the whole story—personality often matters more, and Stick ‘Em has plenty of it. It wouldn’t be surprising to see Canny the Can return in a future title. He doesn’t do much beyond hanging around in the corner, but the little guy could definitely become a familiar face in later releases. Hacksaw deserves credit for nailing the fundamentals, which is essential. On top of that solid base, the game layers in several interesting extras that add a nice kick.

Stick ‘Em is a strong, if not revolutionary, first effort. It does enough to put Hacksaw Gaming firmly on the radar. The real challenge now will be handling the expectations that come with following an original slot with something even stronger. We’re optimistic.

Don’t Miss

If you like the style of Stick ‘Em, be sure to check out the similarly titled follow up Stack ‘Em which offers wins of up to 10,000 times your stake.