Vending Machine: Slot Overview

Fancy a bit of gambling with a laid-back vibe? Then this slot could be your thing. Called Vending Machine, it’s a Hacksaw Gaming release and, yes, it leans more toward the relaxed end of the spectrum than the studio often does. No judgement here, but the paytable even opens with: “Vibe check! Feeling good? Great! Then kick back and relax with us for a while.” It reads a little like a recruitment pitch from a trendy startup hunting for equally trendy coders. Anyway, rather than critique the tone, let’s jump into Vending Machine and see what it does to the mood.

One of the first things that caught the eye in Vending Machine is the unusual setup: a young person casually hanging out, book tucked under one arm and a phone in the other. Play takes place at night, with a crescent moon sitting in the corner above a calm city backdrop. It’s not the kind of scene you see in slots every day, and it’s tricky to pin down who it’s aimed at—hip Millennials, Gen-Zers? Hard to tell. Probably best to follow the paytable’s suggestion: kick back, relax, and see how it plays out.

Printed on the side of the in-game vending machine is a 5×5 grid layout with 35 paylines used to calculate wins. Winning combinations must begin on the leftmost reel, and the theoretical hit frequency is 43.64%. That figure applies to the default 96.28% RTP version, though it’s worth noting there are three other return models available. Regardless of the model selected, Vending Machine is a medium-high volatility slot with stakes ranging from 10 p/c to $/€100.

Symbols that form a win are removed from the reels, and the gaps are then filled as new symbols drop down from above. Once no further wins are created, the cascade chain stops and the payout is awarded. A 5 OAK win with the low pays—bread, Chews, candy, and a lollipop—returns 2 times the bet. Land 5 ice blocks, soda cans, juice boxes, or drink symbols and the payout rises to 6 to 20 times the stake. Assisting with those snack-and-drink wins is the popcorn wild, which substitutes for any standard paying symbol.

Vending Machine: Slot Features

Since Vending Machine is a Hacksaw Gaming title, it’s hardly shocking to find a multiplier mechanic built into the design. In this case it’s named Multiplier Lights, and it can appear in the base game as well as in both bonus rounds—Lo-Fi Spins and the Spin and Chill feature.

Multiplier Lights

Every row on the grid shows an inactive multiplier on the left side. At the beginning of each spin, these multipliers are assigned values from x2 to x10. When a winning combination lands, the multiplier on each row containing a winning symbol is increased by the number of winning symbols on that row. Each symbol increases the multiplier by +1. If a Lightning Bolt scatter appears, it activates the multiplier on its row.

Whenever at least 1 symbol on an activated row is part of a winning combo, that row’s multiplier is applied to the payout. If more than 1 row contributes, the multiplier amounts are added together first. A row’s multiplier can’t be used more than once, even if multiple wins occur on the same row. When Multiplier Boost symbols land, the multiplier value on that row is multiplied by 2. If the Epic Multiplier Boost symbol lands, all values are increased by x2. The downside comes from the Blackout Skull symbol. Land it and the multiplier on its row is deactivated.

Remove & Cascade

After a spin produces no more winning combinations, there’s a chance this feature will activate, triggering an extra cascade where all low-pay symbols removed.

LO-FI Spins

Trigger this by landing 3 FS symbols in the base game. It starts with 3 activated rows of Multiplier Lights and finishes once all row multipliers have been deactivated.

Spin and Chill

Land 4 FS symbols in the base game to start this feature. It opens with 5 active rows of multipliers and ends when none remain activated.

Bonus Buy

Vending Machine offers three options in the feature buy menu; each one is highly volatile:

• BonusHunt FeatureSpins – 3x the bet where each spin is 5 times more likely to trigger a bonus game. 96.22% is the highest RTP.
• Lo-Fi Spins – 100x the bet, 96.18% is the highest RTP.
• Spin and Chill – 200x the bet, 96.25% is the highest RTP.

Vending Machine: Slot Verdict

It has to be said: Hacksaw Gaming has positioned Vending Machine fairly well. Next to many of the studio’s releases that feel like high-volatility explosions, Vending Machine comes across as comparatively mellow—at least in theme. That doesn’t mean the gameplay is always the slot equivalent of a cosy flat white with a neat little milk swirl. Sticking with the food comparisons, it’s more like salmiak-style liquorice: technically a sweet, but with a noticeable bite to it.

Part of that bite comes from the Blackout Skull, which works hard to switch off active multipliers. Making it potentially more painful is the fact that even deactivated rows can still build their multiplier when winning symbols land there. Still, it’s not all negative, because rows can be activated again when Lightning Bolt scatters appear—including during the free spins round, which initially seemed uncertain until it happened in testing. A generous touch, and a welcome one. As a result, the tug-of-war between Blackout Skulls turning rows off and Lighting Bolt scatters turning them back on can create some swingy stretches. The best-case scenario is landing the 5,000x the bet max win, which the game info states is only achievable in the two bonus rounds.

Given the push-and-pull feel, it’s difficult to label Vending Machine as purely chilled, but compared with plenty of Hacksaw Gaming’s catalogue (Hand of Anubis, Chaos Crew 2, Wanted Dead or a Wild etc.), it’s definitely more understated. It’s closer to a palate cleanser than a full-on Hacksaw Gaming rager, though players in Vending Machines sights may find its vibe a nice change of pace.