WildPops: Overview

WildPops is the second instalment in the PopWins series of slots from developer Avatar UX, a Hong Kong-based studio that collaborates with Swedish developer Yggdrasil Gaming to create Asian-leaning slots for European players. Usually we see themes travel the opposite way, so a title with a true Eastern vibe feels like a welcome change. WildPops continues that approach with plenty of Asian-inspired symbols, wrapped around expanding reels, multipliers, and a fresh wild feature.

Fans of PopRocks may end up divided on this follow-up. On one side, a lot of the formula stays very close to the original beyond some clear visual tweaks. That means anyone wanting more of the same will appreciate the familiar expanding reels set against another soft, blurred backdrop. This time it’s brighter and more upbeat, with a daylight-green tone and more characterful reel symbols.

With stakes from 20 p/c to $/€50 per spin, the pay symbols are again grouped into three tiers – low, high, and super high. Low symbols are the 9-A royals in a screen-print look, while the highs are made up of seven different Asian icons. The somewhat deceptive super high tier includes just one symbol: a spectral blue dragon, paying a comparatively modest 30x the stake. That’s a long way from what PopRocks offered, though it’s also more attainable. Note that the super high symbol doesn’t land naturally; it only shows up via popped symbols.

WildPops is a win-both-ways slot. Wins land by hitting three or more matching symbols left to right, or right to left, starting from the first or last reel. When a win hits, the symbols pop and two new symbols are added to the relevant reel. Avatar UX labels this the PopWins mechanic, and like other cascade/reaction systems it can keep chaining, paying repeatedly until no further winning groups appear. The reels don’t grow forever, though. Win ways vary from 486 in the standard 5-reel, 3-row setup (counting both directions), up to 33,614 win ways once every column has expanded to 7 rows.

Up to this point, WildPops feels very similar to the original. Under the hood, however, the numbers paint a noticeably different picture. While volatility is still high, it’s been reduced from 237 to 146 on Yggdrasil’s slightly confusing volatility meter. That shift was easy to feel during testing. WildPops came across as more forgiving, and it also seemed more willing to dish out features. It’s not an easy ride by any means, but it felt less punishing than PopRocks.

That said, the upside has been significantly reduced (as you’ll see), and RTP has also dipped slightly to 96.2%. These changes to the math model create two fairly distinct options, even if the games look closely related on the surface.

WildPops: Features

Feature-wise, WildPops has quite a bit going on. The best part is how everything links together, gradually forming a satisfying flow. It begins with the PopWins mechanic and its expanding reels mentioned earlier, which also hands out multipliers and introduces a new random wild element we’ll cover shortly.

To start, whenever wins land, a multiplier meter beside the reels increases by the number of symbols involved in the winning combination. The multiplier begins at x1 and rises by +1 on every 7th symbol. If no new winners appear, the multiplier drops back to x1 and the grid returns to its default size.

If every reel expands to 7 columns high, players receive 3 extra lives – essentially 3 free spins in practical terms. With lives active, when no new winning combinations appear, the grid stays at 5×7, but all symbols clear away and are replaced by a fresh set. The multiplier also carries over and does not reset between lives.

The standout new element in WildPops is the Random Wild feature. Wild symbols don’t land naturally; instead, after three consecutive wins, 2 wilds are placed in random positions. Since it triggers every three wins, it can return again on the sixth or ninth wins, and so on.

WildPops: Verdict

In plenty of respects, if the first PopWins slot worked for you, the second likely will too – and the reverse is also true. The fundamentals are still here, including the main mechanics, but the tweaks are enough to make them feel like different experiences.

For starters, Avatar UX seems to have softened the math model’s harsher edges (to a point), resulting in a smoother, more enjoyable play style than the first game. PopRocks has much bigger potential and far richer symbols, but it’s also considerably more volatile, with lots of dead spins or small returns.

WildPops, by comparison, delivers a similar core loop, but with features that appear more frequently and can run longer thanks to lives, for instance. The compromise, if you want to call it that, is the top-end potential, which at 17,707 times the stake is roughly a quarter of what PopRocks can reach, yet still plenty for most players.

The new Random Wild feature is a strong upgrade and can genuinely save a run. It may not sound huge on paper, but it’s surprising how often those wilds turn what would have been a dead stop into another continuation. They’re particularly welcome when the reels have expanded nicely and the chain is kept alive by the arrival of those two helpful wilds.

Overall, unless you’re specifically chasing the absolute biggest wins, WildPops is likely the better pick. The gameplay feels more even, the visuals are a touch sharper, and the experience is simply more entertaining.