Wild Turkey

Wild Turkey: Slot Overview

Aztec themed slots might be a dime a dozen, yet how many feature anthropomorphic turkeys at the same time? Very few, just one actually, from the creative minds at NetEnt, who spotted a gap in the market and plugged it with their classic slot, Wild Turkey. Getting on in years but ageing well, Wild Turkey offers bright, humorous gameplay, making use of free spins and full reel wilds to power out enjoyable winning potential.

Wild Turkey is set high up in a mountainous region, in a village not only populated with turkeys but where their homes are shaped like them. You can tell because the 5-reel, 3-row game grid is see-through and bordered by intertwining trees displaying the game's 20 paylines. Deepening the turkey society experience is a mysterious drum track accompanied by ambient sounds of the bush. The theme is all a bit silly and shouldn't be taken seriously, yet therein lies much of Wild Turkey's charm. It's a game that's a little wacky on the outside while remaining a fully functioning gambling machine within.

Part of the reason is due to a medium-high volatile math model, producing a default RTP value of 96.6%. Players can enjoy a win every three spins or so, at 31.14% in the base game, rising to 44.8% during the free spins bonus round. Wild Turkey is now playable on any device, providing stakes from 20 p/c to $/€100 per spin.

Adding character to the paytable is five high-value turkey pay symbols representing various members of the community. Premium values max out at the turkey in the red hat, perhaps a priest, that triggers a payout worth 200 times the bet when five land on a payline. Beneath the premiums, 10-A stone card symbols make up the low-value section of the paytable. In all cases, at least three matching symbols are needed, sitting adjacent to each other from the left-hand side to form a winning combination.

Wild Turkey: Slot Features

Wild symbols are the boss around here, literally, since the village of turkeys worships them. During the base game, wilds appear on any reel to substitute for all other symbols. If 3 or more wilds land anywhere on the reels, free spins are activated.

The number awarded increases with the number of wilds in view, so 3, 4, or 5 wilds on screen award 15, 30, or a massive 60 free spins. The sun drops for free spins, and the turkeys gather around a bonfire in the hopes that the wild symbols will work their magic. Wilds are assisted in this task because in free spins, they may appear as a stack of 2 of 3 symbols, possibly covering all positions on a reel. If a stacked wild symbol does cover a full reel, +2 additional free spins are awarded. No limit has been placed on the number of free spins that may be retriggered.

Wild Turkey: Slot Verdict

Originally released in 2013, then made available on tablet or mobile devices in 2019, Wild Turkey is a game that does not look its age. While they won't exactly blow your mind, the graphics have retained a sharp clarity and compare favourably with more current releases. As well as the graphical quality, what helps provide appeal is the peculiar subject matter, as a band of turkeys living in the mountains is not one you see every day. By choosing such a unique topic, NetEnt has stuffed Wild Turkey with personality to make a slot that hasn't really been replicated. So for a break from mythology, or western, or any number of serious-minded games, Wild Turkey is a relaxed breath of fresh air

There's a similar thing going on when we get to Wild Turkey's gameplay. No, it's not cutting edge, but it is a satisfying experience all the same. The base game isn't the most exciting, and an interest in turkeys might well help players push through until the required three or more wild symbols hit to lead into free spins. In the bonus round, with the help of full reel wilds, the game switches from funny to business mode. Rewards aren't huge when compared to what the competition is doing now, and during simulated game rounds, Wild Turkey was maxing out at around 1,000x the bet consistently. Though technically speaking, a full screen of wilds in free spins would be worth 4,000x right there.

For low key gaming with so-so winning potential, Wild Turkey isn't a bad option at all. The gameplay is uncomplicated, some might say basic, but its individual quirks means Wild Turkey is still capable after all these years of conjuring up a bit of fun gaming.