Hippopop Slot

Hippopop Slot Review

HippoPop is a new online slot from Yggdrasil and Avatar UX, part of the UGS Masters Programme. The game is also part of the popular PopWins series of slots and you might recognise something similar in its gameplay. So far, we’ve had PopRocks, WildPops, and CherryPop. Some of the latest games in the series also include BountyPop and TikiPop. Now, the HippoPop slot takes us to a very cool place with uniquely designed animal symbols. The game comes with the PopWins mechanic, as well as multipliers, bonus wheel, and free spins from which you can win up to 48,150x the stake.

About HippoPop Slot

The PopWins series of slots is probably one of the most popular engines so far. That’s why Yggdrasil and Avatar UX decided to continue producing slot games with the same PopWins engine but different themes. In the HippoPop slot, you’ll play on 5 reels, 3 rows, and 486 paylines. But, thanks to the PopWins mechanic, the game can increase to 8 rows which lead to 65,536 paylines. What’s more, the game uses a win-both-ways system so you can form winning combinations both from left to right and from right to left.

In the HippoPop slot, bet levels range from £0.20 to £40 per spin. You can easily adjust your preferred bet level by pressing the left and right arrows below the spin button on the left side of the screen. Winning combinations are formed by landing 3 or more matching symbols on adjacent reels. Thanks to the ability of the reels to expand and the bonus features included, the HippoPop slot is able to deliver payouts of up to 48,150x the stake. Speaking of bonus features, the game comes with multipliers, a bonus wheel, and free spins, all of which will be explained in detail below in our HippoPop Slot Review.

Design, Symbols and Graphics

All of the PopWins games come with innovative and creative themes, and the HippoPop slot is no exception. In this game, you’ll go deep into the jungle, where you’ll be welcomed by animals influenced by Oaxacan art. The animals on the reels are African, with glowing eyes and futuristic details, and the background is filled with flowers, trees and plants. We’ve already seen plenty of online slots that feature African animals, but we haven’t seen a game like this one. Overall, it’s a beautifully designed slot game with top-notch graphics and visuals.

The paytable in the HippoPop slot is composed of both low-paying and high-paying symbols. Here we have the standard low-value J, Q, K and A royals, accompanied by the higher-value symbols including a fish, a parrot and a frog in a sculpted glass. Then, we have a zebra, a tiger and a flamingo, while the hippo is the top-paying symbol. It pays up to 4x the stake for 5 in a combination, but during the Free Spins, its value can increase. Unfortunately, there are no wild and scatter symbols, so the PopWins engine is the key to winning the biggest prizes.

RTP, Variance and Payouts for HippoPop Slot

The theoretical RTP (Return to Player) of the HippoPop slot is 96.10%, which is the industry average. The game also has a high variance so you’ll land less frequent but more valuable winnings. It has a theoretical hit frequency rate of 20.50%, meaning that on average, every fifth spin will result in a win. What’s more, you’ll have the chance to win impressive payouts of up to 48,150x the stake. If you want to learn more about RTP and variance models, read our detailed Variance, Volatility and RTP guide and see which one suits you best. 

Gameplay and Features on HippoPop Slot

HippoPop, as well as the other games in this category, stand out among the crowd thanks to the PopWins mechanic they use. Thanks to PopWins, the expanding reels can add additional symbols, trigger the bonus features and give you big payouts. Therefore, you’re guaranteed to have an exciting and dynamic gaming experience. In the HippoPop slot, we go deep into the jungle, where it’s possible to get help from the animals and win multipliers, free spins, and a bonus wheel.  So, let’s explain all features included in the HippoPop slot.

PopWins Feature

The PopWins feature has the main role in the HippoPop slot and it’s the key to winning the biggest prizes. Every time you land a winning combination by getting 3 same symbols on adjacent reels, the PopWins engine is triggered. Then, the symbols that were part of the win are removed from the reels and each one is replaced by 2 symbols. This means that the rows can increase in number to a maximum of 6 rows in the base game and 8 rows in the free spins feature. The reels will expand as long as you land new winning combinations.

Win Multiplier

When you activate 6 rows on all reels in the base game, you’ll activate a Win Multiplier. The multiplier will increase by 1x for each extra win you make. The best thing about the Win Multiplier is that once you trigger it, it will accompany you on the upcoming features.

Free Spins Feature

Besides the Win Multiplier, you’ll also trigger the Free Spins feature when you activate 6 rows on all reels in the base game. The Win Multiplier will be then applied to all wins throughout the free spins feature. Before you start playing the free spins, you must spin the Bonus Wheel that determines how many free spins you’ll get. You are always guaranteed to get 5 free spins and the first reel shows 0 to 4 extra free spins. If you win additional spins, you’ll spin on another wheel that shows 0 to 5 extra free spins. Plus, you can win 2 extra spins in the feature by fully unlocking the reels.

The main sensation in the Free Spins feature is the Hippo Symbol that comes with extra features. During the free spins, the value of the Hippo will increase depending on how many rows you have on all the reels. If all reels have 6, 7 or 8 rows, then the value of the hippo symbol increases by 2x, 3x and 4x respectively for the remaining spins. When all rows reach 8 in height, you’ll play with 65,536 ways to win and they remain for the rest of the feature.

HippoPop Slot on Mobile

Like the other slots that are part of the PopWins series, so does the HippoPop slot is mobile-friendly and optimised to work on all devices. Thanks to the HTML5 technology and the responsive design, you won’t face any issues when playing on a mobile device. The game works perfectly on smaller screens and all operating systems.

Other Yggdrasil Slots

Yggdrasil is a popular and established developer, known for its exciting and innovative games like this one. We’ve already mentioned the other games part of the PopWins series, but Yggdrasil has plenty of other slots that are worth taking a look at. For example, the Desperate Dawgs slot takes you to the Wild West where you’ll benefit from wilds and multipliers that win you 3,902x your bet. 

Another great game from Yggdrasil is the Reel Desire slot, a game that embraces the 80s and takes you back to the neon-filled disco era so you can party like a rockstar. Here, you will benefit from 2 different free spins modes, double wilds, multipliers, and respins. 

Or, you can try playing the Johnan Legendarian slot and join the fierce warrior on his epic journey.  The reel action in this game takes place in a world filled with wizards and fantasy creatures and you can land more expanding symbols on the reels, as well as trigger the Free Spins feature.

SlotsWise Verdict

HippoPop does many things that its predecessors do, but the theme here is a bit different. You’ll go to the jungle and meet uniquely designed animals, so the game allows you to take a break from the Egyptian or fruit-themed slots. While the previous PopWins games included extras like special wilds, the HippoPop slot doesn’t have any. Still, it’s a great game with huge payout potential that can be achieved through the free spins, bonus wheel and multipliers.

Explore the HippoPop slot today and claim your bonus offer at one of our featured casinos.