Introduction to Cheetah Wild
Cheetah Wild is a casino slot from Pragmatic Play that takes us out on a safari. Savannah- and Safari-themed releases have been among the longest-running themes in the industry, and it’s no surprise that a studio such as Pragmatic Play, known for nonstop releases and for being around for years, is no stranger to the vast animal kingdom, as seen with releases like Animal Magic 1000, The Ultimate 5, African Elephant, and many more. In comparison, Cheetah Wild isn’t all too different, as it has a relatively standard setting, except for the fact that we have a cheetah pacing around above the playing grid as we spin. When it comes to gameplay, it isn’t all too difficult, as the game is centered around Money Symbols, which form paylines with Collect Symbols to cash out. Paired with this is a Free Spins feature with a progressive level mechanic, which will convert high-paying symbols into even more Money Symbols. The game feels familiar but fresh in its own sense, as there’s nothing really original about these ideas, but they work well together and may keep you engaged on your hunt for the max win of 5,000X the bet.
Pragmatic Play takes us back to the savannah to join the pack and hunt Money Symbols.
Theme, Gameplay, & Payouts
Cheetah Wild is a video slot from Pragmatic Play with 5 Reels, 4 Rows, and 1,024 Ways to win. You can choose between making a Min.bet of 0.2 and a Max.bet of 240. Cheetah Wild comes with a higher-than-average RTP of 96.5%, a hit frequency of 31.44%, low volatility, and an okay max win of 5,000X the bet. However, do take note that the max win hit probability is 1 in 3,703,704 spins, the Free Spins hit frequency is 1 in 89.36 spins, and the game comes in multiple versions with lower RTPs of 95.51% and 94.51%.
As mentioned earlier, Cheetah Wild is set on the savannah, with a rather standard backdrop of a few trees and gazelles sprinting by. On top of the wooden playing grid is our titular Cheetah, who is actually made in 3D, and will pace back and forth. You can play the game on most notepads, mobiles, and desktops.
The lower-paying symbols are 9, 10, J, Q, K, and A. Creating a win with 5 of the same symbols will pay out 1.5X to 2.25X the bet. The higher-paying symbols are various savannah animals, including gazelles, zebras, rhinos, and elephants. Landing a win with 5 of the same symbols pays out 2.5X to 4X the bet. We also have a few Special Symbols, including Wilds, Money, Collect, and Scatter, which we cover in the Feature section.
Special Features & Mechanics
What is the max win in the slot Cheetah Wild?
You can win up to 5,000X the bet.
What features are available in the slot Cheetah Wild?
The features are Wild Symbols, Money and Collect Symbols, Free Spins, Ante Bet, and Feature Buy.
Wild Symbols
Wild Symbols help form winning combinations by being able to substitute for all symbols except Scatter, Collect, and Level Up Symbols, but can only appear on reels 2, 3, and 4. Wilds can also appear with a random Multiplier of either 2X or 3X.
Money and Collect Symbols
Money Symbols can appear on reels 2-5 and will have a random value between 0.25X and 100X the bet. However, Money Symbols can only be paid out if landed in a payline with a Collect Symbol on reel 1. Wild Symbols can help create a payline when they land adjacent to other Money or Collect Symbols, and any Multiplier they carry will be applied to the collected amounts.
Free Spins
By landing 3, 4, or 5 Scatter Symbols, you will be awarded the Free Spins feature with 8, 15, or 20 spins, respectively. The bonus game plays with the Progressive Level Up feature, which can only be increased by landing Level Up Symbols. For each level, a new set of high-paying symbols will be replaced by Money Symbols. You start at level 1, and the levels go as follows:
Level 2 = Reached by landing 4 Level Up Symbols, replaced all Elephant paying symbols with Money Symbols.
Level 3 = Reached by landing 7 Level Up Symbols, replaced all Rhino paying symbols with Money Symbols.
Level 4 = Reached by landing 13 Level Up Symbols, replaced all Zebra paying symbols with Money Symbols.
Level 5 = Reached by landing 15 Level Up Symbols, replaced all Gazelle paying symbols with Money Symbols.
You can retrigger the bonus game by landing 2, 3, 4, or 5 Scatter Symbols, awarding you with 5, 8, 15, or 20 additional spins.
Ante Bet
By turning on Ante Bet, you increase your chances of landing Money Symbols with higher Cash values, and any Free Spins rounds will have more Wilds with a higher chance of Wilds with 3X Multipliers. However, this comes at the price of increasing your current bet by 2.5X the bet.
Feature Buy
Through the Feature Buy, you can instantly enter a bonus game for a price based on the current bet.
100X = Awards the standard Free Spins with 3, 4, or 5 Scatter Symbols.
500X = Awards the Super Free Spins with 3, 4, or 5 Scatter Symbols. On top of this, the Super Free Spins start with 9-15 Level Up Symbols already collected, thus starting from a random level, with a minimum of level 3.
Final Thoughts on Cheetah Wild
Cheetah Wild isn’t a very impressive game, but that doesn’t mean that we think it’s bad, and, in fact, we would call it a pretty solid slot experience. However, this does come with the caveat that it isn’t a very original game, as its theme, setting, features, and gameplay loop have all been done before for almost the last two decades, meaning that it doesn’t really stand out in the crowd outside of the fact that it’s a modern release. But even so, if you’re a fan of these older themes and settings, Cheetah Wild does have a pretty good visual presentation, which may be sorely lacking in its older peers.
Gameplay-wise, while the complexity or the originality may not be anything to write home about, Pragmatic Play does deliver on a familiar Money and Collect formula. One thing that may stand out is the way that Money Symbols payout, as they need to form paylines, which Wilds can even help with, which is a fun little extra layer, but we can also see how it is a double-edged sword that could lead to a few frustrating spins where you’re just one symbol away from reaching a big cash out. On top of this, the game also comes with low volatility, meaning the spins aren’t all too explosive, but they do have their moments when landing alongside the Multiplier Wilds, which are the stars of the show. This all culminates in a Progressive Free Spins feature, which can feel a bit like a coin toss, as it can easily end before you’ve even leveled up once. All in all, Cheetah Wild is an okay slot experience, as it doesn’t do much to really stand out, and can at times feel a bit forgettable, but has nothing bad inherently, outside of maybe its low volatility, which can be a bit subjective.
Cheetah Wild is a slot that brings back an old classic theme and setting, paired with a rather okay Cash Collect payline mechanic and a Free Spins feature with Progressive Levels.
