Introduction to The Wildos: Xmas Xpress
The Wildos: Xmas Xpress is a casino slot from Thunderkick with a Christmas theme. We’ve all heard about the Grinch, but stealing a train full of presents, that’s just wrong. However, that’s the case in this new Christmas edition of the Wildos series, with previous releases such as The Wildos and 3 Wildos. Here, we get a reskin of The Wildos 2, with identical gameplay, soundtrack, and win potential. To create a somewhat Christmas vibe, the studio has changed the background to a snowy landscape and decorated the trains. Without even a jolly Christmas tune as a soundtrack, it’s frankly hard to get into the holiday spirit. But if you liked the previous game and want an excuse to play it at Christmas, it should do the trick. For us, its lack of creativity will make it hard to compete with better and more festive Christmas slots.
Theme, Gameplay, & Payouts
The Wildos: Xmas Xpress is a video slot by Thunderkick that features 5 reels, 4 rows, and 20 paylines. You can select bet sizes ranging from 0.1 to 100, with a default RTP of 94.19%. This game has high volatility and offers potential wins of up to 10,000X your bet.
The game’s design is based on a Christmas theme, set during a train heist. The 5x4 game grid is in the middle of the screen, with a snowy landscape as background. If you want to boost the gaming experience for a cost, activate the Feature Buy button. All other buttons, including the Spin and Bet Size, can be found below the reels. You can play The Wildos: Xmas Xpress on all mobile devices, desktops, and notepads. You create a winning combination by landing 3 or more of the same symbol types on adjacent reels starting at the leftmost reel.
The lower-paying symbols are clubs, diamonds, spades, and hearts. Landing 5 of the same symbol type pays 2X. The higher-paying symbols are a golden watch, a blue hat, a necklace, a green robber, a blue robber, and a red robber. Landing 5 of the same symbol type pays between 3X and 20X.
The game’s Wild Symbol has a door design and can land in reels 2, 3, and 4 with multiplier values ranging from 1X to 25X. The Scatter Symbol is a dynamite cake with the text “Bonus,” and landing 3 of it will trigger the Bonus Game. There is also a Super Scatter Symbol in this game, with the text “Super Bonus,” and landing 1 of this symbol type and 2 regular Scatter Symbols will trigger the Super Bonus Game. Lastly, the Bounty Poster Symbol can appear as green, red, or blue, triggering the corresponding feature. Let’s find out what kind of features this game has to offer.
Special Features & Slot Mechanics
What is the max win in the slot of The Wildos: Xmas Xpress?
The max win is 10,000X the bet.
What features are available in the slot of The Wildos: Xmas Xpress?
The features of this slot game are Wild Symbol, Bounty Poster Feature, Bonus Game, Super Bonus Game, Bet+, and Feature Buy.
Wild Symbol
The Wild Symbol substitutes all symbols except the Scatter Symbol and helps you create winning combinations. The Wild Multipliers are:
Bronze Wild = 1X, 2X, 3X.
Silver Wild = 5X, 6X, 8X.
Gold Wild = 10X, 15X, and 25X.
The Wild Multipliers is applied to any win it is part of, and if several of these symbol types appear in the same winning combination, they are added together before being applied.
Bounty Poster Feature
This feature can be triggered by landing one of the Bounty Poster Symbols:
Green Wildo Poster = adds 1 to 4 Bronze Wild Symbols.
Blue Wildo Poster = adds 1 to 5 Silver Wild Symbols.
Red Wildo Poster = adds 1 to 5 Gold Wild Symbols, all on reels 2, 3, and 4.
During the feature, higher-value Wilds can upgrade lower-value ones. When the feature ends, the Bounty Poster Symbols become their corresponding Robber Symbols.
Bonus Game
This feature can be triggered by landing 3 Scatter Symbols, presenting 4 options:
Bronze Bonus = awards 12 Free Spins.
Silver Bonus = awards 9 Free Spins.
Gold Bonus = awards 6 Free Spins.
Random Bonus = awarding 6, 9, or 12 Free Spins. This option has a chance of activating the Super Bonus.
You can retrigger the feature by filling reels 2, 3, and 4 with Sticky Wild Symbols, which grant 30% of the initial Free Spins. For example, starting the feature with 12 Free Spins will retrigger it with 4 additional spins, etc.
During the feature, all Wild Symbols can land, but only the selected Wild Symbol becomes sticky and remains on the reels. Bounty Poster Symbols can land during the Free Spins, but only if Wild Symbol positions and no upgrades are available. If a higher-value Wild Symbol lands on a lower-value one, the higher value takes its place and then returns to the original Wild Symbol the following spin.
Super Bonus Game
This feature can be triggered by landing 2 regular Scatter and 1 Super Scatter Symbol, awarding 12 Free Spins, or activating it through the Random Bonus Option.
During this feature, Wild Symbol upgrades are persistent until Free Spins are complete.
Bet+
You activate the Bet+ and increase the chances of triggering the Bonus Game. The Bet+ options are:
1.5X = Each spin is 2 times more likely to trigger the Bonus Game. This option is played with an RTP of 94.31%.
3X = Each spin is 5 times more likely to trigger the Bonus Game. This option is played with an RTP of 94.33%.
Feature Buy
If you want to take advantage of the Bonus Game immediately, you can use the feature buy options:
100X = Activate the Bonus Game with an RTP of 94.45%.
500X = Activate the Super Bonus Game with an RTP of 94.48%.
Final Thoughts on The Wildos: Xmas Xpress
This game provides a Christmas edition of The Wildos 2 featuring the same gameplay and payout potential. As the holiday season approaches, one thing is for certain: slot providers start releasing Christmas reskins. Here, Thunderkick has kept the overall design, with some minor Christmas decorations. But they’ve kept the Wild West soundtrack, which doesn’t feel right considering the theme. Where is the jolly Christmas music?
Even though this release is a reskin and we’ve seen it all before, it still offers a good slot experience. The Wild Multipliers are the game’s highlight, reaching their peak during the Bonus Game when they become sticky. While testing the game, we were disappointed by the lack of a Christmas feel, but we can’t deny its payout potential. So, if you like The Wildos 2, and want to see outlaws rob a train during the holiday season, it's right up your alley.
The Wildos: Xmas Xpress invites you to a train heist during the holiday season, offering a reskin of a previous game with the same Wild Multiplier mechanic.
