Behind the scenes of Play’n GO’s new blockbuster, Gargantoonz

Play’n GO’s Head of Game Retention George Olekszy spoke to Aboutslots about the release of Gargantoonz, the latest in the hit series of sequels to the legendary slot Reactoonz.

Hello, and thank you for participating in this interview for your upcoming release of Gargantoonz. For us slot enthusiasts, few games are as nostalgic as Reactoonz. 1. Where does it place in your own top 10 slot list?

- We’re huge fans of Reactoonz at Play’n GO as well. From a personal perspective, it’s certainly among my favorites, and I consistently hear from people around the world about how much they’ve enjoyed playing the game. In terms of where it places among our all-time best-performing games, it certainly sits high on the top 10 list, although there’s fierce competition there, and the exact order is always changing.

2. Describe Gargantoonz in three words!

- Entertainment, fun, and action.

3. What inspired you to create Gargantoonz? Were there a lot of requests for another game in the saga?

- Since the original Reactoonz slot was released back in 2017, the series has become something of a phenomenon. We’ve produced a number of sequels which have only served to add to the excitement around the characters and themes. With Gargantoonz, we were looking for a way to take things a step further. We’ve retained the classic 7x7 grid, but this is arguably the most feature-packed game in the Toonz series.

4. How long before the release date is a game like this planned?

- Planning times on our games can really vary depending on the title. With something as popular as the Toonz series, we’re usually planning the next by the time the latest one is being released. It’s important these games aren’t rushed, so we give ourselves plenty of time to deliver something truly special.

5. When we review and test out sequels to popular games, people sometimes complain about them being a re-skin. Do you think it’s more important to stick to the core of the game, or to change it up as much as possible?

- There’s definitely a balance to be struck. First things first, we never want our fans to be underwhelmed by a new release, particularly in a popular series. We’d never simply re-skin an old title and bill it as an exciting sequel.

However, the flip side is that there needs to be a common thread running through the games, not just in theme and narrative but also gameplay. That’s what makes it a series, and we’ve got to remember that those core gameplay elements are what made the original so popular in the first place.

So it is about building upon that success with new additions, features, characters, and more, but at the same time keeping the title aligned with the story and the feel of previous games. It’s certainly not easy, but the enduring popularity of the Toonz series tells us we’re getting it right.

6. What can players expect when they visit Gargantoonz?

- As I mentioned, we’ve absolutely packed Gargantoonz with features. These include Fluctuation, where a one-eye symbol is randomly chosen to fluctuate on each round. If the fluctuating symbols win, then one or two Quantum Wilds appear on the grid. We also have Discharge, where on any non-winning round, between four to eight Quantum Wilds can be randomly added.

Perhaps the feature we are most proud of is the Experiment Charger, which is charged by winning clusters and, when fully charged, unleashes a random experiment. We’ve included a bunch, including Gamma Ray Burst, Black Hole, and Supernova, which all come with unexpected wilds and potential for some big wins. Successful experiments, in turn, charge the Gargantoon Charger, which can lead to some huge multipliers and even dedicated Gargantoonz feature triggers. In short, there’s plenty to get your teeth into!

7. When it comes to volatility and potential, where would you place Gargantoonz in this series?

- Gargantoonz is a high-volatility title, with an RTP of 96.2%.

Thank you for taking the time to answer these questions. Finally, do you have anything you would like to say to our readers?

I’d just like to say that everyone at Play’n GO really hopes both old fans and new ones enjoy this latest outing from the Toonz. We look forward to hearing your feedback so we can build even better games in the future.

We thank George Olekszy, Head of Game Retention at Play’n GO, for participating in this interview and look forward to the launch of the game. In case you missed it, you can also watch the video interview, or click on the link to read our slot review of Gargantoonz.