Fire Hopper
By Push Gaming
Amongst all the slot providers that whose games we review here at AllSlotSites.com, Push Gaming are amongst our favourites. They may not have been around as long as some of their more established competitors, but their modest game catalogue already boasts some stone-cold classics, particularly in the grid game category. Titles like Jammin’ Jars and Tiki Tumble are still revered by high risk fans for style, gameplay and potential and they rarely land a dud so it’s always a thrill to load up a new release from these guys.
In this instance, Fire Hopper is something of a slow burner as it turns out but don’t let this lull you into a false sense of security – as we will find out these waters have hidden depths! The game has a Thunderkick vibe to it, at least in the initial presentation, with the colors, illustrative style and nature-theme reminding us of Birds on a Wire. The crew at Push invite players to meet a frog protagonist who lives on a peaceful pond littered with lily pads and lotus flowers. The gaming screen is made up of a 7 x 7 grid of those lily pads, while the symbols are cute lotus flowers, fireflies and frogs - including some special golden frogs, who add a touch of Japanese culture to the visuals as well as enhanced payout value.
| Game Name | Fire Hopper |
|---|---|
| Developer | Push Gaming |
| Theme(s) | Animals |
| Release Date | December 2021 |
| Rows | 7 |
| Reels | 7 |
| Paylines | Cluster Pays |
| RTP Rate | 96.30%, 95.41%, 90.32% |
| Max Win | 50,000x |
| Min Bet | £0.10 |
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Review Scorecard
What We Like
- Tranquil garden pond setting
- Large 7x7 gaming grid
- Leaping Frog with Multipliers
- Free Spins with Sticky Wilds
- Two Wild Symbols
What We Didn't Like
- Slow base game
RTP and Variance
Starting with the maths and the RTP of this slot is set at 96.3%, which is about average for the industry, whilst a 10p minimum bet for some opens up the game to all-comers looking for some low-cost spins. Remember, the volatility level is high though, so you can expect big ups and downs in payouts with long lean spells where not much happens in the winnings department.
Push are very much specialists when it comes to high risk gaming so they know how to crank up the intensity when they want to and whilst those big win sequences may be rare, when they come they can be on an epic scale. If you’re lucky with your lilies, a 50,000x stake top payout is possible – an astonishing amount to find at the bottom of any pond!
Symbols and Paytable
Each spin uses the Cascading Reels mechanic, so you get many chances to win from one play with new symbols falling in to replace any winning ones. Anyone who has played cluster pays games like Gonzo’s Quest, Reactoonz or Aloha! Cluster Pays will be familiar with this set-up.
The symbols in Fire Hopper are coloured lotus flowers, frogs, golden frogs, fireflies and bonus fireflies. The lotus flowers are the regular symbols with red, pink, purple, blue, green and orange flowers appearing on the lily pads.
You need to match at least 5 symbols sitting adjacently to receive a payout and the maximum clusters pay from 25x up to 200x your bet. The frogs and golden frogs are Wild, while the fireflies can award special features.
Features and Gameplay
Push have weaved the features around the setting and the theme so nicely here. It’s a game that has been well though-out and makes for a pleasing experience. Here is how all those extras knit together:
2 Wilds
The frog and golden frog symbols are both Wild. These can stand in for all the other symbols in the game, except the fireflies. The frog symbol also has a Progressive Multiplier attached to it, which starts at 1x.
Leaping Frog
Landing the frog along with a firefly will start the Leaping Frog feature. The frog will leap across to the firefly, leaving a wild golden frog in its place. Each leap of the frog increases the Multiplier by 1x. If you land a frog and an instant prize symbol, the frog leaps onto the prize – this can award up to 1,000x your bet, while the frog can also multiply the prizes.
Free Spins
Landing the frog at the same time as a bonus firefly will start the Free Spins round, which turns the gaming screen into a night-time pond. You get 7 Free Spins initially along with the Multiplier from the frog symbol. The frog turns into a Sticky Wild and remains on the screen for the duration of the Free Spins. The frog’s Multiplier keeps increasing and the golden frogs also take on this Multiplier, though they do not become sticky. Watch out for the colour change on the frog as this signifies its Multiplier value.
Bonus Buy – NOT AVAILABLE IN THE UK
It’s possible to buy your way into the bonus features by clicking on the star icon. You can buy Free Spins for a cost of 124x your bet, which also helps to increase the RTP of the game to 96.38%.
Final Verdict
Fire Hopper by Push Gaming is a mixed bag, appearing peaceful and relaxed with its softly flowing water, lilting birdsong and floating lily pads. At first, it appears almost too gentle with an uneventful base game and the similar-looking lotus flowers. It’s an unnervingly calm start to your spins and hides a volatile undercurrent because when the Multipliers start arriving, night falls and the Free Spins kick in and the frog starts leaping around, everything changes!
Overall, you can rack up some potentially brilliant payouts from the Progressive Multipliers, which stick in the bonus round, especially when they boost the instant prizes. You can see how the leaping frog increasing its multiplier, leaving wild gold multiplier frogs behind will get you close to that top 50,000x payout, though keep in mind the odds for that jackpot are huge.
Our recommendation is that you stick with this game even if at first it feels a little tame. Have a few rounds on free play mode or just start with a low stake to get a feel for things before spending any more. It's definitely a grower and one worth persevering with as it can produce some stunning moments at its best.
Fire Hopper is released at all slot sites on 7th December 2021, and it will appeal to a broad range of players, including those who enjoy the mix of peaceful vibes and high volatility gameplay. Nurture those frogs and you could find some golden opportunities in this pond!
Useful Resources
Testing Notes
Who Made Fire Hopper?
- Name: Push Gaming
- UK License: 54984
- Total Games: 30 +
- Known For: High variance grid slots, smart artwork, high max win slots
- Popular Slots: Big Bamboo, Mad Cars, Razor Returns, Fat Rabbit
