Gronk’s Gems

Gronk’s Gems Slot Review

Slot Provider: Hacksaw Gaming

RTP: 96.22% | Variance: Medium | Maximum Win: 7,500x

Our Score: 8.2

Play at Casumo Casino
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About Gronk’s Gems

Reviewed by:

Published Date: 19th January 2023

How We Review Slot Games

We test and rate all slot games across 5 criteria, assigning a score out of 10 for each and an overall score that is an average of the 5. To build an accurate assessment of each game we gather information from the supplier and play in real play or demo mode. Find out more.

Gronk’s Gems is a quirky cluster pays grid slot from Hacksaw Gaming, released in December 2022. As well as the usual cluster-pays mechanics like cascading wins, you get the chance to score big wins by forming super clusters using Epic Gem symbols which absorb charged symbols. There are also progressive multipliers in the free spins round. This is a game that shows off Hacksaw’s typically quirky and eccentric style, though it runs at a lower variance than other slots they have produced like Hand of Anubis or Tasty Treats.

Gronks Gem’s is part of Hacksaw’s Pocketz series – built for mobile play – though it looks great on desktop too.

Gronk’s Gems Game Information

  • RTP: 96.22%
  • Variance: Medium
  • Maximum Win: 7,500x
  • Progressive Jackpot: No
  • Reels: 5
  • Rows: 5
  • Paylines: Cluster Pays
  • Minimum Stake: £0.10
  • Theme: Gems
  • Features: Cascading Wins, Free Spins, Progressive Multipliers, Charged Symbols

What We Liked

  • Fun, simple slot with likeable troll!
  • Progressive multipliers grow quickly
  • Two free spins round to unlock
  • Charged symbols regularly appear
  • Medium variance for balanced payouts

What We Didn't like

  • Not as hardcore as other Hacksaw Games

Gronk’s Gems Review Scores

  • Theme and Design 8
  • RTP and Variance 8
  • Maximum Win 8
  • Symbols and Paytable 9
  • Features and Gameplay 8

What Our Reviewer Says ...

"A relaxing slot with a fun character and some interesting twists on the standard cluster-pays mechanics."

Overall Score: 8.2

Theme & Design

Our Score 8

Gronk’s Gems is a striking-looking slot. With a playful orchestral backing track and green-blue skyline the overall feel is quite ethereal, but the star of the show is a beefy gem-loving troll, Gronk. The action takes place at night in front of his cave and he stands reel-side throughout, grunting approval when the big wins hit.

The game grid has a familiar feel to it – it is stuffed with row upon row of gems and like many cluster pays games is reminiscent of social games like Candy Crush saga. And just like those social games there is something satisfying about collecting gems and watching new ones drop into place with each cascade.

RTP and Variance

Our Score 8

What is RTP?

RTP (Return to Player) refers to the amount a game will pay out in cash prizes expressed as a percentage of all the money wagered on that game. For example, a 96% RTP means a game will pay out £96 for every £100 wagered. This is an average number and will vary from one session to the next.  Read more here.

What is Variance?

Variance refers to how far a game will deviate from its RTP over time. High variance games deviate a lot and produce uneven win distributions and unexpected windfalls. Low variance games provide a more stable and even distribution of wins. Read more here.

Gronk’s Gems has four possible RTP settings: 96.24%, 94.42%, 92.2% or 88.3%. It is at the discretion of your slot site which level you play at. We checked the setting at five UK casinos to see which level the game was set to. This is what we found:

  • Casumo (independent) – 94.42%
  • MrQ (independent) – 96.24%
  • MrPlay (Aspire Global) – 88.3%
  • BacanaPlay (Skill on Net) – 92.2%
  • Dream Vegas (White Hat Gaming) – 94.42%

MrQ offers the best return on your wagering so if this is a concern to you then we recommend that you play here.

Gronk’s Gems is a medium variance slot which puts it in the same bracket as RIP City or Frank’s Farm though Hacksaw Gaming slots can sometimes feel like they are higher than advertised in my experience.

Maximum Win

Our Score 8

What Is Maximum Win?

Maximum win refers to the maximum amount a player can win from one spin. It is expressed as a multiple of the stake. For example, where the maximum win is 100,000x, from a £1 stake, the maximum win would be £100,000.  

The maximum win on Gronk’s Gems is 7,500x which is a little under other slots in the Hacksaw list like Time Spinners (10,000x) or Undead Fortune (10,000x). However, for a mid-variance game this is about average.

Explore Games With Similar RTP, Variance and Maximum Win

Like the numbers? Here are some more games you might want to try.

Slot SiteSupplierRTPVarianceTop Payout
Dork UnitHacksaw Gaming96.28%Medium10,000xPlay Here
Frank’s FarmHacksaw Gaming96.31%Medium5,000xPlay Here
Gronk’s GemsHacksaw Gaming96.22%Medium7,500xPlay Here
RIP CityHacksaw Gaming96.22%Medium12,500xPlay Here
Pug LifeHacksaw Gaming96.33%Medium7,500xPlay Here

Symbols and Paytable

Our Score 9

The game takes place on a 5×5 grid with wins triggered by forming clusters of five or more matching symbols that connect to each other vertically / horizontally.

This image shows the paytable screen in the game. At the top end of the table for big clusters some huge payouts are available.

Low payers are the smaller gems in green, blue, pink and yellow valued up to 200x for 36 or more yellows. Premiums are the refined blue, purple, yellow and orange gemstones. These are valued at up to 1,500x for 36 or more orange gems.

There are no wilds in the game but there is a Gronk’s Head that triggers the free spins round and a Gem Hoarder which unlocks another bonus round with a progressive multiplier.

Features and Gameplay

Our Score 8

Every Win Triggers a Cascade

In classic cluster pays style, every win on Gronk’s Gems triggers a win cascade where all winning gems are removed and new ones drop in to replace them. This drives the progressive multiplier in the bonus round as well as giving you more win opportunities from any spin.

Symbol Charges and Epic Gems Release More Wins

When a symbol forms part of a win cluster, then it causes all symbols of the same type on the grid to be charged. Symbols with a charge are displayed above the reels. They remain charged until the current spin cycle with all its cascades ends.

The objective is to charge as many symbols as possible before the cascade ends.

IF an EPIC GEM lands during the cascade sequence it stays on grid until the end. When the last cascade completes, ALL charged symbols transform into the highest value charged symbol before being sucked into the Epic Gem to form a super cluster! When this happens, the Epic Gem explodes to set off a new cascade.

In short, you want to charge up as many symbols as possible on every spin in the hope of landing an EPIC GEM that can trigger a further cluster win and cascade.

Gronk’s Treasure Gives You 10 Free Spins

The first free spins round is Gronk’s Treasure. Here you get 10 free spins with better odds of landing the crucial Epic Gems.

Gem Hoarder Gives You 5 Free Spins With Progressive Multiplier

You’ll need 3 Gem Bags to trigger the Gem Hoarder free spins round. During the round, landing 3 more re-sets the counter to 5. In this instance, each symbol removed in a cascade add 1 extra to the global multiplier appearing above the grid.

Special X Gem symbols appear on the grid, and if a winning cluster includes an X Gem then the current global multiplier value is applied to the win from that cluster. Where there is more than one X Gem symbol connected to the cluster, for each X Gem the multiplier is applied once.

More Games Like Gronk’s Gems Slot

Toshi Video Club by Hacksaw Gaming – If you enjoy Gronk’s Gems and want another Hacksaw grid slot with cascades, you could try Toshi Video club. This is a game that riffs on Japanese-culture and has a much higher variance than Gronk. However, it also comes a higher top win of 10,000x and a global multiplier triggered by landing special Daruma symbols. Spins start at 20p.

Gem Rocks by Yggdrasil – Alternatively, if you just enjoy gems in your slots play you could try this 2018 release by Yggdrasil. Gem Rocks has 4,096 paylines but no bonus round, only Mega Symbols and cascading wins to move the action along. The mega symbols grow up to 4×4 in size and the top win is 9,000x. 

Where to Play Gronk’s Gems Slot – Further Recommendations

Play OJO – Skill on Net site, Play OJO, is one of our favourite casinos right now. It has a slot catalogue to match any of its rivals and offers 50 free spins with no wagering requirements to all players who make a first deposit of £10 or more. There are lots of level-ups, rewards and tournaments for regular players too.

Dream Vegas – This White Hat Gaming casino is currently offering a huge 100% up to £300 match bonus on your first deposit with up to 150 spins on NetEnt games. It’s a slots players paradise with over 2,000 games to try. Dream Vegas accepts deposits with Paypal but has a slightly higher than average minimum deposit of £20.

The Final Verdict

Gronk’s Gems is an enjoyable play for anyone who likes Cluster Pays games. Its medium variance gives a balanced payout model with enough small wins churned out on a regular basis to keep things interesting until the free spins round is triggered. The progressive multiplier mechanic in the bonus round means big, big wins are available too. If you are new to Hacksaw slots and looking for an easy entry point this would be a great place to start.

Who Made Gronk’s Gems?

  • Name: Hacksaw Gaming
  • Established: 2018
  • UK License: 54059
  • Total Games: 50 +
  • Known For: Dark, high variance output and bonus rounds driven by combining multipliers
  • Popular Slots: Hand of Anubis, Itero, Gladiator Legends, Break Bones
Find More Hacksaw Gaming slots

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