Rotten Slot Review

Slot Provider: Hacksaw Gaming

RTP: 96.27% | Variance: High | Maximum Win: 10,000x

Our Score: 8.0

QUICK LINKS: Game Information | Where To Play | Full Review | About The Developer

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About Rotten

Reviewed by: Mark Wadie

Published Date: 17th 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.

Just in time for Christmas, Hacksaw Gaming released their zombie horror slot, Rotten, on December 22^nd 2022. It ended a thrilling year for this ambitious studio whose growing fan base enjoyed 20 diverse new games over 12 months from cute pug fun in Pug Life to eerie time-themed escapades in Time Spinners and Hells Angels antics in Outlaws.

Rotten sees Hacksaw enter the world of the Zombie Apocalypse and invoke a number of classic horror movie tropes including rampaging, blood-thirsty hordes, scary clowns, deserted fairgrounds, mad scientists and a gloomy, smog-covered backdrop.

Pug Life this is not! Prepare to be scared!

Rotten Game Information

Release Date: December 2022
RTP: 96.27%
Variance: High
Maximum Win: 10,000x
Progressive Jackpot: No

Reels: 6
Rows: 5
Paylines: 35
Minimum Stake: £0.10

Theme: Horror
Features: SwitchSpins™, Free Spins, Wilds

What We Liked

Super scary theme for horror fans
First SwitchSpins™ slot from Hacksaw
High paying wilds - 50x for 6 on a line
Symbol upgrades stick in bonus round
Up to 10 respins with SwitchSpins™

What We Didn't like

Not fun for scardey cats!
RTP was low at Casumo - 94.13%
Its a grim-looking game

Rotten Review Scores

Theme and Design 8
RTP and Variance 7
Maximum Win 8
Symbols and Paytable 8
Features and Gameplay 9

What Our Reviewer Says ...

"A dark and atmospheric horror slot that proved a horror show for the wallet in testing but has potential with the new SwitchSpins feature."

Overall Score: 8.0

Theme & Design

Our Score 8

Hacksaw have really gone to town on atmosphere in Rotten. The setting is a run-down fairground, shrouded in a thick brown-grey smog. The rides all look suitably eerie but its the lurching clown-zombies that are the scariest part of the backdrop, adding menace to this unsettling scene. Meanwhile, on the reels, all manner of weirdly-masked monsters are staring out at you.

Depending on your threshold for scares you will either be mortally terrified or totally non-plussed by what you see. Whatever the case, we have to give 10/10 to Hacksaw for effort here. And the stage is well and truly set for a dark ride. Even the background piano music reminds us of the classic Halloween theme tune from the film franchise.

RTP and Variance

Our Score 7

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.

Rotten has four possible RTP settings: 96.27%, 94.13%, 92.23%, 88.03%. Which you play at will depend on your casino operator. We checked the RTP at four of our favourite slot sites. This is what we found:

Casumo (independent): 94.13%
MrQ (independent): 96.27%
Dream Vegas (White Hat Gaming): 94.13%
MrPlay (Aspire Global): 88.03%

Of the four, MrQ offers the best return on your wagering on Rotten. We don’t recommend playing this game at MrPlay.

Rotten is a highly volatile game, up there with its most volatile output like Itero Echo Spins or Hand of Anubis. So expect a rough ride whilst you try to chase down those big wins.

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.

Rotten has a maximum payout of 10,000x. That is average for a high variance slot from Hacksaw. Others with a 10,000x top win include Forest Fortune, Tasty Treats and Gladiator Legends.

Explore Games With Similar RTP, Variance and Maximum Win

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

Slot Site	Supplier	RTP	Variance	Top Payout
Gladiator Legends	Hacksaw Gaming	96.31%	High	10,000x	Play Here
Bloodthirst	Hacksaw Gaming	96.19%	High	10,000x	Play Here
Itero	Hacksaw Gaming	96.18%	High	10,000x	Play Here
Outlaws Inc	Hacksaw Gaming	96.23%	High	10,000x	Play Here
Rotten	Hacksaw Gaming	96.27%	High	10,000x	Play Here

Symbols and Paytable

Our Score 8

To score a win on Rotten you’ll need to land at least 3 identical symbols on the reels from left to right across one of 35 paylines. There are 5 low paying card symbols and 5 zombie symbols to help you.

Symbol values at the top end of the paytable are actually pretty good. With SwitchSpins you will also get some excellent symbol upgrade opportunities where low value symbols upgarde to the highest value ones to produce some strong payouts.

The low payers, 10 through to Ace are valued at 0.1x for 3 tens on a line to 7.5x for six Aces. The premiums, including the terrifying highest-paying clown zombie are valued at between 1x for 3 of a kind and 40x for six of a kind.

There is also a Wild that subs in for all other symbols and has its own 50x payout if you can line up six on a payline.

Features and Gameplay

Our Score 9

The gameplay in Rotten is all about the new SwitchSpins mechanic from Hacksaw Gaming but there are also TWO free spins rounds that may be triggered too.

SwitchSpins™ Re-Spins With Symbol Upgrades

In Hacksaw’s newly trademarked feature, triggered by landing a Switch Scatter, selected symbols are all transformed into the highest payer or wilds. Then between 1 and 10 re-spins play out. It is possible to trigger more SwitchSpins™ by landing another Switch Scatter during the round. Now, further symbols are upgraded and more re-spins are awarded.

Mad Scientist Free Spins – 10 Spins

If you land the Mad Scientist Scatter 3 times in the base game you will trigger 10 free spins with enhanced odds of setting off SwtichSpins™.

Total Takeover Free Spins – 10 Spins

Total Takeover, triggered by landing 3 or more Total Takeover Scatters at any time during the base game or Mad Scientist round, gets you 10 free spins. The difference is, symbols upgraded by the SwitchSpins™ feature do not re-set when the re-spins end. In this way it is possible to entirely fill the screen with Wilds or the highest paying scary clown symbol.

Finally, note that it is possible to add a further 4 free spins in Total Takeover by landing 3 or more Total Takeover scatters.

The Final Verdict

Hacksaw Gaming move into the darker territory that Nolimit City have made their own with this release. It’s an atmospheric one for sure and the scary theme fits nicely with the super high variance that makes this slot not for the feint hearted. In my tests if was relentlessly tight, with no wins over 25x. However, the potential is there and a combination of consecutive SwitchSpins™ features in the Total Takedown round will make some lucky punters very happy indeed!

Who Made Rotten?

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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Rotten Slot Review

About Rotten

How We Review Slot Games

Rotten Game Information

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What We Liked

What We Didn't like

Rotten Review Scores

What Our Reviewer Says ...

Theme & Design

RTP and Variance

What is RTP?

What is Variance?

Maximum Win

What Is Maximum Win?

Explore Games With Similar RTP, Variance and Maximum Win

Symbols and Paytable

Features and Gameplay

SwitchSpins™ Re-Spins With Symbol Upgrades

Mad Scientist Free Spins – 10 Spins

Total Takeover Free Spins – 10 Spins