Gold Pigger

Review setup

Gold Pigger is a lighthearted slot from Fantasma Games that leans into a playful approach featuring Richie and Peggy, two gold-chasing pig characters. It’s the cartoon-style money theme we’ve seen a million times elsewhere, but at the same time, I believe that’s precisely what drew me in at first. That sense of familiarity makes it easy to approach while giving you a good idea of what you’re stepping into from the get-go.

However, this slot doesn’t just meet those expectations. Rather, it packs a lot you often look for in a more feature-rich title, such as multiple bonus rounds, five jackpots, and plenty of special symbols. Add in the medium volatility, and you are looking at a steady pace with real chances at big hits, including a max win of up to 8,086.8x.

I played on the Gold Pigger online slot for over 2 hours and have written up my evaluation of all that it offers below.

First impressions with Gold Pigger

While pigs usually get a reputation for being messy and lazy, Gold Pigger flips the script and puts them living large in a high-end setting. From the second I loaded the game, the bright yellow colors took over the screen. I immediately got the sense that a lot was about to happen.

At that point, I had not really dug into what all the features could do yet, but something about the gold spilling everywhere and the lively reels gave off the feeling that big things were coming. To say the least, I couldn’t wait to jump in and the pigs in chasing down all 4,096 ways to win.

Visuals and presentation: 4.7/5

In Gold Pigger, you get a shiny, cartoonish backdrop with a heavy yellow glow and piles of gold coins everywhere. Over on the right, the pig mascot is standing there grinning, cash in hand, lit up like he has a spotlight on him. Everything just blends together with this golden warmth that really sells the whole idea of wealth and reward. It ties right into the thrill of chasing life-changing jackpot prizes.

The only dark patch I noticed is the deep reddish-purple that the reels sit on, which, in my opinion, fully allows the bright symbols to pop.

Speaking of, the lower-paying ones are your classic card symbols from 9 to A, and they pay when you land 3 to 6 of them in a row. The higher-paying icons trigger wins with just 2 matching symbols and go up to 6. These include dice, poker chips, stacks of cash, gold bars, and a big shiny diamond. Then there’s the Wild, which shows up as a fan of four playing cards – diamonds, spades, clubs, and hearts – with a golden light behind them. This one lands on reels 2, 3, 4, and 5 in the base game, and it steps in for any regular symbol to help complete wins. I saw four scatter types as well, but more on that soon.

I found the animations really smooth while the reels do their thing. Some might feel like the little delay before everything settles drags on a bit. Honestly, I kind of like it, but Fantasma Games clearly thought about players who want to move faster. For starters, you can just hit the spacebar in desktop mode instead of clicking over and over. There is also a Fast Play option that speeds up the reels and gets you to the result a lot quicker.

I highly respect how neatly the controls are placed around the reels. You can modify your stake by opening up the full bet configuration menu using the plus and minus buttons. And close to that is the spin control, with quick links to autoplay, paytable, rules, and settings through the burger icon.

Overall, this is a visually appealing online slot.

The role of sound: 4.4/5

Gold Pigger has a cheerful jingle playing through the base game, which picks up with an extra playful tone once you enter the bonus round. However, since it doesn’t really change or build as you go, it can start to feel a bit repetitive after a while. Still, I’d say it’s just there to set the mood, not take over.

It’s the sound effects that grabbed my attention while I was spinning. There’s a thud every time the reels come to a stop and coins jingling as those sacks drop in. The pigs start oinking and grunting once a respin kicks off, and you’ll hear classic slot machine win sounds after landing a “Pig” win. I especially loved the heartbeat while the piggy wheel’s in motion before you enter the bonuses. It adds to the tension in the best way.

Gameplay journey: 4.6/5

Gold Pigger plays on a setup of 6 reels and 4 rows, and instead of sticking with traditional fixed paylines, this one comes with 4,096 ways to win. Any two matching high-paying symbols on reels next to each other count as a win, while the lower-paying ones need at least three in a row, always starting from the left.

I would say the betting range is pretty average but still wide enough for most budgets. I played Gold Pigger over at sweepstakes casinos might set it at slightly different levels. In the demo, for instance, it goes from $0.20 to $1,000. In my case, I stuck to the lower end early on, around 0.20 SC to 1 SC, just to see how the game behaves. At one point I triggered the Rich Piggy Respin and had quite a nice bankroll to play with, so I took a chance with 2 SC per spin to chase bigger wins.

Most of the time, I turned on autoplay and watched the spins roll in. To do so, you can click the little button with the circular arrow and play icon, then pick anywhere from 50 to 1,000 auto spins. But I really recommend setting some limits – you can have it stop after any win or set caps for a single win, total win, or total loss. That way, you can remain in control.

You can win as much as 8,086.8x your bet, which is pretty generous. According to the paytable, the lower-paying symbols return between 0.2x to 1.4x what you wager for landing six of a kind. The higher-paying ones also start at 0.2x, but for two matching symbols rather than three, and can reach 5x if you line up six diamonds. On top of all that, the game has five fixed jackpots that you can win during the base game.

Bonus features through my eyes: 4.7/5

Most online slots just give you one scatter to chase, but here I had four different ones to watch for. They are:

• Collect Symbol – This only shows up on reels 1 and 6 during the base game. And you’ve got two versions of it – one with the man pig and another with the lady pig.
• Bonus Symbol – This one’s the golden key, and it can land on reels 2, 3, 4, and 5 during regular play.
• Coin Symbol – The gold coin sack lands on reels 2, 3, 4, and 5 in the base game and Rich Piggy Respin or anywhere in the Piggy Vault Bonus. It can also be revealed from a Big Coin during Big Bacon Spin, awarding random prizes from 0.3x to 9x your bet.
• Jackpot Symbol – Shows up as gem filled bags on reels 2, 3, 4, and 5 in the base game and the Rich Piggy Respin feature. This can also be revealed from a Big Coin during Big Bacon Spin and pays one of four fixed jackpots: Mini, Minor, Major, or Mega.

Just when things start to feel predictable in the base game, Gold Pigger brings one of its nine exciting bonus features and entirely shifts the pace. Here’s a look at what each one brings to the game and how it can change how things play out.

Balancing risk and reward: 4.3/5

Fantasma Games has listed the highest RTP version at 96.10%, which puts it right above the industry average. But keep in mind that some setups also come with a lower 94.20% return rate. That means, in theory, you’re looking at around $94.20 to $96.10 returned for every $100 you put in if you were to play long enough.

Hit frequency here sits at about 24.67% to 25.17%, which means roughly one in four spins could land you a win, big or small.

And with medium volatility, it all felt pretty balanced, considering I didn’t see my bankroll swing too wildly. During the base game, there were stretches where I might go 10-15 spins without hitting more than 4x my bet, but then a Coin Collect or Big Bacon Spin could suddenly bring in 50x or more. Therefore, I’d say it’s generally stable, with the occasional lift that breaks the pattern.

The good and bad of Gold Pigger

I enjoyed my time with Gold Pigger, but I know it might not be the perfect fit for everyone.  Here are the pros and cons of this online slot:

Final Thoughts on Gold Pigger

Wealthy pig themes aren’t new, with titles like Big Piggy Bonus leading the way. Gold Pigger sticks to that same idea, and while the background could use a little more energy, the activity on the reels more than make up for it. There’s so much happening, from the symbols themselves to the many features that go off.

Speaking of, the bonus rounds were easily the highlight of my experience. The core gameplay may stick to respins and multipliers, but then there comes the Coin Collect feature, along with the Rich Piggy Respin and Piggy Vault Bonus, among a few others. It all gives you a real shot at building something bigger. I particularly love how the Big Bacon Spin adds a nice surprise element that breaks up the rhythm, not to mention the chance at landing jackpot prizes of up to 5,000x.

Therefore, all things considered, I wouldn’t think twice about playing it again, especially if I’m ever looking for something that keeps the pace up.

Final Score: 4.5/5