Cupcakes

NetEnt doesn’t release new games in the same tempo as they used to, and it’s hardly the same excitement in the air when they finally do churn out a new title either. Cupcakes is acandyland slotthat, like so many others, follows in the footsteps ofSweet Bonanza. It’s not a reskin job, however, as you get a weaker math model and a different way to the win multiplier.
The candy world visuals are as you may expect from a release like this, and players on a diet should probably skip this one. What makes the game stand out somewhat, is the 2×2 sized cupcakes that accumulate multipliers at the bottom of the grid. The multiplier can go as high as x100 (sounds familiar?), and it never resets in the bonus round. The max win is “only”2,762x, however, but the volatility is still high.
You win by landing at least8 matching symbols anywherein view, and winning symbols are removed via theAvalanche mechanic. This makes new and/or existing symbols drop down to fill the gaps, and the process continues as long as you keep winning. Gumdrop symbols come in size 1×1, whileCupcakes land in size 2×2.
The Cupcakes fall to the bottom where they accumulate and stack on top of each other, while Gumdrops partake in the scatter pays symbol removal system. However, gumdrops of the same color as a cupcake will accumulate on top of its frosting. You need to fill a cupcake with at least 10 gumdrops to add a value to the total win multiplier, and the cupcakes come withrandom multiplier values of x2 to x100. The multiplier starts all over again between base game spins.
TheCrush featuretriggers when5+ gumdropsare part of a win, and they are spread across 2 reels with 2+ gumdrops per reel. You will then see a cupcake drop through the reel pair. This does not happen if the reel pair also holds a scatter, or 2 cupcakes from before. It also doesn’t happen if you already have 4 cupcakes present in total.
You need at least3 Cupcake Tub scattersin view to trigger the Bonus Round, and you get10, 13 or 16 free spinsfrom3, 4 or 5 scatters, respectively. You win3, 6 or 9 extra spinsduring the bonus round, if you land3, 4 or 5 scatters, respectively. The big difference from the base game is that the multiplier never resets. Non-UK players, and anyone eligible, canbuy the bonusround for100x the stake. This awards 10 free spins.
We had a decent time testing Cupcakes from NetEnt, although it comes across as an obvious Sweet Bonanza spin-off. Anyway, we have created a brief and edited highlights video for your viewing pleasure, as we usually do. You can check it all out for yourself below by simply hitting the play button.
NetEnt has never really been the same after being acquired by Evolution, and Cupcakes is a pretty good example in that regard. There is something half-hearted about everything they do these days. It’s like the team is trying their best to find back to the creative spirit of the glory days, but somehow cannot hack it. Cupcakes is obviously inspired by a certain Sweet Bonanza, and if you’ve seen one candyland theme you’ve pretty much seen them all.
The multiplier system is far more complicated, however, but the end result is pretty much the same. It’s a decent production overall, and developers finding inspiration in popular slots is hardly unheard of in this business. However, it makes us wonder if the good ole’ NetEnt we remember will ever return to top form. Even the mediocre2,762x potentialreflects the halfheartedness, and there are better sweet tooth alternatives out there.
Pros
Cons
Candy Wild Bonanza- is a candy-themed installment from StakeLogic, and it comes with a scatter pay system and avalanche wins. You get multiplier symbols up to x100 in the base game via the Super Stake ante bet, and the main attraction is the Hold & Spin bonus round. The max win is 20,000x your stake.
Candyways Bonanza Megaways 2- is another one to try if you want to take it up a notch, and this dynamic grid release also comes from StakeLogic. You get mystery symbols with wild transformation, and you get 3 options when the multiplier symbol bonus round triggers. It can lead to payouts up to 30,000x your stake.
Dropz- is a somewhat less volatile alternative from ELK Studios, and you get cascading wins on a 6×6 grid. Remove blocker tiles to expand the grid with up to 262,144 win ways, while symbol pairs increase the win multiplier that never resets in the ReDropz bonus round. This can lead to payouts up to 25,000x your stake.