Wanted Dead or a Wild

Quick Verdict

Wanted Dead or a Wild is a gritty, high-octane masterpiece from Hacksaw Gaming. It deviates from the cheerful “cartoon cowboy” trope, offering a dark, atmospheric experience with brutal volatility. It is famous for its VS Symbols (expanding multipliers) and the potential for massive wins out of nowhere. It is a “must-play” for thrill-seekers, but casual players should be wary of its punishing dry streaks.

1. Key Statistics

2. Theme & Atmosphere

Hacksaw Gaming traded the bright saloons for a haunting, moonlit frontier.

• Visuals: The art style is rough and sketch-like, featuring twisted trees, blood-red sunsets, and bandit masks. It feels more like a graphic novel than a slot machine.
• Audio: A somber, atmospheric Western soundtrack plays in the background. The sound effects are visceral gunshots, cracking whips, and the intense “thud” of a VS symbol landing are incredibly satisfying.

3. Core Mechanics & Features

VS Symbols (DuelReels™)

This is the heart of the game.

• How it works: If a VS Symbol lands and can form a win, it expands to cover the entire reel, turning it Wild.
• The Duel: Two outlaws appear on the expanded reel with different multipliers (e.g., 5x vs 100x). They duel, and the winner’s multiplier is applied to the reel.
• Multipliers: These range from 2x to 100x. If you land multiple VS reels, the multipliers are added together (e.g., 10x + 20x = 30x total multiplier).

4. The Three Bonus Rounds

Wanted Dead or a Wild slot is unique because it offers three distinct bonus games, each with a different volatility profile.

A. The Great Train Robbery (Medium Volatility)

• Trigger: Land 3+ Train Robbery symbols.
• What happens: You get 10 Free Spins. All Wilds that land remain Sticky for the duration of the bonus.
• Best for: Players who like consistent action. It is the “safest” bonus but usually has lower win potential than the others.

B. Duel at Dawn (High Volatility)

• Trigger: Land 3+ Duel symbols.
• What happens: You get 10 Free Spins. The game loads the reels with significantly more VS Symbols.
• Best for: Trying to hit the VS Multipliers. This is often where the huge 12,500x wins happen if you connect multiple high-multiplier reels.

C. Dead Man’s Hand (Extreme Volatility)

• Trigger: Land 3+ Dead symbols.
• Phase 1 (The Collect): A “Hold and Win” style game. You have 3 lives to collect as many Wilds and Multipliers as possible. Every time you land one, your lives reset to 3.
• Phase 2 (The Showdown): Once you run out of lives, you get 3 Final Spins. On each of these spins, all the Wilds you collected are placed randomly on the grid, and the total multiplier you collected is applied to every win.

5. Pros and Cons

6. Is the “Bonus Buy” Worth It?

(Note: Only available in jurisdictions where Bonus Buys are legal, e.g., not UK).

• Train Robbery (80x): Good for extended play, but rarely returns huge profit.
• Duel at Dawn (200x): Very risky. You will often get 10 dead spins, but this is the “gambler’s choice” for max wins.
• Dead Man’s Hand (400x): Extremely expensive. Recommended only for high-rollers or streamers.

Final Verdict

Wanted Dead or a Wild is a modern classic. It is simple enough for beginners to understand (5×5 grid, paylines) but volatile enough to keep veteran gamblers on the edge of their seats. If you enjoy high-risk, high-reward gameplay and dark themes, this is one of the best slots on the market.