Chicken Run is a 5-reel online slots game developed by Microgaming, based on the popular British stop-motion animated film of the same name. The game is set in an English countryside farm and revolves around the story of Ginger, a clever and resourceful chicken who dreams of escaping from their evil farmer’s clutches.
Chicken Run Theme and Design
The slot’s theme is centered around farm animals, particularly chickens, which are depicted as lovable characters trying to escape from their oppressors. The game’s graphics are colorful and vibrant, with well-designed symbols that match the movie’s style. Players can enjoy a pleasant rural atmosphere while spinning the reels.
Symbols and Payouts
Chicken Run features various symbols inspired by the film, such as Ginger, Rocky (the rooster), Bunty (Ginger’s girlfriend), Mrs. Tweedy (the farmer’s wife), and several other farm animal characters. The game also includes standard playing card suits from 9 to Ace.
Payout values vary depending on symbol combinations:
- Low-paying symbols: Aces (0.1-0.5x bet per line)
- High-paying symbols: Ginger, Rocky, and Bunty (2.5-10x bet per line)
- Bonus symbols: Mrs. Tweedy’s egg-laying machine and the "Free Spins" symbol
Wilds
The game features a wild symbol represented by an image of the movie’s logo. It can replace any standard or high-paying symbol to form winning combinations, with some limitations:
- Wild substitutes for all symbols except scatters
- Up to 5x multiplier when substituting for Ginger and Rocky symbols in combinations
Scatters
The "Free Spins" scatter symbol triggers the main game feature, awarding up to 20 free spins. Three or more scatter symbols on adjacent reels (1-3) initiate the feature.
During Free Spins, winnings are multiplied by a random multiplier between 2x and 5x applied each time:
- Multiplier can be triggered from 2x to 5x
- 10 initial Free Spins + 1 additional free spin for every scatter symbol
Bonus Features
In addition to the main game feature, Chicken Run has two bonus games inspired by movie scenes. These are activated randomly during the base game:
Farmer’s Frenzy Bonus : Players navigate through an obstacle course filled with animated chickens while avoiding Mrs. Tweedy’s rolling pins.
Egg-laying Machine Bonus : A mechanical arm tries to retrieve eggs from the egg-laying machine, rewarding players for their combination of scores.
Free Spins and Special Features
The game offers two main features: Free Spins mode (as previously described) and an Auto-Hold feature that automatically holds a winning reel or reels when they land on identical symbol combinations. Additional special symbols are as follows:
- Reels in play: Each spin comes with a random selection of 1-5 active reels
- Active wilds : Up to two wild symbols can be randomly triggered during each spin
RTP, Volatility, and Betting Range
The official Return-to-Player (RTP) rate for Chicken Run is 96.3%, which falls in line with other average slots games.
Chicken Run has a medium-low volatility level, offering more frequent smaller wins but less infrequent larger jackpots:
- Medium-low volatility : Offers balance between frequency and size of payouts
- Betting range: Available to play from $0.25 per spin up to a maximum bet of $50
Max Win
Chicken Run offers a max win potential worth 150,000 credits in the game currency.
Gameplay
To initiate gameplay, choose one’s preferred betting amount and press ‘spin.’ The reels then start spinning with predetermined paylines covering various combinations of matching symbols:
- Players have five chances to spin per day when logged into their account (for loyalty points)
- Game statistics tracked for each player
- A progress meter above the reel allows tracking of bonus potential
Mobile Play
Chicken Run is optimized for play on mobile and tablet devices, following Microgaming’s cross-platform game development approach:
- Smooth gameplay experience across various mobile handsets
The overall gaming experience in Chicken Run provides an entertaining escape from reality. While offering some unique features such as the Auto-Hold feature and multiple scatter symbols with varying payout amounts.
Player Experience
To immerse players within this world, Microgaming added several realistic elements that mimic a real game atmosphere:
- Interactive animated chickens in-game animations
- An overall immersive farm ambiance
