Xpander

Jump around in 80’s arcade-style on Xpander from Hacksaw Gaming. Building on the Hoppers, first seen on Hop ‘N’ Pop, Xpander brings a multiplying overlay to magnify cluster wins up to 128 times in value, alongside wilds and special symbols that increase the multiplier and expand the Hopper size. Get ready for retro, cascading slot action coupled with a free spins bonus with extra lives, for ever-expanding wins of up to 10,000 times your stake.

Update 20th July 2021: Xpander is live at Light Casino, Zulabet, Nomini, Cadoola and other sister brands in the 7Stars Partners group operated by Romix Ltd or Araxio Development N.V. The global release is scheduled for 28th July 2021.

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Slot Details

Xpander is a 7×7 cascading grid slot with cluster pays. Wins are awarded for connecting five or more matching symbols horizontally or vertically to form a cluster. You can enter the highly volatile action from 0.20 credits to 100 credits per spin and Xpander comes with an RTP of 96.25%. Hacksaw Gaming is a variable RTP provider of games and Xpander will be found in the 92% – 94% range at some casinos. You can easily check the in-game help files to see what version you are playing.

Xpander keeps the trend of pocket style-gaming from Hacksaw moving, with a simple city skyline background, almost faded out to focus attention on the play area. What’s different is the use of music on Xpander as a constant, with 80’s arcade sound effects for symbol drops and modifiers. Typically, Hacksaw Gaming slots have minimal sound, building to a crescendo for bonuses and big wins. Still, overall, Xpander fits the Hacksaw Gaming bill of disguising high volatility in an attractive package with an upbeat feel.

The classic fruit pay symbols start at the low end with cherries, lemon, grapes, melon which pay 20 times your stake for clusters of 15 or more matching symbols. Bells, horseshoes and sevens will pay 60 times your bet for clusters of 15+ symbols and diamonds are the top paying symbol awarding 80 times your stake for 15 or more symbols in a cluster. Self-titled wild symbols substitute for all symbols except the free spins scatters, which have the initials FS on a star, and landing three or more will trigger the free spins bonus.

The game also features an overlaying multiplier, known as a Hopper, which jumps from position between spins and multiplies any wins it lays on. Effecting the overlaying multiplier are two special symbols; a green X defined as grow symbols that serve to expand the overlay and a symbol titled double-up, which doubles the multiplier value. During the free spins bonus, a special symbol named 1-up grants an extra spin.

Xpander Slot Features

A small change can have a big impact. Cue in Xpander, where Hacksaw Gaming takes the trademarked Hoppers mechanic first seen on Hop ‘N’ Pop and changes the way the overlaying multiplier unfolds while adding modifying symbols with some gameplay twists. Let’s take a closer look at how they work.

Xpander uses a cascading symbol mechanic for its core gameplay. For those unfamiliar with this game style, they work by removing winning clusters from the grid, which gives space for existing and new symbols to fall down into. This effect can create another win and repeat the process, potentially making a chain of cascading wins with the sum of all cluster pays credited at the end of a sequence when no more wins occur.

On each spin, the overlaying multiplier symbol or hopper, beginning at x2, will hop to a random grid position with each cascade and multiply any cluster wins beneath by its value. The hopper can be expanded by the grow symbols up to a maximum size of 4×4 and have its multiplier value doubled up, all the way to x128.

Above the play are beneath the Xpander title sits a three gauge Xpander Meter. Landing a grow symbol will colour an x green on the meter and gaining three during a cascading win sequence will increase the hopper size from 1×1 to 2×2, 3×3, and then 4×4. Completing the meter also grants a respin. Double-up symbols will double the multiplier value of the hopper from an x2 to an x4, then x8 and so on, doubling up to a maximum of x128.

Land three or more scatters to trigger the Xpander Free Spins bonus feature. During free spins, the expansion and value increase of the hopper does not reset between spins and stays progressive for the feature. All symbols work the same way except the grow meter does not reset. The bonus is played in 5-lives style, shown in a second meter below the first, and begins with a starting count of five spins. Each spin will remove a life from the counter. Grow and double-up symbols work in the same way as the base game and for the free spins round only, 1-up symbols landing award an extra life/spin.

You can also Bonus Buy into the free spins at the cost of 129 times your stake. The Xpander free spins bonus buy feature comes with the same RTP of 96.25%.

Final Verdict

Xpander is the second title from Hacksaw Gaming featuring Hoppers, which debuted on Hop ‘N’ Pop less than a month ago meaning Xpander could have been waiting in the wings and a series could be on the way. The game is similar at its core but more active in the base game with the grow meter respins and modifying symbols not used before; most felt like eye candy during our limited demo play but Hacksaw Games are known for their volatility and proven big hits, so should features align, the base game is surely capable of producing something special on rare occasions.

The real trophy on Xpander is the free spins bonus feature, which plays with five lives, much like Stack ‘Em; another fairly recent release with staggering win potential already witnessed. The key to extended bonuses comes from the extra lives both games can afford in the free spins. Another fine slot in Hacksaw Gaming style that builds on the trademarked ‘Hoppers’.

Xpander – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. Will Xpander be available in different Return To Player versions?

Yes, Hacksaw Gaming have been found to offer variable RTP ranges of roughly 96% and 92% on most of their latest games. They display their games RTP in the in-game 'info' section so you can check which version you are playing.

2. Do any other games from Hacksaw Gaming use Hoppers?

So far, Hop 'N' Pop and Xpander are the only video slots from Hacksaw Gaming using Hoppers.

3. Can I win respin after respin in the base game of Xpander?

Although highly unlikely to keep repeating, there is no built-in limit to the number of grow symbol respins during the base game.

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