Black Wolf Hold and Win slot review
3 Oaks Gaming released Black Wolf Hold and Win in late 2021, offering players an engaging wilderness-themed slot. It has a 5×4 layout, medium volatility, and an RTP of 95.65%.
Besides its Hold and Win bonus game, Black Wolf has free spins, four jackpots, and Boost symbols. Read on to learn all about it in my Black Wolf slot review.
Highlights
| RTP | 95.65% |
| Stakes range | 80 |
| Volatility | Medium |
| Max win | 1,328x |
| Jackpots | 1 |
| Number of reels | 5 |
| Number of rows | 4 |
| Number of paylines | 25 |
| Software provider | 3 Oaks Gaming |
| Slot type | Video slots |
| Launch date | 02/12/2021 |
General ratings
Expert verdict
3 Oaks Gaming’s Black Wolf slot is a great-looking game with strong bonus features and decent payout potential, however, I was a bit disappointed with certain aspects of the game.
The slot’s average payouts are decent, though I had hoped for better. Unfortunately, the slot doesn’t pay out that frequently, given its below-average RTP of 95.65%. I thought the medium volatility and 25 paylines would balance that out, however, the hit rate was still not that high.
The slot’s strongest performing area is its bonus features. There’s a great variety, which keeps things fresh and engaging as the game goes on. The free spins trigger relatively often, but it’s the Hold and Win feature that can be the slot’s most lucrative. If you win the feature, you’re awarded the Grand Jackpot at 1,000x the current bet.
From an audiovisual perspective, Black Wolf is a stunning slot. Its visuals create an immersive wilderness scene, and the background track, complete with the sounds of howling wolves, ties this together nicely.
- Four jackpots
- Boost symbol increases wins
- Bonus game can have big wins
- Important details missing from paytable
- Bet range of $0.25–$80
- 95.65% RTP
Where to play Black Wolf Hold and Win
3 Oaks Gaming slots are widely popular, and Black Wolf can be found at a number of sweepstakes casinos. I recommend WOW Vegas and Megabonanza if you’re looking for top-rated sweepstakes casinos.
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Black Wolf slot RTP and volatility
Black Wolf’s RTP is 95.65% and has medium volatility. The slot has 25 fixed paylines with five reels and four rows. For a win, symbols must land on the paylines on consecutive reels, starting from the leftmost reel.
Payout facts
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| RTP | 95.65% |
| Maximum win | 1,328x |
| Highest-paying symbol | Moose/Wild |
| Volatility | Medium |
The slot has eight paying symbols, not including the Wild or Scatter. The low-paying symbols are the traditional card symbols J, Q, K, and A. The remaining symbols are animals found in the forest: owl, eagle, lynx, and moose.
The J, Q, and K have the same payout values and are the lowest-paying symbols. On the lowest bet of $0.25, three symbols pay out $0.05, while five pay out $0.50. The A pays out $0.10 for three symbols but still pays out $0.50 for five.
On the same bet of $0.25, the owl pays out $0.10 for three symbols like the A, but awards $1.50 for five. The moose is the highest-paying symbol, awarding $0.25 for three symbols and $5 for five.
The Wild, represented by the wolf symbol, has the same payout values as the moose. The Scatter, which is the huntswoman, awards $0.50 for three symbols.
Payouts rating
- Medium volatility
- High-paying symbols maximize bigger wins
- Below average RTP of 95.65%
- Low-paying symbols have same payouts
One of the more disappointing parts of this slot’s payouts is that the low-paying symbols all have the same payout values. This is always a negative point when I come across it in slots, as instead of gradually increasing the values to create variety and different opportunities for wins, the game provider has opted to make all the low payouts the same.
What’s even worse in this slot is that the J, Q, and K all have identical payouts, but the A only pays more when it lands three symbols: on a bet of $1, it goes from $0.20 to $0.40. Landing four or five symbols on an A is the same as the other three symbols. This is frustrating and doesn’t make much sense. Keep all the low-paying symbols the same, or adjust all the values properly.
The average slot payouts aren’t that high. Even the moose and the Wild, as the highest-paying symbols, only really award something of value when landing four or five symbols. Landing three just awards $1, which when the bet is already set to $1, isn’t rewarding.
The base game didn’t pay out that frequently, which I expected with the below-average RTP. The slot’s medium volatility is down to the bonus features, which is where I landed bigger and more frequent wins.
For comparison, Mammoth Peak Hold and Win is a very similar slot game. Its payout values are pretty similar, although on average Black Wolf pays out slightly better. With Mammoth Peak, however, the slot pays out much more frequently. Although it has an RTP of 95.10% and medium-high volatility, I had more wins than on Black Wolf.
Black Wolf slot stakes
For accuracy, I played 3 Oaks’ Black Wolf demo, which had a bet range of $0.25–$80. I did come across some other versions and demos with a maximum bet of $25 or even $60, so be aware of that before starting your game.
Stake facts
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Minimum bet | $0.25 |
| Maximum bet | $80 |
| Adjustable paylines | N/A |
| Bet per line | N/A |
| Buy feature | N/A |
The bet is adjusted by clicking the coins symbol and selecting the bet you want from the list of values. The increments start smaller at first, before becoming bigger: 0.25, 0.50, 0.75, 1.00, 1.25, 1.50, 2.00, 2.50, 4.00, 5.00, 6.00, 7.50, 10.00, 12.50, 20.00, 25.00, 30.00, 40.00, 50.00, 75.00, and 80.00.
Stake limits rating
- Decent betting increments
- Easy to adjust your bet
- Low maximum bet of $80
- High starting bet of $0.25
Black Wolf’s bet range of $0.25–$80 isn’t great. The starting bet of $0.25 is high, even $0.20 would have been better. To compare, Dead or Alive 1 has a starting bet of $0.09 which is considerably lower.
The $80 maximum bet, although one of the better max bets I’ve seen recently, is still not the best option. NetEnt’s Finn and the Swirly Spin has a max bet of $500, whereas Habanero’s Laughing Buddha’s is an impressive $1,400.
Both of these max bets are better for high-rollers, but the issue with Black Wolf’s bet range is that it cuts out both high and low rollers. $0.25 is a high entry point for a player who isn’t experienced or is working with a smaller budget, and the maximum of $80 won’t satisfy a player who likes a high-stakes game.
The positive side to the bet range, which is on the narrow side, is the number of increments available. There’s quite a range of increments, starting off small at first. This means the player can exercise some control over the bets they’re placing before working their way up to the higher bets.
Bonus features on Black Wolf
Black Wolf has seven bonus features. One of these is its Wild symbol. The Wild can appear on all five reels and substitutes for all paying symbols, except the Scatter. It also doesn’t substitute for the Boost, bonus, and Mystery symbols. The Wild has its own payout values, which I mentioned earlier.
Free spins are triggered when three Scatters land on the reels, which awards eight free spins. A further eight free spins can be awarded if three Scatter symbols land on the reels during the free spins round. During free spins, more Boost and bonus symbols are added to the reels.
The Boost symbol is a glowing orb with the word Boost on it. These symbols can land on the third reel during the base game and free spins. During the bonus game, it can land on any reel.
In all game modes, when it lands on the reels, the Boost symbol collects all the values from any bonus symbols that are on the reels and adds them to the total win of that spin.
The bonus symbols are full moons with paying values. These can range from 1x the current bet up to 15x. When these land on the reels, their values are collected by the new moon in the background of the game window. Over time, the new moon becomes brighter. Each bonus symbol collection pushes the moon through different phases until it becomes a full moon. This can trigger the bonus game.
Feature facts
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Wilds | Yes |
| Scatters | Yes |
| Other special symbols | Full moon symbol, Boost symbol |
| Gamble feature | N/A |
| Reel features | N/A |
| Free spins | Yes |
| Respins | N/A |
| Multipliers | N/A |
| Other bonus features | Four jackpots, Hold and Win game |
The bonus game is otherwise triggered when six bonus symbols land on the reels or if five bonus symbols and one boost symbol land on the reels. This can occur in both the base game and the free spins round. All the bonus symbols stick to the reels during the Hold and Win bonus game.
Each bonus game starts with three respins, with each spin potentially adding more bonus symbols to the reels. Each time a new bonus symbol sticks on the reels, the number of respins is reset to three.
The bonus game continues until either all the respins are used up or when all 10 bonus symbols are collected. Once the game ends, all the values of all the bonus symbols on the reels are collected to get the total win.
Black Wolf also has four jackpots: Mini, Minor, Major, and Grand. The payouts for these are 20x, 50x, 100x, and 1,000x the total bet, respectively. Some of the bonus symbols can have the words Mini, Minor, or Major written on them instead of paying values.
If these bonus symbols land on the reels during the bonus game, then the corresponding jackpot value is awarded. To win the Grand Jackpot, players need to collect all 20 bonus symbols during the bonus game.
The bonus game can also include the Mystery symbol. This is a wolf on a mountain with the full moon behind it. These symbols can transform into the Mini, Minor, or Major bonus symbols. This happens at the end of the bonus game.
Bonus features rating
- Boost symbol maximizes wins
- Bonus game can create big wins
- Jackpot symbols don’t land often
- Only eight free spins
Black Wolf is packed with bonus features, which is great because there’s variety and that keeps the slot engaging.
The Hold and Win feature is the highlight of the slot, though, as this feature is where there is the potential for the biggest wins and there’s also quite a lot of build-up to it. The bonus symbols are collected by the moon throughout the game, pushing the moon through its phases until the Hold and Win feature is triggered.
The way this Hold and Win feature is structured can lead to a bigger accumulation and so potentially bigger wins. The feature can go on until you’ve filled up all 20 spots on the grid, depending on if you have enough respins to keep you going. It depends on the values of your bonus symbols and how far you get in filling up the grid, but generally, the feature can be quite lucrative. Especially, if you fill up all 20 and win the Grand Jackpot.
The Boost symbol that lands during the base game is a strong feature in the slot and the one that pops up the most frequently. I liked this because on a spin where perhaps I didn’t get a win from the paying symbols, I was still awarded a win because the Boost symbol collected all the paying values from the bonus symbols.
The Jackpot symbols, however, don’t land that often. Throughout the time I spent playing the slot, I think I saw perhaps one or two Jackpot symbols in around 12 hours. The Mystery symbol also doesn’t land that frequently, likewise, it landed on my reels twice in 12 hours.
The free spins trigger fairly frequently. I had a couple of rounds of free spins and they were all pretty good. The only thing lacking here is the number of free spins awarded. Eight free spins is ok, but other slots have many more. NetEnt’s Dead or Alive 1 awards 12 free spins, for example. Games Global’s Immortal Romance has four types of free spins rounds, and the first round awards 10.
Black Wolf audiovisuals
Black Wolf has a high-quality slot design filled with rich colors and detailed symbols. The game window background shows a wilderness scene with forests, cliff edges, and fog. An evening sky sits above it, with gently animated stars that twinkle from time to time.
This background changes color during the free spins round, becoming a mixture of deep blues instead of the purple and orange tones of the base game.
On the left of the grid, there’s the new moon, which transforms into a full moon each time it collects bonus symbols. The moon resets to a new moon once a bonus game has been completed.
Audiovisual facts
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Theme | Widerness |
| Graphics | Deep colors, strong illustrations |
| Animations | Good |
| Sound quality | Good |
| Mobile compatibility | Excellent |
The slot’s background track is a dramatic tune that includes the sounds of wolves howling. The game sounds fit in nicely with this.
There’s quite a bit of animation, too. The Wolf Wild is constantly animated to appear as though the wolf is breathing. This animation also applies to the huntswoman Scatter symbol. The bonus and Boost symbols glow throughout. No other paying symbols on the grid are animated unless forming part of a winning line.
Audiovisuals rating
- Strong visual details
- Distinctive animations
- Music can be repetitive
There’s so much to look at in this slot as it has such high-quality visuals, with subtle animations that make the slot more immersive. I really appreciated the small details, like the twinkling stars and the Wolf Wild’s breathing.
The background design is great; it’s cool and mysterious and brings out the theme of the wilderness well. The symbols are well-designed, too, and the overall effect is a cohesive slot.
The use of the new moon becoming brighter throughout the game is also a really great touch and leans into the mythology around wolves.
The music, plus the background sound of the wolf howling, are nicely done and tie everything together, although I did end up playing on mute after some time. Like most slots, the background track can become repetitive.
Black Wolf game layout
Black Wolf has a 5×4 grid, allowing it to hold 20 symbols at once. It has a clean and straightforward game layout, with easily identifiable buttons all visible at first glance.
This includes the paytable, mute button, spin button, autoplay, bet button, and quick spin button.
Game-layout facts
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Reel layout | 5×4 |
| Autoplay | Yes |
| Turbo mode | Yes |
| Ease of use | Very easy |
| Game history | N/A |
Holding down the spin button activates turbo spin, and autoplay is activated in the same way. Autoplay doesn’t come with any additional settings or limits, meaning players can have an infinite number of autospins.
Details about symbols, bonus features, and game rules can be found in the paytable. There’s also a ‘Common Rules’ button within the paytable that brings up further details.
Unfortunately, the slot’s RTP, volatility, and max win, weren’t included in either of these.
The slot adapts well to both portrait and landscape modes on mobile, especially portrait mode. The grid is a comfortable size and all buttons are the same as on desktop, while also being easy to reach.
Game layout rating
- Clean slot navigation
- Autoplay and turbospin
- RTP, volatility, and max win missing
- No additional autoplay settings
The Black Wolf slot has a very user-friendly game layout, which makes the game much more inviting. I found my way around quickly, but I was disappointed to find that the slot’s RTP, volatility, and max win were missing from the paytable and game instructions.
Not all slots include their volatility in the instructions, however, the RTP is typically always included. The same goes for the max win. It feels misleading not to be able to find this information readily available within the game’s paytable, and it wasn’t on 3 Oaks’ website, either. Eventually, I found it online, but I shouldn’t have had to.
The slot’s infinity autoplay, like in Mammoth Peak Hold and Win, is interesting but also totally lacking any kind of essential safety net. The autoplay is designed to run until players stop or run out of money, both of which could lead to dangerous situations. The feature and players could benefit from a loss limit at the very least to stop the autospins after a determined point.
