Finn and the Swirly Spin slot review
Finn and the Swirly Spin was released by NetEnt at the end of 2017. It has the familiarity and whimsicality of the Irish theme with well-known symbols like the four-leaf clover and horseshoes, but players can also experiment with a new reel mechanic.
The slot uses a spin mechanic where the symbols load in a clockwise spiral, starting from the bottom left. It has an RTP of 96.62% with low to medium volatility.
Highlights
| RTP | 94.62% |
| Stakes range | 500 |
| Volatility | Low-Med |
| Max win | 5000x |
| Number of reels | 5 |
| Number of rows | 5 |
| Software provider | NetEnt |
| Slot type | Video slots |
| Slot theme | Fantasy |
| Launch date | 01/11/2017 |
General ratings
Finn and the Swirly Spin casinos
I’ve reviewed some of the best casinos that host NetEnt games, including Finn and the Swirly Spin, to guarantee you have the best experience. In addition to the number of available games, I also looked for 24/7 customer support, the range of payment methods available, and responsible gaming tools.
| Casino Logo | Rating | Bonus | Go-to-casino button | Show more | T&C |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1
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87/100 Expert rating by Vule P. 91% Playscore based on |
100% up to $1,000 + $25 Free Play
|
Play now players accepted |
Good to know
14 payment methods 
|
|
2
|
85/100 Expert rating by Dasha G. 86% Playscore based on |
100% up to $2,500 and 2,500 Reward Credits on a $25+ wager
|
Play now players accepted |
Good to know
11 payment methods
|
|
3
|
73/100 Expert rating by Dasha G. 80% Playscore based on |
100% up to $100 + 100 free spins
|
Play now players accepted |
Good to know
9 payment methods
|
|
1
|
94/100 Expert rating by Paul P. 91% Playscore based on |
1.5 million WOW Coins + 35 free Sweepstakes Coins
|
Play now players accepted |
Good to know
8 payment methods
|
|
2
|
91/100 Expert rating by Paul P. 82% Playscore based on |
200,000 Gold Coins + 3 Sweepstakes Coins
|
Play now players accepted |
Good to know
15 payment methods
|
|
3
|
89/100 Expert rating by Vule P. 79% Playscore based on |
500 Gold Coins + 3 FREE Sweeps Coins
|
Play now players accepted |
Good to know
8 payment methods
|
|
4
|
89/100 Expert rating by Claire S. 89% Playscore based on |
400% Welcome Package Discount, 1M FC + 1M GC Raffle Entry, 20 Weekly Free Spins
|
Play now players accepted |
Good to know
6 payment methods
|
|
5
|
89/100 Expert rating by Paul P. 87% Playscore based on |
Up to 120,000 Gold Coins + 10 Sweeps Coins
|
Play now players accepted |
Good to know
3 payment methods
|
|
6
|
89/100 Expert rating by Paul P. 79% Playscore based on |
1,000,000 Gold Coins + 2.5 Spree Coins
|
Play now players accepted |
Good to know
5 payment methods
|
|
7
|
89/100 Expert rating by Paul P. 81% Playscore based on |
10,000 Gold Coins + 2 Sweeps Coins
|
Play now players accepted |
Good to know
10 payment methods
|
|
8
|
88/100 Expert rating by Dasha G. 87% Playscore based on |
2,000,000 Gold Coins and 2 FREE Sweeps Coins
|
Play now players accepted |
Good to know
9 payment methods
|
|
9
|
88/100 Expert rating by Paul P. 90% Playscore based on |
57,000 Gold Coins + 27.5 free Sweeps Coins
|
Play now players accepted |
Good to know
4 payment methods
|
|
10
|
88/100 Expert rating by Paul P. 96% Playscore based on |
250,000 Gold Coins + $25 Stake Cash
|
Play now players accepted |
Good to know
10 payment methods
|
RTP and volatility
The slot has an RTP of 96.62%, which is on the high end and slightly above average. In terms of volatility, Finn and the Swirly Spin is considered low to medium.
The highest-paying symbol is the Ruby, starting with a payout of 20x your stake if you get three in a row. If you land five Rubies in a row, you will win a payout of 500x your stake. And if you increase your bet level to 10, the payout is raised to 5,000x your stake.
Payout facts
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| RTP | 96.62% |
| Maximum win | 5,000x stake |
| Highest-paying symbol | Ruby |
| Volatility | Low-Med |
The second highest-paying symbol is the Acorn, followed by the Horseshoe. With a bet level of one, landing five Acorns will give you a payout of 120x your stake, while the Horseshoe return is 100x your stake.
The lowest-paying symbols are the Four Leaf Clover, the Heart, and the Spade. The Four Leaf Clover offers a payout of 80x your stake for five in a row, whereas the Heart and the Spade both give you a payout of 40x your stake. If you land three in a row, it’s only 1x your stake.
Payouts rating
- Low volatility
- Low average win
If you’re looking for a game that comes with higher stakes, then there are definitely better slots out there for you. For more seasoned players, the win potential isn’t as high as, say, a spin on Cleopatra, where the max win is 10,000x.
When I first started playing, it took a while before I landed any wins. And once I did, the average payout per win was generally on the low side. The low volatility here does take the pressure off, but I would have liked to get bigger wins.
I love the spin mechanic and I think the way the symbols load is unique. There aren’t any paylines, which limits you to cluster pays.
The minimum cluster you need to get is three – either horizontal or vertical – so it doesn’t really maximize your chances.
Finn and the Swirly Spin slot stakes
Getting started is fairly simple. Players can adjust their coin value and bet level as needed from the paytable just below the grid.
The game is played with 1–10 bet levels. The minimum bet is just $0.10 but on bet level 10 you can go up to a maximum of $500.
Stake facts
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Minimum bet | $0.10 |
| Maximum bet | $500 |
| Adjustable paylines | N/A |
| Bet per line | N/A |
| Buy feature | N/A |
It’s important to note that some demos might offer smaller betting ranges, so when you play for real money, you’ll find that different operators offer different ranges. In fact, a few of the demos I found offer a betting range from $0.10 to $200.
Stake limits rating
- Low minimum bet
- No paylines
Like a lot of slots, it’s simple for players to adjust their bet here. Until I got used to the slot, I started with the smallest bet — $0.10, and adjusted my coin value and level as needed once I understood how the slot worked.
This is fairly standard, but in a game that doesn’t have paylines for more variation, adjusting your bet is the most control you have.
The slot might not be very comfortable for users who prefer to place bets by adjusting the paylines, but I kinda like it. It makes it straightforward, and you can only win through vertical or horizontal clusters.
The game also offers so many bonuses that you don’t really feel the lack of paylines.
And despite the wide bet range, even with the highest bet being $500, you can’t land as big a win as with other slots because the average wins are quite small.
Finn and the Swirly Spin slot bonus features
Finn and the Swirly Spin has a few bonus features that are triggered randomly throughout the game. The Starfall Wilds appear the most frequently, where two or more Wilds are added to random positions on the grid. The number of Wilds will continue to increase until there is a win.
Another one is the Dragon Destroy feature, which functions exactly as it sounds. A random number of symbols is destroyed, causing an avalanche of symbols to fill in the empty positions. This can sometimes trigger a win if the avalanche causes matching symbols to land next to each other.
Bonus facts
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Wilds | Yes |
| Scatters | Yes |
| Other special symbols | Sticky |
| Gamble feature | N/A |
| Reel features | Cascading |
| Free spins | Yes |
| Respins | No |
| Multipliers | Yes |
| Other bonus features | Cluster Pays |
There is also the possibility to win free spins by unlocking the Free Spins World. Part of the spin mechanic of the slot involves moving the Free Spins Key around the grid. The Free Spins Key always starts in the bottom left corner and with each win moves closer to the center of the spiral.
Once it reaches the middle, the player is taken to a new area of the game, where there are four free spin bars. When the Free Spins round is finished, the user returns to the base game.
Bonus features rating
- Free Spins bonus rounds
- No jackpot
The bonus features are probably what I enjoyed the most playing this slot. This is really where the creative and immersive elements of Finn and the Swirly Spin come into action.
What the game lacks in high wins, it makes up for in playful features paired with unique spin mechanics.
I love that Finn the leprechaun is involved in your gameplay by providing the bonus features. The bonuses are given at random, so you’ll never know which one you’re going to get, which is part of the magic!
As these bonus features are also central to each of the four Free Spins bonus games, they can help you land bigger wins. At first, it may seem hard to get that Free Spin Key to the middle, but I managed to activate it several times.
The slot does lose a few points for not having a Jackpot or Gamble option, however, there is more than enough going on in the game to keep you occupied without these additional features.
Finn and the Swirly Spin slot audiovisuals
The graphics and animations are high-definition and whimsical. In the background of the reels, you can see rolling green hills, trees, and a rainbow. In the foreground, there is a tree on the side of the reels with the same swirly pattern of the reels in its leaves.
Audiovisuals facts
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Theme | Fantasy |
| Graphics | High-quality |
| Animations | Advanced |
| Sound quality | Excellent |
| Mobile compatibility | Good |
Finn, the slot mascot, is a leprechaun who happily sits on the left of the reels playing his flute. Finn’s tune is the track for the game, which creates a peaceful, fantasy type of environment that fits in perfectly with the visuals.
The music follows your streak and becomes faster and more upbeat when you start landing wins. Finn will also congratulate you, tip his hat, and even start to jig after multiple consecutive wins. If you do find the tune too repetitive, you can just mute it and play in silence.
Audiovisuals rating
- High-quality graphics
- Repetitive background music
NetEnt has put a lot of thought into the storytelling of this game, with a lot of focus on music and graphics. The stunning visuals, well-chosen background track, and sound effects help build an immersive experience.
When I played this game, I felt like I was on a magical adventure across the hills of Ireland.
Finn’s flute is not only the background tune for the base game — it also serves as the basic beat for each of the free-spin bonus rounds.
Here, the music is infused with more bass and synth, but it’s the same beat at its core. This creates a sense of continuity throughout the game.
While leprechauns might seem to some like a cliché theme, especially in slots, the visuals, animations, and game mechanics make it more lively and give it a fresh feel.
Finn and the Swirly Spin slot game layout
Unlike standard vertical reels, this game uses a 5×5 grid where symbols swirl in a spiral pattern starting from the bottom-left corner, moving clockwise toward the center. This innovative layout creates a dynamic visual experience as symbols follow a winding path, rather than just dropping down in rows.
Game-layout facts
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Reel layout | 5×5 |
| Autoplay | Yes |
| Turbo mode | No |
| Ease of use | Very easy |
| Game history | No |
The grid is designed to support a cluster pay system instead of fixed paylines. Winning clusters are formed when three or more symbols align horizontally or vertically, creating flexible win patterns across the spiral grid.
There’s an Autoplay feature with advanced settings where you can set your limits and when you want the autoplay to end. There’s no Turbo mode though, so you’ll still have to wait out the spins.
Game layout rating
- Innovative grid
- No Turbo mode
I really like it when slots manage to be innovative, especially today when we’ve seen pretty much everything under the sun.
While the 5×5 grid layout may not be super innovative, I would argue that the spiral system Finn and the Swirly Spin employs is a real breath of fresh air.
Apart from the unique layout, I found the interface to be pretty intuitive. The ‘Spin’ button is on the bottom, with all of the information on both sides of the button.
On the left side of the ‘Spin’ button is the ‘Autoplay’ button, with some advanced options like win/loss limits which is always a welcome sight.
There’s a Quick mode as well, but blink and you might miss it. It’s all the way to the left under settings — I think it should be more prominent, but I’m happy it’s at least there.
Would like to see Turbo mode as well, but I guess you can’t have everything.
Expert verdict
Overall, Finn and the Swirly Spin is a solid choice for a slot game. The spin mechanic puts a unique twist on the well-known slot format, bringing something fresh.
Loading the symbols in a spiral also means that when new symbols enter the grid after a win, all the symbols that remain on the grid get reshuffled anyway.
The various bonus features are fun and playful, and the Free Spins World in particular is a unique and fresh approach to the concept of the Free Spins round. The Free Spins Key is also a nice touch, as getting that key to the center of the grid becomes a game within a game.
Finn and the Swirly Spin is a slot worth playing for US players, especially for newcomers or more casual players who aren’t focused on high stakes and big wins.
- Innovative spin mechanic
- Unique bonus features
- Low volatility
- Average win isn’t very high
- Wins only in vertical/horizontal clusters
- Experienced players may not find it exciting
