Rubber hose animation was born in the 1920s, back when animators apparently looked at the human skeleton and decided, “Nah, too complicated.” Characters had bendy arms, noodly legs, and the unsettling ability to bounce around like their bones had been repossessed during the Great Depression.

Now, in the 2020s, Hacksaw has resurrected the animation style, with the Red Rascal slot as the latest addition to its growing line-up of rubber-hose-inspired games. 

Can you take the heat?

Betting on the Red Rascal slot ranges from just $0.10 to $20 per spin of the reels. The slot features 19 paylines spread across its 5×5 reel grid. With a maximum winning multiplier of 15,000x, betting at the top end of the slot’s limit will give you a shot at up to $300,000.

The slot features high volatility, which means gameplay will not offer the small, consistent wins found in lower-volatility slots. Its predicted RTP is 96.34%.

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Rascal Respins are triggered when 3 or more Rascal symbols land on the reels. The triggering symbols are locked in place, and all other symbols are removed from the reels. 

You will receive one respin to try adding additional symbols to the reels. If you manage it, another respin will be awarded. If not, your round will be over. Rascal symbols can also merge into Colossal Rascal symbols, ranging from 2×2 to 5×5 in size.

While the Respins are active, a Pendulum positioned above the reels swings between Coin Mode and Wild Mode. It randomly starts on one of the two modes, then alternates with every Respin. Once the Respins end, the Pendulum’s currently selected mode is activated.

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If Coin Mode is selected, all Rascal and Colossal Rascal symbols are transformed into Coin symbols with values ranging from 0.2x to 500x your bet. Colossal Coins also receive an additional multiplier between x2 and x100, which is applied to the Coin’s value.

If Wild Mode activates instead, all Rascal and Colossal Rascal symbols become wilds. Colossal Wilds also gain multipliers ranging from x2 to x100. After this transformation, you receive an additional regular spin where all wild symbols remain sticky on the reels.

The appearance of three scatter symbols will trigger a round of 8 Ready to Riot free spins. This round of free spins uses the same mechanics as the base game but increases the likelihood of Rascal symbols appearing. 

During all free spin bonuses, landing 2 or 3 additional scatters awards +2 or +4 extra free spins, respectively.

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The After Dark Bonus Game is triggered by landing 4 scatter symbols and awards 10 free spins. Alongside the standard base game mechanics, this feature introduces a Popcorn Bucket that stores Rascal symbols whenever fewer than 3 land during a spin. 

Up to 25 Rascal symbols can be collected in the bucket. On the final free spin, all stored Rascal symbols are added back onto the reels. If 3 or more are placed onto the grid, a Respin sequence is triggered immediately.

Landing 5 scatters unlocks the Ignite the Night Hidden Epic Bonus Game, which awards 10 free spins. During this feature, you are guaranteed at least 4 Rascal symbols on every spin. 

The Pendulum remains visible throughout a round of Ignite the Night free spins and alternates between Coin Mode and Wild Mode after every spin. The selected mode is automatically activated on each free spin, while Respins are disabled during the feature.

While the slot does give you a chance to buy Ready to Riot and After Dark free spins, you can only trigger Ignite the Night free spins the old-fashioned way.

Is the Red Rascal slot worth a trip to hell?

Hacksaw games can often be overwhelming in the number and scope of their bonus features. Every now and again, however, the studio comes up with something brilliantly simple. The Pendulum in the Red Rascal slot is a perfect example. Neither side feels like the obvious winner, which is what makes the whole thing work. You’re basically left shouting at a Pendulum like a lunatic, hoping it lands on the one you want. It’s simple, suspenseful, and ties so much of the game’s action together.

I do think there is something to be said about the rubber hose animation style getting a bit stale after so many iterations. However, it’s still relatively unique in the world of slots, which keeps enough of its charm intact for Hacksaw to keep getting away with it.

All in all, I give the Red Rascal slot a nine out of ten.

If you’re looking for a few other great Hacksaw slots, I recommend trying out Epic Bullets & Bounty, Munchy Milo, and Aiko and the Wind Spirit.