- Updated Dec 13, 2023
LooneyPop by AvatarUX review
AvatarUX developer is not exactly a household name but has a knack for creating well-balanced and highly entertaining online slots.
One such specimen is the focal point of today’s review. LooneyPop is the name and we’re here to analyze what it brings to the table in terms of gameplay mechanics, visual elements, and user interface.
LooneyPop Gameplay Mechanics
We’re looking at a 5×3 grid here. That’s right, five reels with three rows each. Once you trigger the special feature, though, the rows expand to a maximum of 9. This greatly boosts the potential payouts thanks to a significant increase in the number of paylines.
The gameplay mechanics possess quite a bit of volatility. If you’re a fan of high-volatility slots, LooneyPop will be a true hit. Its RTP (return to player) is 96% which puts it right in the middle of the pack in terms of overall profitability.
The bets vary from 0.20€ to 40€ per round, but they slightly differ based on the currency you’re using. To win a round, you have to get three or more identical symbols in three or more adjacent reels.
Each winning symbol disappears and gets replaced by two new symbols. This unlocks additional rows which boosts the game’s overall profitability.
In other words, the base game has 486 potential win scenarios, but the number rises to a whopping 118,998 if you manage to unlock all 9 rows during the bonus gameplay.
There are two additional factors at play here. First off, you can increase the number of free spins all the way up to 18 with the Gamble Wheel.
Plus, you can get additional rewards through the Zap Reel interface located at the top of the slot.
Looney Pop also offers users to buy one of three different types of bonuses:
- Boom Bonus offers 5 free spins at 15,552+ ways to win for €125 at €1 bet
- Wacky Gamble Wheel offers up to 12 free spins at €125 at 1€ bet
- Maxi Boomy Bonus offers 12 free spins at 15,552+ ways to win at €1 bet
You can increase the bet amount for the bonus buy feature up to €40, but you can’t get Maxi Boomy Bonus at that bet amount. That bonus only works with up to €20 bets and costs €10,000.
Visual Elements & User Interface
I’d say the aesthetics of this slot depict a cartoony sci-fi atmosphere. The animations aren’t that advanced, but they work smoothly. I ran the tests on a modern PC and a 3-year-old Android and the game worked perfectly on both.
Thanks to its graphical simplicity, AvatarUX’s LooneyPop works on virtually all devices.
The interface is quite simple. The main controls are on the right side. Auto spin, spin, bet amount, and buy bonus button in the bottom. There’s also the options button for controlling audio and checking out game rules.
On the left side, you can see the current number of potential ways to win. In the image above, you can see there was a reel with 9 rows and even more bonus fields on subsequent reels which pumped the number to 36,288 ways to win.
LooneyPop Gameplay Experience
The basic gameplay is nothing special. It’s what you’d expect from most online slots out there. But, the aspect that differentiates LooneyPop from other slots is the mechanics of winning symbols.
They disappear and form new symbols and unlock additional rows. These can trigger additional bonuses too, which greatly impacts the overall thrill and excitement.
The thing is, it takes at least 6 rows across all 5 reels to unlock 6 free spins. That requires a lengthy number of subsequent wins (in a single spin) which isn’t that likely.
You can always buy the bonus feature though, but it’s up to you to decide whether or not it’s worth it.
User Experience
Despite not playing any other game by AvatarUX, I actually spent quite a bit of time playing LooneyPop. Most of the gameplay I spent during the analysis was in the demo mode. But, I ended up depositing twice to get a proper feel for the game too… the way it’s meant to be played.
If there’s one thing I can confirm about the game it’s the high volatility aspect. The game is either going to reward you with all sorts of goodies round in and round out… or you’re going to be in for a lengthy losing streak. It’s just how things are when you play LooneyPop.
Don’t think the Bonus Buy feature is your friend here, either. In my experience, the best combination seems to be the Maxi Boomy Bonus at €2. The higher you go, the bigger the profit potential.
But, just like the base gameplay, even the LooneyPop bonus games are high volatility.
Another important aspect that adds to the overall user experience of LooneyPop is the sheer number of supported currencies. At Winz.io, LooneyPop can be played in BTC, ETH, BCH, DOG, USDT, LTC, XRP, ADA, RTX, and BNB.
Even if you don’t have any crypto at the moment, you can use the integrated on-ramp on our platform.
Risk & Strategy
It doesn’t take a genius to realize LooneyPop is a risky game. It offers massive prizes, but requires users to take massive risks too.
It’s the perfect epitome of a high-volatility game whose massive wins rely on triggering (or buying) the bonus round and getting the best possible multiplier for the best possible symbol combination.
As for strategy tips, we’d like to advise you to focus on the basics. As mentioned earlier, thanks to high volatility and massive profit potential, the bonus buy feature of LooneyPop does seem quite alluring.
However, if you’re struggling to keep your gambling expenses at bay, it’s best if you just stick with regular rounds.
We advise you not to base all of your gambling sessions on slots, though. No matter what sort of strategy you come up with, you’ll always be at the mercy of random number generators.
If you’d like to develop the strategic elements in online gambling, I recommend you research live baccarat, blackjack, and roulette. These games greatly benefit from the use of proper strategy elements.
Unique Features and Special Modes
The first unique feature we’ll be talking about here is the Zap Reel. It’s located on top of the slot and comes in the form of a three-cell bar. It’s tied to the current spin and can yield additional multipliers, split symbols, expanded symbols, and synced reels.
Another unique spin worth mentioning is automatically triggered after you reach at least 6 rows high across all five reels. This will grant you 6 free spins but you can use the Wacky Gamble Wheel to boost that up to 18. But, if you lose, you forfeit the six initial bonus spins too.
Some of these special features aren’t that new. They’re a part of AvatarUX’s popular Popwins mechanic. We’ve seen them in other games too, including LolliPop and MonkeyPop.
This one, LooneyPop, has some unique aspects that make it stand out from the bunch.
Plus, let’s not forget about one of the best parts – you can buy the specials! As mentioned earlier, you can also buy bonus features. You can choose the bet amount per spin and one of three choices. For more details on that, scroll to the bullet list above.
Personal Verdict and Recommendations
LooneyPop is not the most lucrative online slot out there. With an RTP of 96%, it’s better than some popular titles out there. But, it’s just slightly above average, so if you’re looking to maximize your RTP rates, this game won’t help you out.
But, if you’re looking for high-risk high-reward games that will provide hours and hours of high-volatility fun, then you’re looking at one of the best modern games out there.
If you’re a sci-fi fan, even better – the mad scientist allure, aliens and flying saucers ought to be right up your alley.
Play responsibly and have fun!
