Microgaming Wicked Tales: Dark Red Slot Review and Free Play

The classic tale of Red Riding Hood and the big bad wolf gets a grown-up makeover in Wicked Tales: Dark Red. This 5 reel, 25 payline video slot from Microgaming comes with blocks of Wandering Reels, a pick me round with multipliers of up to 10x as well as a free spins feature. Play on your computer, tablet or mobile from between 25p and £200 per spin.

The design in Wicked Tales: Dark Red is rather good. It’s about as far removed from a Disney version as you’ll find. With a forest and grandma’s cottage in the background, you’ll see A to J royal values as well as candles, a purse full of coins, a brooch and the big bad wolf. The most lucrative symbols are the buff woodcutter and the buxom Red Riding Hood. There’s also a wild.

Look out for the Wandering Reels feature which showcases blocks of 3 reels that spin together. Hope to see Jumbo Symbols which can fill multiple positions in the same block. The Wandering Reels move position with each spin.

Land 3 scatter symbols on the same spin and you’ll activate Wolf’s Wheel Bonus feature – spin the wheel. If the pointer lands on a multiplier value, it will be applied to your total stake. If you land on a treasure chest, you’ll trigger the pick me round. Land a higher value symbol to trigger the free spins.

• Forest of Fortunes Pick Bonus feature – you’ll be taken to a new screen and offered a selection of satchels. If you find 1 containing a cash prize, you’ll increase a multiplier by 1 and pick again. Keep on picking until you find a stopper. Land an immunity and it gives you an extra life even if you do locate a stopper. The multiplier can reach 10x!
• Free Spins feature – land this round and you can look forward to 9 free spins. The Wandering Reels are in play throughout this round. Furthermore, the triggering high value symbol will be the only high value symbol during the free spins – let’s just hope for Red Riding Hood!

The variance here is in the medium range which offers a balance of powers – you can win a cool 5,000 times your bet on every spin/free spin though. Wicked Tales: Dark Red is a very adult take on the classic fairy story.  It looks good and comes with a decent range of extras.

The fairytale theme isn’t one of our favourites. Wicked Tales: Dark Red is a perfectly playable video slot if you do enjoy this genre though. If you prefer something a little softer, Adventures beyond Wonderland from Ash Gaming is superb.