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Flock Me: Game Overview and Key Statistics
NetEnt introduces a creatively themed slot game, “Flock Me,” which reimagines avian creatures as inmates in a high-security prison. This title operates on a cluster-pays mechanic and is characterized by its dynamic features and engaging gameplay loop. Below are the essential specifications for the game.
- Game Studio: NetEnt
- Release Status: Available Now
- Return to Player (RTP): 92.03% – 96%
- Feature Buy RTP: 96.09%
- Pay Mechanism: Cluster Pays
- Volatility: Medium to High
- Minimum Bet: 0.20
- Maximum Bet: 50
- Maximum Win Potential: 8,594x the stake
Thematic Concept and Visual Design
The game presents a quirky and unconventional premise, humorously exploring a world where birds face the consequences of their antisocial behavior. The setting is a concrete penitentiary, complete with graffiti-covered walls, barbed wire fences, and watchful CCTV cameras. The 6-reel, 7-row game grid is populated by a cast of beaked criminals and their law enforcement counterparts.
The visual execution is charming and well-realized, creating an atmosphere that will feel familiar to players who enjoy graphically rich, cluster-based games. The overall design effectively blends a lighthearted tone with a gritty, prison-yard aesthetic.
Core Gameplay Mechanics
Victories in “Flock Me” are achieved by forming clusters of five or more identical symbols that connect either horizontally or vertically anywhere on the grid. Following any successful combination, the contributing symbols are removed from the board, triggering an Avalanche feature. This causes new symbols to cascade down from above, potentially creating subsequent wins within the same spin.
The game’s paytable is composed of eight regular symbols. The lower-value icons are represented by prison-themed items like a ball and chain, toilet paper, a lighter, and soap, offering payouts from 0.1x to 10x the bet for clusters of 5 to 18. The more lucrative symbols are four distinct bird characters, which yield rewards ranging from 0.5x to 200x the stake for equivalent cluster sizes.
Special Symbols and In-Game Features
The gameplay is enriched by a variety of special symbols and features designed to create dynamic and progressive action. These include multiplying Wilds, symbol transformations, and board-clearing mechanics.
Multiplier Wilds
Multiplier Wilds can appear randomly during any round and substitute for all regular paying symbols. When a Multiplier Wild contributes to a winning cluster, it relocates to an adjacent position—horizontally, vertically, or diagonally—and its multiplier value increases by +1. These Wilds remain on the grid during an Avalanche, and their multiplier has no upper limit. If a Multiplier Wild moves onto a 2×2 Colossal symbol, it transforms into a Colossal Wild. Conversely, a Colossal Wild moving to a single space becomes a 1×1 Wild. If no adjacent paying symbol is available, the Wild will relocate to a random position, leaving a standard Wild symbol in its original spot.
Cross Wilds
When a Cross Wild is part of a winning cluster, it activates a special transformation before the Avalanche begins. It converts all regular symbols in its vicinity into a single, randomly chosen pay symbol before being removed from the grid. There are several variations:
- Vertical Cross: Transforms all symbols on the same row and reel.
- Diagonal Cross: Transforms all symbols along two intersecting diagonal lines originating from the Wild.
- Omni-Directional Cross: This powerful symbol is formed when a Vertical and a Diagonal Cross land vertically adjacent to each other. It transforms all symbols on its row, reel, and both intersecting diagonal lines.
The Flock Me Feature
Landing a Flock Me symbol triggers its feature after all possible winning clusters for the current spin have been resolved. All active Multiplier Wilds on the grid will move to positions directly adjacent to the Flock Me symbol. Additionally, a new Multiplier Wild is created and placed next to it. Any positions vacated by the moving Wilds are filled with regular Wild symbols. Finally, the Flock Me symbol itself transforms into a Wild, creating a powerful grouping for potential wins.
The Cleaning Feature
The appearance of a Cleaning symbol initiates its feature when no further winning combinations are possible. This symbol purges all regular-paying icons from the reels, causing a new Avalanche of symbols to fill the entire grid and offer a fresh chance for wins.
The Free Spins Bonus Round
The main bonus is initiated when three scatter symbols land during the same game round, awarding an initial five free spins. Before the round begins, any Multiplier Wilds present on the grid, along with their accumulated multiplier values, are carried over into the bonus. A key enhancement in this mode is persistence; all Multiplier Wilds become sticky and remain on the reels for the duration of the free spins. Landing two additional scatter symbols during the round grants two extra spins.
Elevate Feature Purchase Options
For players seeking to directly access the game’s more dynamic elements, the Elevate menu provides several purchase options. These features operate with an RTP ranging from 96.03% to 96.09%.
- Boost: For 2x the bet, each spin has a heightened probability of landing Multiplier Wilds or triggering a special feature.
- Flock Me: At a cost of 20x the bet, a spin is guaranteed to land a Flock Me symbol.
- Super Flock Me: Costing 50x the bet, this guarantees a spin that starts with a Flock Me symbol and two Multiplier Wilds.
- Free Spins: Triggers the bonus round for 100x the bet.
- Super Free Spins: For 250x the bet, the bonus round begins with the Flock Me feature activating alongside two initial Multiplier Wilds.
Final Impressions
NetEnt has successfully combined a humorous and original theme with a suite of effective and interconnected features. The game’s central appeal lies in the dynamic interplay of Wilds and multipliers, which build progressively throughout the base game and bonus rounds. The Flock Me feature is a powerful mechanic capable of consolidating Wilds for significant payout potential, while the transformation and removal features add layers of excitement and extend the lifespan of game rounds.
The Free Spins bonus elevates the experience by introducing persistence, allowing multiplier values to grow substantially. While the game may not introduce entirely new mechanics to the cluster-pays genre, its creative execution, individuality, and the synergistic way its features work together make “Flock Me” a highly engaging and entertaining title.
