You will find the visuals of wanted unusual suspects familiar, if a bit exaggerated – the animated, comic book-style outlaws and the saloon-themed backdrop are classic cartoonish Western characters. But the level of activity on screen is anything but low-key. What makes this game stand out is the interaction of these many different elements. Coin Symbols build Sticky Frames. Sticky Frames store multipliers.

Wanted Unusual Suspects is located in the Western frontier, where the gang from the larger Unusual Suspects universe now roam free. Gone are the city streets and police cars; instead, we’re treated to a dusty street filled with old wood buildings, saloons and the type of unstable structures that seem to fall apart after just one shot. And instead of being dark and gritty, the atmosphere of the game is light-hearted and comedic. The characters’ facial expressions are exaggerated, the guns and other weapons are oversized and colorful, and the clothing worn by the characters is flashy and bold. While this could have potentially caused problems with the volume of effects firing off on the reels at any given moment, it’s actually quite fitting.

Audio-wise, wanted unusual suspects stays true to its Western roots. Players hear traditional frontier music, sounds associated with collecting Coins, gunshots and brief character voiceovers.

Base game functionality

Wanted Unusual Suspects has five reels, four rows and twenty fixed paylines. To make a winning combination using regular symbols on consecutive reels from left to right. Most of the time, three identical symbols need to appear side-by-side for a player to get a winning combination. Since there are twenty fixed paylines, the entire bet amount is applied to all twenty paylines with every spin. Unfortunately, there is no possibility of reducing the number of active paylines. With regard to betting options, players only have control over how much they want to bet per spin. The lowest possible bet amount is .10 while the highest possible bet amount is 20.00.

To some extent, however, even when no additional features are present, the base game can be somewhat dynamic. A typical spin may yield:

•  A regular payline win
• One of four different outlaw wild effects
• Coin Symbols turning into Sticky Frames
• A sheriff collecting Coins
• Two Scatters that initiate a nudging scatter respin
• Progress toward filling a bonus perk bar
• Three or more Scatters initiating Free Spins

Each spin therefore has several possibilities besides simply matching symbols together. While there are many possible activities on each spin, activity and profitability are not necessarily synonymous. As with any slot machine, a particular spin can produce various small events while still causing the balance to go down.

Symbol values / Standard Payouts

Lower-paying symbols are the card ranks 10 through ace. Although they fit perfectly within the Western theme, their payout values are unremarkable. Lower-paying symbols provide the bulk of smaller winning combinations throughout the base game and fill in gaps between various features.

Higher-paying symbols are represented by shackles, guns, dynamite and money bags. Generally speaking, a five-of-a-kind money bag pays about 10 times your total bet amount. Thusly, although regular symbols contribute significantly to overall payouts, they typically don’t generate significant amounts.

Special symbols carry personality

The special symbols account for most of what is interesting about Wanted Unusual Suspects.

•  “Outlaw wilds” improve combinations using regular line payers.
• “Coin Symbols” may display cash values between 1x & 100x your bet amount or One of four different fixed jackpot prizes.
•  “Sheriff symbols” collect Coins.
• “Scatter symbols” help initiate both respins & Free Spins.

Screenshots

The four types of “outlaw wilds”

The four types of “outlaw wilds” represent perhaps the most recognizable aspect of wanted unusual suspects. Each outlaw adds wild symbols to the reels differently. only One “outlaw wild” type can occur on a single spin. Wild symbols replace other payer symbols on a reel but do not substitute for Coins, Sheriffs or Scatters. Additionally, wild symbols can participate in win lines using themselves.

Top-and-bottom wild positions

An outlaw selects two reels and converts all top-and-bottom symbol positioning on each selected reel into wild symbols. This leaves middle positions unchanged so wins running through outer rows can be supported by wilds. The value of this effect is highly dependent upon existing symbols. If premium matching symbols already exist in neighbouring reels then additional wilds from an outlaw wild effect will support several more win lines than otherwise possible. Conversely, if no suitable premium matches exist in adjacent reels then the same effect appears impressive without yielding much.

Entire wild reel

Another outlaw converts a fully selected reel into wild symbols. Whole-reel wilds are very powerful in a fixed-payline slot machine because they can generate multiple winning combination opportunities simultaneously. The power of whole-reel wilds also depends upon where the entire-wild-reel lands within the grid. An entire-wild-reel landing in the centre of the grid typically has more potential than an entire-wild-reel landing near the edge of the grid, especially if stronger matching symbols are already lined up.

Two full-wild reels

Still another outlaw can convert any two randomly selected reels completely into wild symbols. This is probably the best outcome available during the base game round — particularly when the converted reels land in good places and connect stronger-matching symbols. Still though, landing two wild reels does not automatically result in a large win. You must have matching symbols surround them to create a win.

Four to Seven random wilds

The last outlaw Scatters between four & Seven randomly placed wilds across the grid. This feature is less predictable than a whole-reel conversion due to its nature, but when done correctly it can produce wins throughout multiple sections of the grid.

Like two randomly placed wilds, Seven well-placed random wilds could connect many premium combining symbols; conversely four poorly positioned random wilds might achieve very little. The overall variety added by the four “outlaw wild” features adds depth to the base game experience.

Coins and Sticky Frames

Although Coin Symbols may hold either cash values between 1x & 100x your stake or one of four fixed jackpot prizes, having a coin symbol appear does not always mean that you get paid immediately for its value. The sheriff must first collect it. Whenever a coin lands, it creates a sticky frame on its reel position and begins with a 1x multiplier that can grow to up to a 5x multiplier.

Each time the Sheriff Backup Bonus collects a coin from that location the multiplier increases the value of that coin. For example if you had a 20x coin sitting inside of a 3x sticky frame then you would now have a 60x collection. This concept is easy to understand once you see it happen; unfortunately, the first few spins can be confusing when valuable-looking Coins appear without being collected and added to your balance. Creating delayed collection tension.

Frames building in the base game

There is limited opportunity for frame-building in the base game because once the collection sequence initiated by the Sheriff Backup Bonus is completed all Sticky Frames are removed from existence.

Sticky Frames in Free Spins

However, unlike the short duration of Sticky Frames in the base game, in Free Spins, Sticky Frames remain until the end of the bonus round — making them extremely valuable because they provide an opportunity to use the same locations over and over again, build multipliers gradually over time and later sheriff symbols may collect from increasingly valuable grids.

What is the bonus perk bar?

The bonus perk bar is a counter located above the reels. Every time a scatter lands and is not immediately part of a free-spins trigger (meaning the scatter didn’t land on the fifth reel), one token is placed into the bonus perk bar. The bar fills completely with fifty tokens. Once complete, the next free-spins round starts and there is an additional choice of bonus-perks.

The idea behind this feature is to encourage long-term play. However, if a player builds their way up to almost full, and feels compelled to continue to spin to reach completion, this is the place for self-control. Any progress made should never be used as a reason to go over a set budget. Progress keeps track per individual stake. For example, building your bonus perk bar while betting .50c could be moved to 1.00 and see a different amount of tokens. Switching back down to .50c will show the tokens associated with that wager. Tokens do not disappear; they separate. This method allows players to build their bonus perk bar at low-stakes and move to higher-stakes right before taking advantage of their rewards. Additionally, changing stakes too frequently can result in having progress spread out over multiple stakes.

Respinning nudged Scatters

If you get two Scatters in the top three rows, the Nudging Scatter Respin feature will start. The reels that have the two Scatters are locked and the Scatters are nudged downwards while the rest of the reels spin again. The respin continues until One of several predetermined stopping conditions is met. These stopping conditions are: a scatter reaches the bottom of the reels, enough Scatters appear to trigger the bonus, or a total of five Scatters appears. Two Scatters pay 10 free spins, three pay 15 and four pay 20. This is an intelligent way to make two-scatter near-misses more active. Instead of finishing instantly, the game provides another opportunity for the features to develop. Of course, it doesn’t matter how many Scatters eventually land – all that matters is whether enough Scatters landed to trigger the free-spins.

Perk choices

Once you’ve chosen your outlaw character before your free-spins begin, you’ll randomly choose an outlaw perk. A full bonus perk bar will allow you to make an additional perk choice providing you with multiple opportunities to pair your bonuses.

Examples of possible perks include:

• Additional Sheriffs
• Five extra free spins with a 2x multiplier
• An additional two spins at the beginning
• Three Sticky Frames at the beginning
• Additional wilds

All these perks favor various aspects of the free-spins. More Sheriffs favor collecting Coins repeatedly. The Sticky Frames create an early foundation for the round, while more spins provide more time for the grid to develop. The Sticky Frames also create a base for Sheriffs to collect Coins from. More wilds create opportunities for regular winning combinations. The starting multiplier creates immediate value for every winning combination. While one perk might be optimal in most situations, none will be optimal in all situations. For instance, if you’re going to have a sheriff-heavy round and have a lot of good frames already in place in your grid, the Sheriffs will likely be quite valuable. On the other hand, if your coin development is weak, your Sheriffs will not be as valuable. five additional spins may seem like little value at first glance, but those Extra spins can create more frames, more Sheriffs and ultimately more progress down the free-spins path.

Free-spins and the sheriff’s trail

Depending upon how many Scatters land during the initial trigger sequence, you will either get ten, fifteen or twenty free-spins. Depending upon which type you get, the pre-selected bonus-perks will affect how the round begins. During the round, the following systems will operate simultaneously:

• Wilds created by outlaws will continue to appear.
• Coins will create Sticky Frames that persist throughout the round.
• Sheriffs will collect Coins.
• Each sheriff will advance you on the sheriff’s trail.
• Positions occupied by bandits will grant additional spins and multipliers.

For each position on the sheriff’s trail that you occupy, you move one space closer to completing it. If you ever occupy a designated Bandit position, you’ll receive five additional spins and activate a multiplier of one of the four available: 2x, 3x, 5x or 10x. Each step you take on the sheriff’s trail increases the potential of your round because both your regular winning combinations and your persistent Sticky Frames will benefit from increased multipliers.

This interconnectivity of elements creates a situation where a single element (a sheriff) can positively impact multiple other elements (collecting Coins, utilizing frame multipliers, creating additional opportunities to earn more free-spins by advancing towards another Bandit position and creating a more effective round).

Can I retrigger my bonus?

Most of your free-spins will come from reaching Bandit positions instead of a traditional scatter retrigging. As long as you continue to collect Sheriffs and have them consistently appear, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to extend your current round multiple times when you reach Bandit positions. Because of this structure, how frequently you collect Sheriffs becomes more important than simply collecting Scatters after your feature begins.

The Getaway Spin

After your free spins conclude, you may be awarded a getaway spin. Your last spin is guaranteed to have a sheriff on it and gives you One final chance to collect whatever coin values were attached to your developed Sticky Frames. Your trail does not advance during the Getaway Spin. Its sole purpose is to provide you with One last opportunity to collect whatever was developed during your round. How rewarding your getaway spin will be depends solely on what was developed during your bonus.

Feature buy options

As permitted by local regulations, Wanted Unusual Suspects also includes two feature-buy options. Regular feature buy costs 100x your stake and super feature buy costs 200x your stake. The super version begins with favorable circumstances such as more Sticky Frames appearing at the beginning, more Sheriffs becoming active sooner in the round and more perk support.

Both versions offer more potential but cost significantly more than their regular counterparts. At a 1.00 stake, One super buy costs $200. Poor runs can eat away at a bankroll relatively fast.

Buying the bonus does not guarantee you’ll break even let alone generate profit.

Mobile Performance And User Experience

This version of Wanted Unusual Suspects uses HTML5 as its platform, which means it should run smoothly on most modern browsers, whether installed as an App or accessed directly from the browser. Additionally, since Wanted Unusual Suspects is built to be responsive (works on multiple platforms), it works perfectly fine on PC’s (desktops), Tablets, Android smartphones, and iPhones.

Touchscreen compatibility is excellent. All buttons (Bet, Spin, Paytable) are easily accessible via touchscreen. The Reels are easy to read vertically and horizontally. However, there is a trade-off – information density. In the Free Spins feature, all components are displayed simultaneously (Sticky Frames, Coin Values, Multipliers, Sheriff Progression, Jackpot Amounts and Bonus Perk Bar). While this is feasible on larger monitors, smaller mobile displays can make the game look cluttered. Overall, animations remain simple enough to track; however, some first-time players might have to consult the Paytable a little too many times to fully comprehend. Once you get used to seeing the different elements work together over a few rounds, reading the features becomes less confusing.

Trying the Demo First

Using a free demo to try out this Slot Machine is probably one of the best ways to see how all the different components of Wanted Unusual Suspects work. This machine seems to have a lot going on for its 20-line payout structure, and being able to see the process unfold in front of your eyes will likely be way more helpful than just looking at a list of rules.

While playing with virtual funds, keep an eye on:

• How frequently Outlaws appear as Wilds
• When Coins convert to Sticky Frames
• When the Sheriff collects the sticky frames
• When frame multipliers increase coin value
• How the Nudge Respin acts as the Scatter Respin
• How fast the Bonus Perk Bar fills
• How long the Round Extends

The Demo Mode will never simulate what happens with Real Money. Both versions use Random Number Generation to determine outcomes and short sessions will always remain uncertain. Nonetheless, a free demo mode can give you a good idea if you prefer the fast-paced nature and overall design of Wanted Unusual Suspects.

Comparison To Other Versions Of Unusual Suspects Slots

Wanted Unusual Suspects retains the comedic crime theme of previous games in the Unusual Suspects series. Nevertheless, this installment offers a more complex mechanism compared to prior editions. Prior releases were relatively straightforward whereas this version incorporates ongoing progression, accumulating coins and developing multi-staged bonus rounds. The western setting provides the returning cast members with a unique environment. Rather than chasing each other again around cities, Northern Lights Gaming developed these personalities into outlaw/sheriff roles. Existing fans of prior releases that appreciated the characters/ humor may welcome this change of scenery. Fans of more streamlined gaming experiences may view Wanted Unusual Suspects as overly complex.

Advantages & Disadvantages

Advantages

• Good-looking Wild West theme
• 4 distinct Outlaw Wild effects
• Default RTP = 96.05%
• Up to 5x Sticky Frame multipliers
• Jackpots fixed @ 5,000x
• Bonus Perk Bar persists throughout the session
• Nudging Scatter Respins
• Free Spins Trail includes multipliers up to 10x
• Getaway Final Spin
• Max Win @ 10,025x
• Seamless Mobile functionality
• Active Base Game

Disadvantages

• Sharp Losses possible due to High Volatility
• New Players may be confused by many integrated mechanisms
• Coins must be collected by the Sheriff
• The Bonus Perk Bar fills slowly
• Purchase Feature Buys for 100x & 200x costs
• Payouts for standard symbols are moderate
• Information Density makes it difficult to clearly see the action on smaller screens
• Busy Feature Sequences do not always result in large returns

Overall Assessment

Wanted Unusual Suspects is an interlinked slot machine rather than a loosely related combination of bonus features. The Outlaw Wilds enable Line Wins, Coins form Sticky Frames and contribute to creating potential winning lines, Sheriffs collect Coins and turn them into Payouts and Scatters add to progressive advancement toward Free Spins. In addition to providing a slot machine with character, this structure enables some degree of animation even when player balances are not progressing favorably. Notable highlights include Free Spins where Sticky Frames accumulate persistently, combined with consecutive Sheriff collections which can generate additional earnings from accumulated frames. The Getaway Spin also serves as a nice finale after generating valuable frames.

However, there are some downsides to this slot machine. Visual Complexity, High Volatility causing variable session results, and purchasing “Super” Free Spins for $100/$200 may deter reckless players. Standard Line Wins rarely seem to be the central focus of playtime; therefore, any player that prefers slot machines featuring various bonus elements may lose interest in Wanted Unusual Suspects. For players who like Wild West-themed slots, collecting mechanics and Bonus Rounds that evolve over time, Wanted Unusual Suspects is worth testing in Demo Mode. Allow time to learn how Coins, frames and Sheriffs correlate before investing Real Money.

FAQs: Wanted Unusual Suspects

Is there anything I need to know about the Wanted Unusual Suspects slot?

Wanted Unusual Suspects is a new Wild West themed online video slot machine with 5 reels and 20 pay lines that was created by Northern Lights Gaming and is powered by Games Global. The slot has multiple outlaw wilds, sticky frames, Sheriff Bonus, and free spin rounds.

What is the RTP of Wanted Unusual Suspects?

The standard RTP for Wanted Unusual Suspects is 96.05%; however, some online casinos will provide alternative rtp’s, so you should always confirm the RTP within the in-game paytable prior to play.

Is Wanted Unusual Suspects high volatility?

Yes. As with all high volatility slots, the larger payouts are available but will be fewer occurrences compared to lower volatility slots.

What is the maximum win available in Wanted Unusual Suspects?

As a result of the combination of its free spins round and bonus features, Wanted Unusual Suspects provides one of the higher-paying rewards from Northern Lights Gaming at 10,025 times of the player’s total bet.

How many reels/paylines are there?

There are five reels, four rows and twenty fixed pay lines. All winning combinations will be awarded from left to right.

What are the minimum/maximum wagers allowed?

A player can wager anywhere from £0.01 per spin to £20.00 per spin, making this slot accessible to a wide variety of player bankrolls.