Finn and the Swirly Spin Slot Demo

How We Rate Slots

When it comes to slot reviewing, here at Johnslots we take this role very seriously, making sure all reviews are written by professional, experienced critics. As one of these critics, I take great pride in offering you a thorough analysis using our evaluation process to help you make educated decisions.

As there are so many slots available scattered across the internet, I like to see something that stands out. Whether that’s in its jackpots, features or unique mechanics, it has to exceed expectations. I analyse the mathematical data around the slot, looking at the RTP and volatility, and testing whether this coincides with the hit ratio and maximum potential win.

Also, taking into account player experience and whether a slot is better suited for casual players, or high rollers. This is done by checking the adjustability of the bets placed, and the slots interface, determining whether the slot is user-friendly or not.

Obviously, design and theme are important aspects of any slot, but the biggest consideration is made from the fairness and security of the slot. We will never display any reviews from untrustworthy sources, and instead put a focus on your safety.

Pro Tips

When first adjusting to any slot, I like to keep my bets low to understand the mechanics and gameplay better. It took around 25 bets in the beginning to get to the bonus game, and thanks to the game’s medium to low volatility, I gradually increased the bets after a couple of spins. The wilds help to boost gameplay and increase the chance of getting the key scatter to the center of the spiral.

With all this being said, it’s important to keep in mind that the outcome of this slot is randomised through an RNG. You may want to focus on playing for fun.

Finn and the Swirly Spin Slot Bonus Features and Free Spins

Instead of the traditional reel spin, Finn and the Swirly Spin uses a spiral reel, where matching three or more of the same symbols results in a win. I’m impressed with the use of the spiral reel and the playability of it.

The lower-paying symbols include the wooden slabs (heart and spade) and pay between 0.10x to 4x the bet. While the higher paying symbols (ruby, golden acorn, horseshoe and four-leaf clover) pay between 1x to 50x the bet depending on how many you match.

There are four different features present in this slot, Magic Transform, Starfall Winds, Irish Luck and Dragon Destroy. Magic Transform converts all lower paying symbols (hearts and spades) into higher paying symbols, while Starfall Winds drops ‘Wilds’ into the reel, continually added until there is a win. Irish Luck changes one line on the reel to one symbol which guarantees a win. Finally, Dragon Destroy eliminates several symbols in order to create a win in the next avalanche. I lay out each special feature for you in detail below.

Wilds and Sticky Wilds

When these symbols are matched they explode and create a wild which can be matched to any of the other icons. Wilds can overlap with the amount of matches available in a row or column. They cannot create a win from wilds alone and instead match with the symbols either side of them. The only way this can happen is if five ‘Wilds’ are lined up with no other matches possible, resulting in the wilds becoming the highest paying symbol, the Ruby. Sticky wilds, found in the Lava Lair feature, replace the key symbol and cannot be destroyed.

Key Symbol

The scatter key progresses around the spiral till it reaches the center and unlocks the ‘Free Spins’ bonus game. Starting in the bottom left-hand corner it moves with each win and an avalanche follows behind. The key meter will slowly grow with each key unlocked allowing access into the deeper levels of the bonus round.

Free Spins

Once enough matches have been made and the key symbol spirals its way to the center, the ‘Free Spins’ bonus game will be activated. Each of the levels take varying amounts of keys to unlock, but once unlocked, you can go back to that level anytime ‘Free Spins’ is activated. As the key meter is saved even after the game is closed, you don’t have to worry about losing progress.

• Star Bar unlocks after 1 key
• Lava Lair unlocks after 4 keys
• Lucky Mug unlocks after 9 keys
• Golden Pot unlocks after 16 keys

The Star Bar game uses the Starfall Wilds feature, scattering ‘Wilds’ across the grid. Seven free spins are awarded to the player at this level, increasing the potential of a win. Even though it’s the first one to unlock, I found this level to be the most entertaining, choosing to go back to it rather than playing the others.

While the Lava Lair offers only three spins it uses both sticky ‘Wilds’ and the Dragon Destroy feature. It should be noted that for this level, the ‘Wild’ itself cannot be destroyed.

The Lucky Mug level uses the Irish Luck feature and awards four free spins. If a line that already contains a win gets changed, a ‘Wild’ symbol will replace the previous line.

Finally, the Golden Pot free spins awards two free spins with the Magic Transform feature. This time, five lower paying symbols will be scattered randomly across the reel before being transformed into higher paying symbols.

Finn and the Swirly Spin Slot Design and Visuals

The slot is packed with animations, cutscenes and graphics. Though it can seem a little crammed at times, as so much is happening at once. My advice is to mute the sound if you’re someone that get’s overwhelmed easily. This is certainly going to help after a few wins in the ‘Free Spins’ game, where the folk music amplifies and the features are constantly going off. This did, however, add to the thrill of the slot, and certainly kept my attention.

How to Play Finn and the Swirly Spin Slot

To start betting and playing Finn and the Swirly Spin, follow this step-by step guide I’ve put together:

1. In order to first understand the game, read through this review. You can access the paytable while playing to further your knowledge.
2. To start betting you simply adjust the bet levels which range from 1-10. This can be found to the left of the green spiral, titled ‘Level’ with a plus (+) and a minus (-) button either side of your current bet level. High rollers can simply press ‘Max Bet’ to jump to level 10.
3. You can take this further by adjusting the ‘Coin Value’ button located to the right of the central spiral, ranging from 0.01 to 2.00 and increasing the betting amount up to £200. Which I would recommend for the players that want to up the stakes.
4. Click the green spiral button to manually start playing or the ‘Autoplay’ button directly to the left of the spiral and select the number of spins you wish to play.

Finn and the Swirly Spin Slot Mobile Compatibility

NetEnt designs their slots with mobile optimisation in mind, making them available to play on any device, including tablets. I found playing Finn and the Swirly Spin on mobile to be a seamless operation, the graphics were still vibrant and there was little to no lag.

Conclusion

After many years of reviewing slots, Finn and the Swirly Spin will always be a nostalgic and enjoyable play for me. The features and different levels in the ‘Free Spins’ game are still as entertaining as they were when it came out in 2017. While the graphics are fun and vibrant, they can be a little over-stimulating after an extended play. So, I ended up turning the sound down to a minimum, which helped.

All in all it’s a fun play, suitable for any player once they understand the mechanics. Playing the game in demo mode can be a great start when coming to grips with each of the features and elements.