Squeaky Clean

Squeaky Clean Slot

Money laundering takes on a rather literal meaning in Squeaky Clean, a slot from Big Daddy Gaming that invites players into a laundrette where the washing machines might be handling more than dirty underwear. The establishment is operated by a suspicious-looking family, and with bundles of cash lying around, it's probably best not to ask too many questions about where the money comes from. Whether the authorities have caught wind of this little operation is anyone's guess, but the place is certainly open for business, offering multiplier wilds, a Free Spins gamble and several ways to extend the bonus action.

Squeaky Clean is a cartoonish affair, with purple washing machines, blue walls, hanging clothes and a laundry basket containing a rather questionable amount of cash. The characters include a young lad, a woman, a man and a mob boss who looks like he might have some explaining to do if the taxman comes knocking. It's a fun setting for a slot, particularly when compared with the endless procession of ancient temples and treasure-filled caves. The presentation isn't especially elaborate, but the criminal laundrette concept has a cheeky appeal.

As for the actual money changing hands, Squeaky Clean uses a 5x3 grid with 15 paylines, where winning combinations of at least three matching symbols are formed from the leftmost reel. The four card suits occupy the lower end of the paytable, awarding 2x the bet for five matching symbols, while the four character symbols pay between 15x and 30x for a full line. Wilds substitute for regular symbols, and stakes range from 0.10 to a hefty 1,000 per spin. Big Daddy Gaming has opted for high volatility, a default RTP of 96%, and a maximum payout of 5,000x the bet.

Wild symbols are the main currency in this particular operation. During regular gameplay, the Random Wild feature can activate before a spin, switching to a reel set containing additional wilds. At least two wilds are guaranteed, and they may carry multipliers up to x5. When multiple multiplier wilds contribute to the same payline, their values are added together. Nothing terribly unusual there, but the system becomes more interesting once the bonus round gets involved.

Landing 3, 4 or 5 Bonus symbols awards 8 Free Spins, with the number of triggering symbols determining whether the round begins with zero, one or two locked wilds. These are randomly positioned before the action starts, and any additional wilds that appear during the feature also become locked for the remainder of the round. Better still, every Bonus symbol awards an extra spin and increases the multiplier of every locked wild by +1. Given enough cooperation from the reels, the combination of expanding wild coverage and growing multipliers could turn this little laundry business into a considerably more profitable enterprise.

Before Free Spins begin, players can gamble their bonus in an attempt to climb an eight-level ladder. The starting level provides 8 spins without locked wilds, while each successful upgrade adds another locked wild, eventually reaching seven at level eight. The temptation is obvious, especially when the initial trigger offers no locked wilds at all. However, losing a gamble means losing the entire Free Spins feature. That's quite a price to pay for getting greedy, although it does introduce an interesting decision before the bonus begins.

Big Daddy Gaming has also included a Buy Extra Spin option, which may appear when Free Spins finish. The cost depends on the current state of the feature, and further spins can potentially be purchased after the first. There are restrictions, however, including situations where every reel position is already occupied by a wild or the estimated average payout exceeds 1,050x the bet.

For players who prefer a more direct route, the Bet Boost menu provides several alternatives. Wild Spin costs 5x the bet and guarantees the Random Wild feature, while Bonus Boost and Super Bonus Boost increase the total stake by 50% and 150%, respectively, for improved Free Spins trigger chances. Five Feature Buy options are also available, ranging from 50x the bet for 8 Free Spins without locked wilds to 350x for the same number of spins with four locked wilds already in place.

Squeaky Clean doesn't reinvent the mechanics of multiplier wilds, but its Free Spins feature has a few appealing wrinkles. The gamble ladder is particularly interesting because it forces a choice between accepting the bonus as awarded or risking the whole thing for a stronger starting position. Add the possibility of purchasing extra spins, and there are several opportunities to push the feature further, though not necessarily without considerable expense.

The 5,000x max is relatively restrained for a highly volatile slot with so many ways to enhance its features, and the 96% RTP isn't going to raise any eyebrows either. Still, Big Daddy Gaming has put together an amusing little criminal enterprise with enough going on beneath the surface to make it worth investigating. Just don't expect the washing machines to clean up every time.