Relax Gaming: Wild Chapo

GIO: Relax’s Gaming’s Wild Chapo – what markets is it intended for? 

CS: I wouldn’t say we intended to target a specific market with this game. We know this type of mechanic does well across the board and we wanted to compliment it with a cool character that would resonate with audiences everywhere. The initial idea for the game was to bring back the fan-favourite ‘dynamite guy’ from Money Train but we went on to give it a fresh Western twist. The result has been well-received so far, and I’m really happy with what players have made of it.

GIO: What’s the game’s actual volatility? How does this manifest itself in gameplay? 

CS: Highly volatile! This is most evident in Free Spins, where the anticipation builds up like a ticking time bomb. When the bombs and multipliers gather on the reels in the Bonus Game, wins up to 10,000x the stake are possible. It cranks up thrills to incredible levels – this slot is bound to keep players at the edge of their seats.

GIO: Tell us about the bonus features – Expanding TNT Wilds, Sticky Wild Re-Spins, everything! 

CS: We felt we had a solid Bonus Game that most players would be familiar with if reasonably experienced, so we added Base Game features that aligned – the narrative, expanding and colossal wilds seemed to make perfect sense. I would say the Free Spins are the most exciting element of the game and offer a unique experience, building up for that one explosive ending!

GIO: What are the odds for players hitting the dream of a 10,000x win? What’s the approximate hit rate on all jackpot levels?

CS: The 10,000x win is definitely achievable. We should see some coming up in videos on popular streaming channels and social media quite soon! Stay tuned and watch this space…

GIO: Music is a huge part of what makes a game theme work – do you have an in-house music team? Who are they, what is their expertise? 

CS: Audio and soundtracks are hugely important to all types of games and gaming, slots are no different in that respect. Music helps to immerse players in themes and set the tone for stages of the game where the anticipation rises. It tends to be an area of game design that many players may take for granted but remove it or fail to keep standards high and they would be the first to notice! So, we make sure that the audio receives as much attention to detail as the animations and gameplay; they’re all vital wheels in the overall machine. Our sound designers are a massively experienced team that have a good ear and a lot of talent, so it’s a pleasure to work with them!

GIO: This is a proprietary title, and success with this kind of game is great for developers but it means there is no brand recognition – how does this affect operators?

CS: We’re proud to say that Relax’s proprietary content has a superb reputation with players. We’re always listening to the market and creating the best gameplay experiences and overall quality possible – all the while delivering the right assets in the right markets and being as transparent as we can be. We’re grateful for the market response we’ve received with regards to recent content we’ve delivered. Having poured our hearts into some of the top content out there helps not only build a trusted brand but, in turn, also helps boost our operators’ results.

GIO: Tell us something about your game development path – who came up with Wild Chapo? Does that individual stay with a title through its entire development? How long does it take to develop a game like this? Where is it tested? 

CS: I’m pleased to say that I am the mind behind the concept of Wild Chapo. I feel fortunate to work in a company where the concept creator is able to carry the project forward and see their vision come to fruition. I was heavily involved in the entire game, from the early stages all the way to the release – but that couldn’t have been done without my fantastic teammates! Every Relax game is a huge team effort, with different colleagues from a variety of departments contributing at different times of its development.

Typically, a game production like this will take us about 20 to 24 weeks and it will include a range of people ranging from a Product Owner, Mathematicians, Artists, Sound Team, Devs, Testers and Animators. We’re lucky to have such a fantastic, passionate team and I like to think that this shines through in the work we do; driving differentiation and creating the best possible gaming experiences in the market.