3 Cheeky Chimps

Key Bonus Features at a Glance

Feature Name	Description	Trigger / How it Works
Hold & Win	A respin-based bonus round where players collect cash and jackpot symbols.	Triggered by landing at least one special Red, Green, or Blue Coin symbol.
Extra Board	The Red Chimp's feature expands the reel grid for the bonus round.	Activated when the Hold & Win is triggered with a Red Coin. Adds three extra rows.
Extra Spins	The Green Chimp's feature provides an additional starting respin.	Activated when the Hold & Win is triggered with a Green Coin. Starts the round with 4 respins instead of 3.
Extra Pays	The Blue Chimp's feature adds random cash values to symbols during the bonus.	Activated when the Hold & Win is triggered with a Blue Coin. Adds value to at least one other symbol each time a new symbol lands.
Fixed Jackpots	Five tiers of fixed jackpots that can be won during the Hold & Win round.	Land the corresponding Mini, Minor, Major, or Mega Jackpot coin. The Grand Jackpot is won by filling all reel positions.
Wild Symbol	The Banana symbol substitutes for all other paying symbols to help form wins.	Appears on all reels in the base game and pays as the highest symbol.

What Are the Core Mechanics of the 3 Cheeky Chimps Game?

The game operates on a 5-reel, 3-row layout with 20 fixed paylines. The primary objective in the base game is to land matching symbols on consecutive reels, starting from the leftmost reel. However, the true focus of the 3 Cheeky Chimps game is its modified Hold & Win mechanic, which elevates it beyond a standard spinning experience.

The gameplay is designed to build anticipation for its central bonus feature. While the base game provides steady, smaller wins to maintain engagement, every spin carries the possibility of landing a special colored coin. These coins are the keys to unlocking the Hold & Win round, where the game’s significant payout potential is concentrated. The interaction between the standard line wins and the constant hunt for these triggers creates a balanced and forward-moving gameplay loop. This title is a prime example of a modern Jungle themed slot that merges classic structure with innovative bonus systems.

The Trio of Trouble: How Do the Three Monkeys Modify the Bonus?

Each of the three chimps is linked to a colored coin that enhances the Hold & Win round with a specific power-up: an expanded board, more respins, or extra cash values. This design turns a singular bonus event into three distinct potential experiences, adding a layer of variety and replayability.

The monkeys are not just decorative elements; they are visual indicators of the powers at play. When a colored coin lands, the corresponding chimp animates, signaling which feature will be active. It’s possible to land multiple different colored coins on the triggering spin, which means two or even all three chimp features can be active simultaneously for a bonus round with immense potential.

The Red Chimp: What is the Extra Board Feature?

Triggering the bonus with the Special Red Extra Board Coin activates the Extra Board feature, which adds three extra rows to the top of the grid for the duration of the Hold & Win round. This expands the playing area from a 5×3 grid to a 5×6 grid.

This expansion is more than just a visual change. A larger grid with 30 positions instead of 15 doubles the available slots for landing cash and jackpot symbols. This directly increases the total win potential of the round and makes the ultimate goal of filling the entire screen to win the Grand Jackpot a more tangible possibility.

The Green Chimp: How Does the Extra Spins Feature Work?

The Special Green Extra Spins Coin activates the Green Chimp's power, starting the Hold & Win feature with 4 respins instead of the standard 3. This seemingly small change provides a crucial safety net for the player.

In any Hold & Win feature, the round ends when respins run out. Starting with an extra respin means you have one additional chance to land a paying symbol before the bonus concludes. This can be the deciding factor between a mediocre bonus and a lucrative one, especially in the early stages when filling the initial positions is critical to extending the round, as the respin counter resets each time a new symbol lands.

The Blue Chimp: Unpacking the Extra Pays Feature

The Special Blue Extra Pays Coin unleashes the Blue Chimp's ability. During the Hold & Win round, every time a new Hold & Win symbol lands on the board, the Extra Pays feature will add a random cash value to at least one other symbol already on the grid.

This feature introduces a compounding value effect to the bonus. It's not just about filling spaces anymore; it's about how many times you can trigger the value-add mechanic. A long-lasting round with the Extra Pays feature active can result in symbols that have been hit with multiple value boosts, turning small initial values into significant prizes by the end of the feature.

How Do You Trigger the Hold & Win Feature?

The Hold & Win feature starts when you land at least one colored coin (Red, Green, or Blue) anywhere on the reels. The game does not use a traditional scatter symbol count; the trigger is tied directly to these special coin symbols, which can appear randomly on any spin.

Once triggered, the grid clears of all standard symbols, and only the triggering coin(s) remain, carrying a cash value. The player is awarded 3 respins (or 4 if the Green Chimp is active). During these respins, only coin symbols, jackpot symbols, or blanks will land. Every time a new symbol lands, it locks in place, and the respin counter resets. The feature ends when either the entire grid is filled with symbols or the respins run out.

Expert Tip from Vlad Hvalov: “A critical detail to watch in the 3 Cheeky Chimps demo is what happens when you trigger the bonus with multiple coin types. A Red and Blue coin combo, for instance, gives you both the expanded board and the Extra Pays, creating a powerful synergy. Understanding these combinations is key to appreciating the game's depth.”

Chasing Jackpots: What are the Jackpot Values and How Are They Won?

The game features five fixed jackpots: Mini, Minor, Major, Mega, and Grand. These are not progressive and their values scale directly with the chosen bet size. They can only be won during the Hold & Win bonus round.

To win one of the first four jackpots, you must land its corresponding named coin symbol on the reels during the bonus feature. For example, landing a “Major” symbol awards the Major Jackpot instantly. The ultimate prize, the Grand Jackpot, is awarded for achieving a full screen, meaning all 15 positions (or 30 with the Extra Board feature) are filled with symbols when the bonus round concludes. This aligns the jackpot chase with the core goal of the Hold & Win mechanic, making the grand prize feel like a culmination of a successful feature. This multi-tiered prize system is a staple of many Money and Gold themed slots.

Understanding the 3 Cheeky Chimps Slot RTP and Volatility

The 3 Cheeky Chimps slot is characterized by medium-high volatility. This mathematical model implies that the gameplay experience will be a mix of frequent, smaller wins in the base game and periods of waiting for the bonus feature, which holds the potential for much larger payouts.

This level of volatility means that while the Hold & Win feature might not trigger on every other spin, its arrival is designed to be impactful, especially when enhanced by the chimp modifiers. Players should approach the game with an understanding that bankroll management is important. The appeal lies in the thrilling chase for a highly modified bonus round. The RTP (Return to Player) information was not available at the time of this review. Games with this profile are often found in the Animal and Adventure categories.

Jungle Companions: A Look at Symbols and Payouts

The paytable in 3 Cheeky Chimps is populated with thematic symbols that fit its cheerful jungle setting. The high-paying symbols are represented by a hippo, a parrot, and a snake. The lower-paying symbols are the familiar card royals: J, Q, K, and A, all designed with a fun, leafy flourish.

The most valuable symbol on the reels is the Banana Wild. It not only pays out the highest amount for a five-of-a-kind combination (50x the bet) but also functions as a Wild, substituting for all other regular symbols to help create winning paylines. The special colored coins and jackpot coins do not have a direct payout value in the base game and serve only to trigger and enhance the bonus feature.

Secrets of the Canopy: Expert Tips and Observations

• The Underestimated Power of Blue: While the expanded grid from the Red Chimp is visually impressive, do not underestimate the Extra Pays feature. In a long-lasting round, the compounding value added by the Blue Chimp can sometimes result in a total win that exceeds even one of the lower-tier jackpots.
• The Grand Jackpot Condition: The Extra Board feature does more than just offer more space; it technically alters the condition for the Grand Jackpot. While filling 30 spots is harder than 15, the increased space also allows for more respins to be triggered, creating a different dynamic for the chase.
• Trigger Synergies: The holy grail is triggering the feature with all three coins. An expanded 5×6 board, starting with 4 respins, and having every new symbol boost the value of others is the combination that can lead to the game's maximum win potential.

Expert Tip from Vlad Hvalov: “When you play the 3 Cheeky Chimps free play version, focus less on the total win of each bonus and more on which chimp's feature you personally find more effective. Some players will prefer the consistency of Extra Spins, while others will enjoy the high-risk, high-reward nature of the Extra Pays.”

How Does 3 Cheeky Chimps Compare to Other Jungle Slots?

This game carves its own niche within the broad category of jungle and Monkey themed games. Unlike titles that focus on traditional free spins with multipliers, 3 Cheeky Chimps dedicates its entire design to innovating within the Hold & Win framework.

3 Cheeky Chimps vs. Pragmatic Play's Jungle Gorilla

Pragmatic Play's Jungle Gorilla is a more straightforward slot that focuses on increasing multipliers on each reel, which are then applied to a win involving a scatter on that reel. It offers a more direct and predictable base game experience. In contrast, 3 Cheeky Chimps is all about the anticipation of its variable bonus round. The excitement is less about a single big line hit and more about the potential combination of features you'll take into the Hold & Win game.

The Hold & Win Mechanic vs. Other Iron Dog Studio Games

Within the Iron Dog Studio portfolio, 3 Cheeky Chimps demonstrates the developer's flair for adding unique twists to popular mechanics. While they have produced other successful games, this title’s strength is the personification of its features through the three monkeys. It creates a stronger narrative and a more engaging visual hook than a simple list of bonus modifiers, making it feel more like a Cartoon adventure.

Ultimately, 3 Cheeky Chimps is a well-designed and entertaining slot that should appeal to fans of the Hold & Win mechanic who are looking for a fresh take on the formula. Its bright visuals, charming characters, and the strategic depth offered by the three monkey modifiers make it a standout title. I would recommend giving the 3 Cheeky Chimps slot a try, especially in the demo version, to fully appreciate how the different features interact.

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