Fawkes

Fawkes Slot: Demo Features Overview

The Fawkes slot demo operates on a system of dynamic ways, starting at 4,096 and expanding up to a massive 5,159,700. This is achieved through a 6-reel, 4-row main grid combined with a secondary 6-slot horizontal reel called the Gunpowder Cache. The core gameplay revolves around landing Wilds on the main grid that interact with Gunpowder Barrels from the cache. This interaction triggers three distinct Execution Modifiers (Hanged, Drawn, Quartered) that expand, split, and replicate Wilds. The game also features two types of Free Spins rounds and a 20,000x max win.

Summary of Bonus Features

Feature Name	Description	Trigger / How it Works
Gunpowder Cache	A 6-slot horizontal reel below the main grid.	Spins right to left. Lands Gunpowder Barrels or empty spaces.
Execution Modifiers	Three features (Hanged, Drawn, Quartered) that modify Wilds.	Triggered by 1+ Wild on main reels AND 1+ Gunpowder Barrel in the cache.
Hanged Modifier	Any partial Wild expands to cover its entire reel.	1 or 4 Gunpowder Barrels + a Wild.
Drawn Modifier	Any Wild symbol splits into 2 Wilds, increasing ways-to-win.	2 or 5 Gunpowder Barrels + a Wild.
Quartered Modifier	Any Wild symbol is randomly replicated onto an adjacent reel.	3 or 6 Gunpowder Barrels + a Wild.
Quartered Free Spins	8 Free Spins where the Quartered Modifier is always active.	Land 5 Gunpowder Barrels.
High Treason Free Spins	5 Free Spins where Hanged, Drawn, and Quartered Modifiers are all active.	Land 6 Gunpowder Barrels.
Bonus Buy	Instantly triggers one of the features or spins.	5 options available, costing from 75x to 600x the bet.
Ante / Execution Bet	Special bets that increase feature frequency or guarantee modifiers.	Activated manually by the player.

How to Play the Fawkes Demo Game

You play the Fawkes game by spinning a 6×4 reel set, aiming to land matching symbols on 3 or more adjacent reels, starting from the leftmost reel. Below this grid, a separate “Gunpowder Cache” reel spins horizontally. Winning potential is enhanced when Wild symbols on the main grid combine with Gunpowder Barrels from the cache to activate special modifiers.

How Do the Dynamic Ways to Win Work?

The ways to win are dynamic, starting at 4,096 ways on the standard 6×4 grid (4x4x4x4x4x4). This number can increase up to a stated maximum of 5,159,700 ways. This expansion happens through two primary mechanics: the “Drawn” modifier, which splits a Wild symbol position into two, and the Gunpowder Cache in free spins, where Wilds appearing in the cache act as additional symbols on the reel above them, effectively increasing the number of symbols on that reel.

Symbols and Payouts: The Conspirator's Toolkit

The paytable in the Fawkes free play demo reflects the grim, historical theme. The high-paying symbols are characters and items central to the plot. The top symbol is the King, followed by the Guard, a Lantern, Crossed Swords, and a Key. For a six-of-a-kind win, these pay from 0.50x down to 0.25x the bet. The low-paying symbols are the standard A, K, Q, J, and 10 card royals.

The central symbol is the Fawkes Puppet, which acts as the Wild Symbol. It appears on the main reels and is the key to triggering the Execution Modifiers. The Gunpowder Barrel is the other critical symbol, appearing only in the Gunpowder Cache to trigger both modifiers and the main free spins features.

Legends of the Plot: What the Symbols Mean

This game is steeped in the mystery and danger of the 1605 Gunpowder Plot. The symbols aren't just random objects; they tell the story.

Symbol	Its Meaning in the Plot
King	This is King James I, the target of the assassination plot. He is the highest-value symbol.
Guard	Represents the King's guards who discovered Fawkes in the cellars of Parliament.
Lantern	Guy Fawkes was reportedly found holding a lantern when he was arrested, making it an iconic symbol of the failed conspiracy.
Key	Symbolizes the keys to the cellar or vault beneath the House of Lords where the gunpowder was stored.
Fawkes Puppet (Wild)	This represents Guy Fawkes himself, the man charged with guarding the explosives. His puppet-like design adds a layer of grim theater.

What are the Fawkes Execution Modifiers?

The Execution Modifiers are three distinct Wild-enhancing features (Hanged, Drawn, and Quartered) that activate during the base game or free spins. They are the core mechanic of the Fawkes slot. A modifier triggers on any spin where at least one Wild lands on the main reels and at least one Gunpowder Barrel lands in the Gunpowder Cache below.

The Gunpowder Cache: Fueling the Modifiers

The Gunpowder Cache is the 6-slot horizontal reel at the bottom. In the base game, it spins to reveal either empty positions or Gunpowder Barrels. The number of Barrels that land (from 1 to 6) determines which Execution Modifier is triggered when a Wild is present.

During Free Spins, the cache's role changes. Gunpowder Barrels appearing on reel 1 award 1 to 5 additional free spins. Barrels appearing on reels 2-6 transform into Wild symbols, which are added to the reel directly above, increasing the ways-to-win for that spin.

Hanged, Drawn, and Quartered: Wild Modifiers Explained

The name of each modifier is derived from the historic punishment for treason, and their functions are thematically linked. The specific modifier you get depends on the number of Gunpowder Barrels in the cache:

• Hanged (1 or 4 Barrels): Any Wild symbol that lands partially in view will be “hanged,” causing it to nudge up or down to cover its entire reel, turning into a full-reel Wild.
• Drawn (2 or 5 Barrels): Any position covered by a Wild is “drawn” or split. The symbol position divides into 2 Wild symbols, increasing the number of active ways-to-win.
• Quartered (3 or 6 Barrels): Any position covered by a Wild is “quartered,” meaning it is randomly replicated onto an adjacent reel, creating another Wild.

If Wilds overlap as a result of these modifiers, they gain a multiplier that can go up to x3. This mechanic is where the game's potential begins to stack, similar to the multiplying portal mechanics in the Fire Portals slot.

Vlad Hvalov's Expert Take:

Don't be fooled by the low-looking symbol payouts. The entire mathematical model of this game ignores them. Your focus in the demo should be 100% on the Execution Modifiers. The goal isn't to connect five Kings; it's to land one Wild and three Barrels to trigger the Quartered modifier, hopefully replicating it onto another Wild. That's the real base game win.

How are the Fawkes Free Spins Triggered?

The Fawkes Free Spins are triggered by landing a specific number of Gunpowder Barrels in the Gunpowder Cache in a single base game spin. You need 5 Gunpowder Barrels to trigger 8 Quartered Free Spins or 6 Gunpowder Barrels to trigger 5 High Treason Free Spins.

Quartered vs. High Treason Free Spins

This is the most critical choice in the game, and it's not really a choice—it's up to the trigger.

• Quartered Free Spins (5 Barrels): You get 8 spins. During this round, the Quartered Modifier (replicating Wilds) is applied to every spin that lands a Wild. This is a consistent, building feature.
• High Treason Free Spins (6 Barrels): You get only 5 spins. However, on every spin that lands a Wild, all three modifiers (Hanged, Drawn, AND Quartered) are applied simultaneously.

The High Treason round is significantly more explosive, turning any Wild into an expanding, splitting, and replicating symbol. This is how the game achieves its massive number of ways and approaches its 20,000x cap.

What are the Fawkes Bonus Buy Options?

The Fawkes demo provides five different Bonus Buy options for testing the features, as well as two special bet modes.

• Ante Bet (Bet Increase): For a slightly higher wager (RTP 96.27%), your chance of triggering features is increased.
• Execution Bet (Bet Increase): For a higher wager (RTP 96.33%), you are guaranteed that if a Wild and Barrel land, at least one modifier will trigger.
• Buy Hanged or Drawn (75x Bet): Guarantees a spin that lands 4 Gunpowder Barrels.
• Buy Quartered (150x Bet): Guarantees a spin that lands 5 Gunpowder Barrels, triggering the 8 Quartered Free Spins.
• Buy High Treason (600x Bet): Guarantees a spin that lands 6 Gunpowder Barrels, triggering the 5 High Treason Free Spins. This is a massive cost, reflecting its volatility, and is reminiscent of the 600x Super Bonus in Zeus vs Hades Gods of War.
• Buy Chance (165x Bet): A gamble. You are guaranteed at least 4 barrels, with a 40% chance of 4, 50% of 5, and 10% of 6.
• Buy Chance: Big Boom (240x Bet): Another gamble with better odds for the top feature. Guarantees at least 4 barrels, with a 30% chance of 4, 45% of 5, and 25% of 6.

Vlad Hvalov's Expert Take:

Honestly, the 600x buy for the High Treason spins is a trap for most sessions. It's built to chase that 20,000x win. A much more practical approach in the demo is testing the 165x “Buy Chance.” The 50% chance to get the Quartered Free Spins (which normally cost 150x) plus the 10% shot at the big one feels like a more balanced way to experience the mechanics without committing to the 600x price tag.

What are the Fawkes Slot RTP, Volatility, and Max Win?

The Fawkes slot RTP is 96.23% for the standard game. This RTP shifts slightly when using the special bets: 96.27% for the Ante Bet and 96.33% for the Execution Bet and all Bonus Buy features. The game has a maximum win cap of 20,000x your bet.

While Wicked Games has not published an official volatility rating, the 20,000x max win, the 600x bonus buy cost, and the “all-or-nothing” nature of the High Treason spins strongly indicate a high volatility mathematical model. Wins in the base game are often small, with the entire payout potential loaded into the feature combinations, much like in notorious high-volatility slots from Hacksaw Gaming.

The 5-Spin vs. 8-Spin Paradox

Here's the interesting mathematical puzzle in Fawkes: is it better to have 8 spins with one modifier (Quartered) or 5 spins with all three? It feels counter-intuitive. The High Treason round costs 600x, while the Quartered round costs 150x. That's a 4x price increase for 3 fewer spins.

The paradox is that the 5 spins are exponentially more powerful. The “Drawn” (splitting) and “Quartered” (replicating) modifiers feed off each other. A single Wild that splits into two, then both of those are replicated, creates a chain reaction that the 8-spin “Quartered” round simply cannot match. The 600x price isn't for the feature; it's for the simultaneous combination of all three modifiers. It's a pure volatility play.

The Counter-Argument: Why 20,000x is the Real Trap

The main selling point is the 20,000x max win. But let's be realistic—that's a ceiling, not a target. The real “trap” in a game like this is focusing on that number. The high volatility, driven by the 600x buy, means the game must pay for that potential by being incredibly harsh the rest of the time. The vast majority of bonus features will pay a fraction of their cost.

This is why the Fawkes demo is so essential. It allows you to experience this volatility without risk. You can try the 600x buy ten times and see for yourself that nine of those times might be deeply disappointing, while one might be spectacular. This is a game built for players who understand and accept that trade-off, much like the chase in Money Train 3.

Plotter's Notes: Expert Analysis

Digging into the Fawkes demo, a few things stand out that aren't in the paytable:

1. The Cache is the Real Grid: After 100 spins, you stop watching the main 6×4 reels. Your eyes are locked on the bottom Gunpowder Cache. The main grid just becomes the place where the Wilds need to land; the cache dictates what happens.
2. Sound Design is Key: The audio is subtle but effective. There's a tense, atmospheric track, but the most important sounds are the “thud” of the barrels landing in the cache and the “slice” and “stretch” sounds of the modifiers.
3. A Nod to “V for Vendetta”: The puppet-like Wild and the theme of a lone conspirator against a powerful state draw an unmissable parallel to the “V” character from the V for Vendetta graphic novel, which itself was inspired by Guy Fawkes.
4. This is a Crime Slot: While it's themed as a historical game, the mechanics make it feel more like a heist or bandit slot, similar to Le Bandit. You are assembling tools (barrels) to “break” the vault (the grid).
5. Themes: This game fits perfectly into several popular slot categories, including History, Crime, Mystery, Medieval (by aesthetic), Royal, Bandit, and even War (in the sense of a rebellion).

Slots with Similar Mechanics to Fawkes

If you enjoy the complex, modifier-heavy gameplay of the Fawkes slot demo, here are a few other free demo slots available on Respinix that share a similar spirit:

1. Retro Tapes: A Push Gaming slot that also features symbols (Wild Tapes) that interact with other symbols (Instant Prizes, Magnets) and feature powerful multipliers.
2. Pirots 2: This Elk Studios game features a completely different grid but shares the idea of collecting symbols to trigger modifiers and upgrade features, creating a deep cascade of events.
3. Book of Dead: While mechanically simpler, this Play'n GO classic shares the “all-or-nothing” high-volatility feel, where the entire game hinges on landing the special expanding symbol in its free spins.
4. Sweet Bonanza: A Pragmatic Play staple that, like Fawkes, relies on multipliers in the free spins to build wins, though it uses a “pay anywhere” system instead of ways.
5. Big Bass Amazon Xtreme: Part of the Big Bass series, this game shows how modifiers can be collected before the bonus round to enhance it, a different take on building potential.

Final Verdict on the Fawkes Demo

So, what's the final word on the Fawkes slot? It’s… a lot. And I mean that in a good way. This is not a casual, spin-and-relax game. It's a “lean-in-and-study-the-paytable” game. Wicked Games has built a machine with interlocking parts that demand your attention. The separation of the trigger (Barrels) from the activator (Wilds) is a clever design choice that creates a constant sense of “almost.”

The High Treason free spins are, without a doubt, the main event, and the 600x price tag tells you everything you need to know about its brutal, high-volatility nature. It's a game of patience and sudden, violent explosions of activity.

Do I recommend it? Yes, but with a clear warning. You should absolutely play the Fawkes demo for free first. Test the 150x buy. Test the 600x buy. Feel the difference. See how many base game spins it takes to even trigger a modifier. This is a fantastic slot for a player who loves complex mechanics and understands high-risk, high-reward gameplay. For everyone else, it might just be a powder keg that never lights.

FAQ