Rakin’ Bacon Sahara

AGS has created something genuinely different by merging two seemingly incompatible concepts: a money-hunting pig and ancient Egyptian mythology. At the heart of this unusual pairing is Cornsquealius, a charismatic golden pig wearing a pharaoh's headdress, standing proudly atop a mountain of gold coins. This peculiar protagonist sets Rakin' Bacon Sahara apart from the countless Egyptian-themed slots flooding the market.

Series Background

Rakin' Bacon Sahara is the second installment in AGS's Cornsquealius series, following the success of the original Rakin' Bacon slot. While the first game introduced our porcine hero as a treasure hunter, this sequel places him in the realm of ancient pharaohs. The series stands out for its commitment to blending humor with serious gaming mechanics, creating a distinct niche in the crowded slot game market.

Technical Framework

The game operates on a 5-reel setup with 243 ways to win. Players can start their Egyptian expedition with a minimum bet of $0.88, while high rollers can wager up to $66 per spin. The RTP sits at 94.01%, which is notably lower than the industry average. This mathematical foundation creates a gaming experience that balances regular small wins with the potential for significant payouts through its bonus features.

Visual Design and Atmosphere

Breaking from traditional Egyptian slot designs, Rakin' Bacon Sahara creates a fresh visual identity. The background showcases the iconic pyramids and obelisks, but they serve as a stage for Cornsquealius's adventures rather than the main focus. Gold coins flood the foreground, creating a visual connection between Egyptian wealth and modern gambling that feels both clever and self-aware.

Symbol Innovation and Payouts

The paytable reveals an interesting mix of traditional and themed elements. While the lower-paying card symbols might seem generic, they maintain consistent value across all four symbols – a design choice that simplifies payout tracking. The star of the show, Cornsquealius himself, offers the highest regular payout at 1000x when five appear with a win multiplier on an 88-credit bet.

Unique Wild System

The wild symbol implementation shows particular thought in game design. Rather than appearing on all reels, wilds are restricted to reels 2-4 in the base game. This limitation creates strategic depth, as players must rely more heavily on natural symbol combinations on the outer reels. The wilds don't pay independently but instead fill gaps in winning combinations, making their appearance more impactful.

Free Spins Innovation

The free spins feature introduces a fascinating reel expansion mechanic. Starting with 10 spins, players can discover arrow symbols that transform the standard 5×3 grid into a 6-row powerhouse. The clever part comes from the arrow symbol's dual functionality – on expanded reels, it either adds up to 10 extra spins or introduces 1-3 wild symbols. This dynamic creates an evolving playfield where each spin could significantly alter the game's potential.

Progressive Pick Feature

The jackpot system employs a pick-and-match mechanic featuring 12 mystery pigs. Players select symbols until finding three matches, determining which of the four jackpot tiers they win. This straightforward but engaging approach to jackpot distribution maintains excitement without overwhelming complexity.

Advanced Gaming Mechanics

The PowerXStream system deserves special attention. It evaluates wins on adjacent reels from left to right, but with a twist – the award multiplies based on the number of qualifying symbols per reel. This multiplication effect creates the potential for surprisingly large wins from seemingly modest symbol combinations.

Rakin' Bacon Sahara succeeds in carving out its own identity in the saturated Egyptian slot market. Through its unusual protagonist and well-designed bonus features, it offers a fresh perspective on familiar themes. While not revolutionary in its core mechanics, the game's charm lies in its ability to combine tried-and-true slot elements with genuinely unique character design and bonus implementations.