The Flintstones Bedrock Riches

Blueprint Gaming has a considerable history with adapting licensed properties into the slot format, and The Flintstones: Bedrock Riches is a noteworthy entry in their portfolio. Rather than simply applying a coat of thematic paint to a standard video slot, this game introduces a persistent progression system through its Cash Collect and Trail Unlocks mechanics. These elements form the central pillar of the gameplay, creating a structure that rewards session length and fundamentally alters the player experience over time. The game moves beyond mere character cameos, integrating the cast of Bedrock into features that are both layered and consequential.

The Core Gameplay Loop: Cash Collect and Trail Unlocks

The primary mechanism that sets this game apart is its layered collection system. The base experience revolves around the Cash Collect feature, which is immediately active. The character Fred Flintstone acts as the Collect symbol, appearing exclusively on reels 1 and 5. When Fred lands, he expands to cover the entire reel, and any Cash Prize symbols present on reels 2, 3, and 4 are gathered and awarded. This provides a steady, albeit often modest, stream of returns during the base game, keeping the rhythm of play from becoming monotonous.

However, the true depth of this system is revealed through the Trail Unlocks meter located above the reels. Each time a Fred Collect symbol lands, it contributes to a persistent trail, progressively unlocking more powerful versions of the collection feature. This creates a tangible sense of advancement within a single gaming session. Once a feature is unlocked, it remains active. The progression is structured as follows:

Lock & Collect: Unlocked after accumulating 2 Collect symbols. When triggered, any Cash Prize symbols on the reels lock in place. The reels without Cash Prizes or Collect symbols then respin once, offering a second chance to land additional cash values before the collection occurs.

Win Stepper Collect: Unlocked after 5 Collect symbols. Upon activation, any Cash Prize symbols in view will nudge up or down to fill their respective reels entirely with Cash Prize symbols. This substantially increases the number of values Fred collects.

Cash Match Collect: Unlocked after 9 Collect symbols. When this feature is initiated, the game identifies the highest single Cash Prize value on the reels. All other Cash Prize symbols in view are then transformed to match this highest value before collection. This can lead to significant payouts, especially if a high-value coin is present.

Super Collect: Unlocked after 13 Collect symbols. This enhancement causes the collected cash value to be paid out multiple times. The collected sum can be awarded up to four times for each Super Collect symbol that appears on the reels.

Bedrock Riches Symbol: Unlocked after accumulating 17 Collect symbols. This final step does not alter the base game Collect feature itself but unlocks the potential for the Bedrock Riches symbol to appear during the Cash Spins bonus round, adding another layer to that feature.

In-Depth Breakdown of Bonus Features

Beyond the central collection loop, the game is punctuated by several distinct bonus events. During any spin in the base game, Fred can shout his signature “Yabba Dabba Doo!”, triggering one of two random reel modifiers. The Bonus Boost adds a significant number of extra Bonus Scatter symbols to the reels, directly increasing the probability of initiating the main bonus round. The Bedrock Bowl Wilds modifier adds a random number of Wild symbols (a purple bowling ball) to reels 2, 3, 4, and 5, creating potential for new or improved winning paylines. These modifiers serve as welcome interruptions that can change the complexion of a standard spin.

The main bonus event is Cash Spins, a hold-and-win style round. It is triggered by landing three Bonus Scatter symbols simultaneously on reels 2, 3, and 4. The player is awarded an initial three spins. During this round, the reels contain only Cash Prize symbols, blank spaces, and special modifier symbols. Landing any symbol other than a blank resets the spin counter back to three. The objective is to fill the screen with as many valuable symbols as possible before the spins run out. Here, the Flintstones Symbol comes into play, revealing one of four characters, each with a specific function:

Fred: Unlocks an additional row at the top of the grid, expanding the play area. This can occur a maximum of three times, increasing the total number of positions for symbols to land.

Barney: Functions as an internal collector, gathering the values of all Cash Prize symbols currently on the reels and adding them to his own position's total.

Betty: Provides a value boost to all Cash Prize symbols currently visible on the grid.

Wilma: Awards several random cash values to empty positions on the reels.

Should the player have progressed far enough on the main trail to unlock the Bedrock Riches symbol, it can land during the Cash Spins round. Landing this symbol activates a secondary, self-contained bonus game after the Cash Spins conclude. This feature presents the player with a selection of coins to choose from. Each pick can reveal a random cash prize, a Jackpot value (Mini, Minor, Major, or Mega), a “Danger” skull, or a Speed Up icon. The Speed Up icons advance the player along a multiplier trail, which enhances the value of any cash or jackpot prizes won within the feature. The player starts with three lives; each Danger symbol revealed reduces the life count by one. The bonus ends when all lives are lost. The interaction between the speed trail, multipliers, and lives adds a notable degree of strategic consideration to the pick-and-click format. To fully understand the intricate rules governing the speed trail and its associated multipliers, it is helpful to launch the Bedrock Riches demo version of the slot and open the integrated help file by pressing the ‘i' button.

Theme, Animation, and Bedrock's Atmosphere

Visually, the game is a faithful homage to the classic Hanna-Barbera cartoon. The art style forgoes modern 3D rendering in favor of a clean, 2D aesthetic that directly mirrors the source material. The character portraits for Fred, Wilma, Betty, and Dino are drawn exactly as they appeared in the show, maintaining the charm of the original. The background is a vibrant depiction of Bedrock, complete with prehistoric flora and the iconic Flintstone family home. The color palette is bright and inviting, without being overwhelming.

The animations are a particular strength. When the Fred Collect feature activates, his reel-sized symbol performs a characteristic pose as the cash bags fly from the central reels and are absorbed. The “Yabba Dabba Doo!” modifier is accompanied by a full-screen animation of Fred sliding down his dinosaur crane, an effect that effectively captures the show's energy. Even small details, like the gentle sway of the plants in the background and the subtle animations on winning symbols, contribute to a lively and polished presentation. The sound design complements the visuals perfectly, incorporating familiar sound effects and musical cues that are instantly recognizable to anyone familiar with the cartoon. This commitment to the source material provides a strong sense of place and prevents the game from feeling like a generic slot with a loosely applied theme.

The game operates on a standard 5-reel, 3-row grid with 20 fixed paylines. All wins are formed by matching three or more symbols from left to right, starting on the first reel. The Wild symbol, the bowling ball, substitutes for all paying symbols to help form winning combinations, but it cannot substitute for any of the special symbols (Bonus, Cash Prize, or Collect) and appears only on reels 2 through 5. This restriction on reel 1 means the Wild cannot initiate a payline on its own, a subtle but important design choice that places more emphasis on the premium symbols.

An examination of the winplan reveals a clear hierarchy. The game's logo is the most valuable symbol, offering a substantially higher payout than the main character symbols. Wilma, Betty, and Dino form the next tier of premium symbols, followed by the lower-value A, K, Q, and J royals, which are designed in a stone-age font consistent with the theme. The interplay between the different features is the game's mechanical core. The base game's rhythm is defined by the anticipation of landing a Collect symbol in conjunction with valuable Cash Prize symbols. The excitement builds over a session as the player unlocks the more potent Collect features, shifting the game's dynamic from small, frequent collections to events with much larger potential. This progression system makes the game feel less like a series of independent spins and more like a continuous experience with long-term objectives. The design by Blueprint Gaming is clever, as it creates a compelling reason for continued play beyond the simple hope of landing a single, large win, rewarding a player's investment of time with increasingly powerful tools within the game itself.