Nugget N’ Nonsense

Nugget N' Nonsense: Slot Overview

Reskins, a lot of casino game makers do them, but why some slots are chosen to be copied over others can be puzzling. A case in point is this here gold mining slot from software provider Play'n GO. Titled Nugget N' Nonsense, it's a remake of Lawn 'n Disorder, a game which did not score well, despite the presence of a feisty garden gnome and an exceptionally large max win figure. This time, the studio has gone with more commonplace subject matter, that of the feisty gold miner, who is attempting to mine nuggets via a Hold & Win, bonus spins, super bonus spins, and instant prizes. Again.

One of the game's biggest shocks is that players do not find themselves down a mineshaft but rather outside one next to the entrance. A sunny day warms the rocks and dust, while the main character miner inspects a piece of gold, and his trusty doggy drools above the grid. It's sunny, chipper, and positively presented, as if nuggets will literally jump out of rocks and into pockets, though we know, in reality, that ain't going to happen, plus the miner is a bit of a moaner.

Played on a 5x3 grid, Nugget N' Nonsense comes shipped with 243 ways to win, paying left to right from the leftmost reel. The betting range varies from $/€0.10 to $/€100, and the highly volatile math model has a max RTP of 96.2%.

Landing 5 OAK winning combinations pay 0.6x to 0.8x when the win is made up of J-A card royals, or 4x to 10x if the symbols involved are dynamite, lanterns, or bags of gold. Wilds hit on all reels. As well as substituting all symbols except Coins, wilds have the same value as the bag symbol.

Nugget N' Nonsense: Slot Features

Crack open Nugget N' Nonsense's features and we find a Hold & Spin round, bonus spins, super bonus spins, and a set of instant prizes. To start with, in the base game, Coins may appear on all reels.

Hold & Spin

The Hold & Spin triggers when landing 6 Coins where 3 respins are awarded and which reset when new Coins land. Coins remain in place till the round ends. When it does, each Coin's value of 0.5x to 10x the stake gets paid out.

Bonus Spins

Bonus spins are randomly triggered by landing one or more Coins in the base game. The round starts with 10 free spins, and when a Coin lands (they do not land on reels 2 or 4), there is a chance of triggering the wheel. When the wheel activates, it awards +2 to +4 respins or x2-x8 multipliers. Multipliers are added to empty slots on reels 2 and 4 for the duration of the bonus. After each win with a multiplier, its value increases by +1 up to x8. If several multipliers on the same reel participate in a win, they add their values together. If multipliers in the win are on different reels, they multiply their values. Symbols covered by a multiplier count for as many symbols as the multiplier indicates. The respins count is capped at 25.

Super Bonus Spins

Super bonus spins are triggered randomly when landing one or more Coins in the base game. They are similar to regular free spins with a few differences. One, 8 spins are granted at the beginning. Also, the wheel, when triggered, can award +2 or +3 respins, or multipliers of x8 to x20. Up to 20 respins can be awarded, and multipliers are capped at x20.

Instant Bonuses

This is also triggered by landing one or more Coins in the base game. Players are able to win the 10x Mini, 20x Minor, 75x Major, or the 250x Grand.

Nugget N' Nonsense: Slot Verdict

Nugget N' Nonsense was strangely unexciting to play. Strange because the game boasts winning potential of 50,000x the stake, which should be more than enough to get the pulse racing on its own, even in a Play'n GO game. Alas, like its predecessor, Lawn n' Disorder, Nugget N' Nonsense suffers from the same pitfalls as before. Possibly more, given the commonality of the mining theme on its own, and the cliches seem extra obvious when compared to a garden gnome game. In fact, the 50,000x max win is one of the most nonsensical things around here and at the time of writing, there is no proof of anyone coming even close to this number on Lawn n' Disorder, so do not expect it here either. Typical PnG nonsense claims as it seems in other words.

The issue isn't just one of identity, despite Play'n GO swapping a less obvious theme for one that's more regular. Much of the gameplay just doesn't live up to the hype its massive potential would suggest. Instant bonuses are so-so, the Hold & Spin is completely vanilla, leaving the two bonus rounds to pick up the slack. Fair dues, should a gambler get lucky, then multipliers might help pickaxe out a chunky haul. However, the paradox that lies at the heart of Lawn n' Disorder returns again, which is, how a slot with such sphincter-clenching numbers can feel so underwhelmingly slow-paced. As a result, when you strip away the loveable canine and eye-grabbing max exposure, what's left is a sleepy slot, powered by gameplay that performs about as low-energy as it did last time.