Squid Game Gganbu

Squid Game Gganbu Review

The Korean TV show Squid Game took the world by storm, blending high-stakes competition with a brutal survival drama that kept viewers on edge. For those not in the knows, the series revolves around desperate contestants who risk their lives in a deadly tournament of childhood games, pursuing life-changing cash prizes.

One of the most emotionally charged moments of the show comes in episode 6 of the first season, Gganbu. In Korean, it means “old and close friend” or “partner”, a term that becomes heartbreakingly ironic in this episode. Here, the fourth game challenged players to win a round of marbles against their companions – only the winner survives.

This theme carries over into Squid Game Gganbu. Just like in the show, slot players are to collect marbles. Here, luckily, the consequences are not that dire, while the rewards are equally pleasant – massive cash rewards.

Now, let’s step into the game itself. It plays on a standard 5-reel, 3-row grid, featuring the Reel Ways™ system at the core. If that sounds confusing, it’s OK – that’s just another name for the 243-payline layout. Everything works as usual: symbols pay from left to right, beginning from the leftmost reel, from 3-of-a-kind and more.

As we head over to the numbers department, the slot adaptation isn’t as brutal as the show. Aside from the fact that no one’s life is on the line, Squid Game Gganbu is a low-volatility game, meaning you’ll see frequent wins, though, these are limited to 2,500x the bet. The default RTP is solid at 96%, and the game is accessible from as little as €0.22 per spin. For high rollers, possible stake options go up to €500.88.

Squid Game Gganbu Features

As alluded to above, Squid Game Gganbu is mostly about collecting marbles. These, in turn, grant you access to the game’s bonus features. Players will benefit from a pick bonus game with several different jackpots as well as free spins with added wilds and instant cash rewards. Plus, wild symbols pack a punch during the base game too. Here’s everything explained:

Wild Symbols

On any base spin, before the reels stop, Wild symbols may appear on reels 3, 4, and 5. They substitute for any other pay symbols, assisting you in forming winning combinations. They are also persistent and move up one reel position on subsequent spins instead of disappearing right away.

Feature Marbles

Aside from the regular symbols and Wilds, you’ll encounter three marbles of different colors on the reels – red, blue, and green – each linked to a certain feature. Every time a marble lands, it is collected in a corresponding colored bag sitting above the reels. The more you collect, the bigger the bags grow, and at any time upon collection, you may be awarded the respective feature. However, note that these effects are purely cosmetic and have no effect on triggering the features. It’s all random.

The marbles can trigger either the Jackpot Feature or the Free Spins Feature. More than one bag can be activated on a single spin. In that case, features are played in succession or have enhanced perks.

Free Spins

The Squid Game Gganbu free spins bonus round plays in a similar way to the base game, though, with a few changes. Firstly, Wild symbols are no longer persistent and have the ability to nudge up between spins. Instead, a number of Wilds is added to the reels on each spin. They are available on reels 2-5.

Secondly, symbol values are reduced for the free games. That’s perhaps to balance off the Wilds.

Then, Blue and Green marbles are removed for the feature, while Red ones remain and can activate the Jackpot Feature on any spin when they appear. They also take up new functions. Whenever Red marbles land anywhere in view, they award either +1 or +2 additional free spins, an instant cash payout between 0.1x and 100x your bet, or a Mini or Minor jackpot.

Jackpot Feature

In the Jackpot bonus round, players are taken to a special grid of 15 Cookie Tins, each hiding a jackpot symbol or an upgrade underneath. You reveal this by clicking on the cookies. Should you reveal 3 matching symbols, you get the corresponding jackpot payout. If 3 upgrade symbols are revealed, the jackpot value will be increased. Keep in mind it’s a scripted feature and your picks don’t really affect the outcome, which is clearly stated in the rules of the Squid Game Gganbu slot machine.