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Riddec Games has released a new boxing-themed slot called Ultimate KO, and it revolves around one really clever idea: an actual fight on the reels.
It’s a very small, straightforward game, just a 3×3 grid with five paylines. It has a high volatility, a top payout of 7,500x your bet (capped at $250,000), and an RTP (Return to Player) of 95.14%.
But the real reason to play this game is the “VS” wild symbol. Here is a breakdown of how it works, and whether the game is actually worth your time.
The Best Part: The Multiplier Fight
Usually, an expanding wild just covers a reel and gives you a multiplier. Ultimate KO does things differently.
When a “VS” wild lands and expands, it splits into two boxers, each with a different multiplier stamped on them (ranging from 2x all the way up to 100x). The two boxers fight, and whoever wins gives you their multiplier.
Here is the catch, and it’s a brilliant, slightly evil piece of design: the game leaves the loser’s multiplier on the screen just long enough for you to see what you missed. During our test, we watched our boxer win a 7x multiplier while knocking out a guy holding a 20x multiplier. Winning 7x is nice, but seeing the 20x go down the drain feels like a near-miss, which makes the game incredibly memorable.
(Note: If you get two of these winning wilds in the same spin, they add together, they don’t multiply. So a 10x and a 20x will give you a 30x boost).
The Base Game is a Waiting Room
Because this is a 3×3 game, the only way to win is to get three of a kind. The regular symbols, like boxing gloves, shorts, and speed bags, pay out very little. The top standard symbol only pays 5x your bet.
Because the regular payouts are so low, the base game feels a bit pointless without the VS wild. You are essentially just spinning and waiting for those boxers to show up. We did a few test spins in the base game and won absolutely nothing, even though the screen looked busy.
The Bonus Round: Short and Hands-Off
If you land three scatter symbols (championship belts), you get 5 free spins. There are no upgrades, no extra tiers, and you can’t retrigger more spins once the bonus starts.
Once it begins, you don’t do anything. The five spins play out automatically, holding your winnings in a lump sum until the end. The big perk here is that you are guaranteed one expanding wild on every single free spin.
You can also just buy your way into this bonus round for 60x your bet. We tried this on a $1 bet (costing $60) and walked away with $155.40. However, it’s worth noting that $99 of that came from just one lucky spin. The other four spins didn’t do much.
Skip the “Lucky Bet”
The game offers a “Lucky Bet” feature that costs 10x your normal bet. It guarantees you one expanding wild on your next spin.
Don’t fall for this. It doesn’t improve your chances of triggering the free spins bonus. When you compare the math, paying 60x for five guaranteed wilds (plus the actual bonus round) is a much better deal than paying 10x for just one wild in the base game.
Looks and Feel
The game looks great. It uses a flat, 2D comic-book art style that fits the boxing theme perfectly. The symbols are bright and easy to read, which is super important on a tiny 3×3 grid. When you trigger the free spins, the background changes from a neon-lit arena to a cool, golden-hued boxing gym, which is a nice visual touch.
The Good and the Bad
What works:
- The fighting wilds: The multiplier battle is a genuinely fresh, fun idea that fits the boxing theme perfectly.
- Fair bonus pricing: Buying the bonus for 60x your bet is actually a very fair price compared to what other slot developers charge.
- Big potential: The multipliers go up to 100x and can be added together, making big wins feel actually possible.
- Easy to learn: With a 3×3 grid and 5 lines, you’ll understand this game in seconds.
What doesn’t:
- Low RTP: At 95.14%, the payback percentage is a bit below the industry average (and your specific casino might set it even lower).
- Boring base game: If a VS wild doesn’t land, your spin is basically worthless.
- The bonus is over in a flash: Five auto-played free spins go by incredibly fast.
- It’s a clone: underneath the boxing theme this is Riddec’s older Primal Fury in new artwork, down to the grid, the wild and the five-spin bonus.
The Final Verdict
Ultimate KO is a fast, simple slot built entirely around one cool trick. Watching the boxers fight for your multiplier is highly entertaining, and seeing the massive multiplier you didn’t get is a great psychological hook.
However, everything else about the game is pretty thin. The regular symbols don’t pay much, the base game is just a waiting room, and the bonus round is over in the blink of an eye. If you’re going to play this, your best bet is to skip the boring base game, pay the 60x to buy the bonus round, and enjoy your five guaranteed fights.