You know what surprised me about BIGOTE? After throwing a few hundred spins at different bet levels, this slot isn't quite what I expected. R Franco's latest offering had me intrigued from the start, but it wasn't until I dove deep into the gameplay that I really understood what makes this game tick.
BIGOTE caught my eye with its quirky mustache theme, but I quickly realized there's more to this slot than just a fun aesthetic. After spending a couple of weeks testing it out, I can say it's a mixed bag of highs and lows. The base game can be a bit of a grind, but when those features hit – watch out!
The first thing that struck me was the vibrant color palette. BIGOTE's reels are set against a backdrop of a bustling barbershop, complete with spinning barber poles and combs scattered about. The attention to detail is impressive – I found myself grinning at the little animated mustaches that wiggle when they're part of a winning combination.
The theme is executed well, with symbols like scissors, razors, and various styled mustaches populating the reels. It's clear R Franco put some thought into creating a cohesive atmosphere. Personally, I found the whole vibe pretty charming, even if the constant snipping sound effects got a bit old after a while.
BIGOTE plays on a 5x3 grid with 20 fixed paylines. Wins form left to right, and you'll need at least three matching symbols to score a payout. What caught me off guard was the "Mustache Boost" feature – occasionally, mustache symbols will expand to cover entire reels, leading to some unexpected big wins.
I had a pretty wild session where I started with €50 at €0.40 bets. After about 100 spins, I'd dipped down to €30, but then hit a full screen of medium-paying razor symbols thanks to three expanded mustaches. That single hit shot me up to €112!
The high-value symbols are where the real money's at in BIGOTE. The golden scissors are the top dog, paying out 25x your bet for a five-of-a-kind. I managed to land four of them during one bonus round, netting a cool €80 on a €1 bet.
Low-value symbols are your typical card suits, but they're styled to fit the theme with little curly mustaches attached. These make up the bulk of your smaller wins – I found myself hitting a lot of three-of-a-kind A's and K's, usually paying around 1-2x my bet.
The wild symbol is a dapper gentleman with an impressive 'stache. It substitutes for all symbols except the scatter and can lead to some nice combinations. I had one spin where a wild helped complete two four-of-a-kind wins simultaneously, giving me a 30x payout.
The "Mustache Boost" I mentioned earlier is the standout feature here. It triggered for me roughly once every 50-60 spins, which kept things interesting during longer sessions. When it hits, 1-3 reels can turn completely wild, often leading to multi-line wins.
There's also a "Trim and Shape" feature that can activate randomly after any non-winning spin. This reshuffles the symbols on the reels, potentially creating new winning combinations. It's a nice touch that saved a few of my seemingly dead spins.
The free spins bonus is where BIGOTE really shines. It took me 287 spins to trigger it the first time (yes, I counted), but it was worth the wait. You need three scatter symbols (barber chairs) to activate 10 free spins.
During the bonus, mustache wilds are sticky and remain in place for the duration. My best run saw me accumulate 6 sticky wilds by the end, resulting in a massive 180x total win. However, I also had a few duds where I barely broke even on the bonus.
BIGOTE feels like a medium to high volatility slot. I experienced some long dry spells, but when the wins came, they often made up for the waiting. The RTP is stated at 96.02%, which seems about right based on my sessions.
I found my bankroll would often take a hit during base gameplay, but a good bonus round or a few lucky Mustache Boosts could quickly turn things around. In one memorable hour-long session, I went from €100 down to €40, then all the way up to €280 before ending at €180.
Based on my experience, I'd recommend starting with lower bets to get a feel for the game's flow. I found €0.40 to €1 per spin to be a sweet spot for balancing excitement and bankroll longevity.
Don't be discouraged by slow starts – BIGOTE seems to reward patience. I had my best results when I stuck to a consistent bet size and rode out the volatility.
I tested BIGOTE on both my iPhone and iPad. The game ran smoothly on both devices, with no noticeable lag or glitches. The touch controls were responsive, making it easy to adjust bets and spin the reels.
One minor gripe: on smaller screens, some of the paytable information felt a bit cramped. It's not a deal-breaker, but something to be aware of if you prefer mobile play.
The graphics in BIGOTE are crisp and colorful, holding up well even during extended play sessions. Animations are smooth, particularly when the Mustache Boost feature activates.
The soundtrack is... quirky. It's a jazzy, upbeat tune that fits the theme well, but I found myself muting it after a while. The sound effects, on the other hand, are satisfying and add to the overall experience.
Pros:
Cons:
From my testing, I found that a balanced approach works best with BIGOTE. Here's what worked for me:
BIGOTE reminds me a bit of NetEnt's "Spinata Grande" in terms of its quirky theme and expandable symbols. However, I found BIGOTE to be more volatile, with higher potential for both big wins and prolonged dry spells.
Compared to other R Franco slots I've played, like "Vacuum Buster," BIGOTE feels more polished and engaging. The features are more interesting, and the win potential seems higher.
I tested BIGOTE at three different online casinos: LeoVegas, Casumo, and BitStarz. All three performed well, with quick loading times and smooth gameplay. I had the best overall experience with Casumo, thanks to their quick withdrawal processing and responsive customer support.
After two weeks of intense testing, I can say that BIGOTE is a solid offering from R Franco. It's not going to be everyone's cup of tea – the high volatility and niche theme might turn some players off. However, if you enjoy quirky slots with big win potential and don't mind some dry spells, BIGOTE is definitely worth a spin.
Personally, I found myself coming back to it more often than I expected. The combination of the unique theme, the Mustache Boost feature, and those tantalizing free spins kept me engaged. Just remember to manage your bankroll carefully – this mustache can bite as well as charm!
How often does the free spins bonus trigger?
In my experience, it varied widely. Sometimes it hit within 100 spins, other times it took 300+. On average, I'd say every 200-250 spins.
Can you retrigger free spins?
Unfortunately, no. You get 10 spins, and that's it.
What's the maximum win potential?
The game info states a max win of 2,500x your bet. The highest I personally saw was about 600x during a particularly lucky free spins round.
Is there an autoplay feature?
Yes, you can set up to 100 autospins with various stop conditions.
Can you play BIGOTE for free?
Most casinos I tried offered a demo version, so you can test it out without risking real money.