SugarPop 2: Double Dipped from Betsoft Gaming: Slot Review - a sugary fortune awaits!
Sweet and candy-themed slots have always been popular with players as they often play like a slots version of Candy Crush and offer some very sweet rewards in return! Popular software studio Betsoft Gaming released the hugely successful online slot SugarPop on the market back in 2013 and it was a runaway hit back then, so it was a bit of a no-brainer for the company to release a follow-up to this much-loved game. Let’s find out if this sequel is worth its weight in sugar or if it will give you a sore toothache instead?
SugarPop 2: Double Dipped is played on a 7x7 grid and includes Free Spins, Exploding Wins, a Level Up system, a Candy Bomb feature, and a Double Up game.
Special Features
The first feature to highlight is that the game does not feature a traditional payline structure. Instead, the game is played on a 7x7 grid which allows 49 symbols to be on the screen at the same time. This is slightly bigger than the 5x5 grid used in its predecessor SugarPop. To form wins on the grid, you must land clusters of 4 or more contiguous symbols, when this happens then the symbols will explode to be replaced by new symbols which drop down from above. New wins are calculated and the process continues until there are no more winning combinations on the grid.
If you manage to land 5 or more winning clusters then you will trigger the Candy Bomb feature. Once activated, the Candy Bomb will explode to include more symbols in the win and this explosion can affect anywhere between 6 to 20 symbols on the grid. The more winning clusters you have, the more powerful the explosion becomes. Land 5 or more symbols in a winning cluster and you will generate a Wild symbol that is left behind when the cluster explodes. This symbol is quite easy to spot as it features a bright and colourful backdrop behind the original symbol. Like most Wild symbols, the main function of this symbol is to substitute for all other symbols to help form winning combinations on the grid. It does not substitute for the Free Spins and Level-Up symbols.
The Level-Up symbol is depicted by a gold star with a purple arrow pointing upwards. When this symbol pops up on the grid then it will fill a special meter to the right of the grid. Once the meter is full then you will advance to the next level of the game. Every 4 levels, up to level 29, a new special candy is added to the game. As you play the game, a chocolate surprise egg will appear on the grid from time to time after a win has been awarded and the egg will break to reveal a special candy that has been unlocked through levelling up. For example, a Morphing Wild candy symbol will take the shape of any other candy symbol that is near it. Candy Cane symbols can explode all symbols in the same row and column and Lollipop symbols shuffle the symbols around on the grid. There is also a Jelly Bean Cannon which shoots Jelly Beans that rain down onto the grid which destroy any symbols where they land. The most rewarding symbol of all is unlocked when you reach Level 29 and is the Sweet Hammer symbol. This symbol hits the grid up to 9 times, smashing symbols causing them to be removed to allow new symbols to take their place thus increasing your chances of landing a huge payout.
The Free Spins symbol is represented by a red candy with ‘FS’ displayed inside. If you happen to land a cluster of 4 or more of these symbols then you will trigger the Free Spins feature. The number of Free Spins you are awarded is entirely dependent on how many symbols are formed in a winning cluster. For example, 4 symbols will give you 5 Free Spins but if you are lucky enough to land 15 of these symbols then you will be awarded a fine set of 27 Free Spins. It’s possible to land an unlimited amount of Free Spins in this highly rewarding feature as 2 additional Free Spins are awarded for each Free Spin symbol found in a cluster.
The final feature to discuss is the Double Up game. This is an optional bonus game that is triggered whenever you form a win on the reels and allows you to gamble 50% or 100% of your winnings by guessing either Heads or Tails of a spinning coin. Guess correctly and your winnings will be doubled but be warned as if you guess incorrectly then you will lose all your current winnings and be taken back to the main game.
Theme, Graphics and Sound
The graphics are a vast improvement over the original SugarPop game and appear far more colourful and life-life this time around. The game is set high up on some candyfloss clouds and the sweets and candy are so realistic looking that they look good enough to eat! Symbols consist of a variety of sweets such as different shapes of candy, gumdrops, caramel chews, jelly beans, candy canes, and a whole lot more. The animations are excellent as symbols drop down onto the grid smoothly and explode in spectacular fashion when part of a winning cluster on the grid.
The music is upbeat with lots of cheerful melodic sounds. It ties in nicely with the candy theme of the game.
Top games from Betsoft Gaming
Win lines, Payouts and Jackpots
The game features a 7x7 grid, a good RTP of 96.42%, and a low maximum payout worth 113X your wager.
Below is a summary taken from the PayOut Table from the game. The amount won for each combination depends on the value of the bet when you spin the reels.
Bet Range: 0.50, 1.00, 2.00, 2.50, 3.00, 4.00, 5.00, 7.50, 10.00, 12.50, 15.00, 20.00, 22.50, 25.00, 30.00, 37.50, 40.00, 50.00, 60.00, 80.00, 90.00, 100.00, 120.00, 150.00, 200.00, 250.00
Based on a bet of 1.00:
- Heart Sweet Symbol: 20 for 4X
- Blue Sweet Symbol: 15 for 4X
- Green Sweet Symbol: 12 for 4X
- Yellow Sweet Symbol: 10 for 4X
- Orange Sweet Symbol: 8 for 4X
- Purple Sweet Symbol: 6 for 4X
- Pink Sweet Symbol: 4 for 3X
Our Verdict on SugarPop 2: Double Dipped
Leading software developer Betsoft Gaming produced this extremely entertaining slot. It is very rare that a sequel is often better than the original but I am happy to report that SugarPop 2: Double Dipped is just that. It’s visually stunning to look at, a joy to play, and is stocked full of an array of top bonus features. The Level-Up system provides amazing replay value and the higher you level up in this game, the greater the rewards become. So be sure to level up as quickly as possible when you play this slot! I was able to trigger Free Spins quite regularly when playing and it’s just great that you can land unlimited Free Spins while in this feature. I found this slot to be of Medium variance so you won’t have to wait too long until you bag yourself a sweet win on the grid. Get ready to test your sweet tooth to the limit when you play this cracking online slot! For slots with a similar candy theme, check out Candy Dreams and Sweet King.
Land a sweet fortune when you play SugarPop 2: Double Dipped!