The Chicken Road is a 5-reel, 25-payline online slots game developed by NetEntertainment (NetEnt). Released in 2012, it has since become one of the most popular and enduring classic slot games available today. As its name suggests, the game’s theme revolves around farming, with chickens, farms, and rural landscapes dominating the design.
Theme and Design
Chicken Road The Chicken Road is set on a sun-drenched farm surrounded by rolling hills, complete with cypress trees and rustic farm equipment. The reels are framed within a wooden fence, adding to the agricultural ambiance. The game’s title logo appears prominently above the reels in bold, country-chic font. The overall design exudes a nostalgic charm reminiscent of classic slots from the early 2000s.
Symbols
The paytable symbols reflect the farm theme, with 10 low-value playing card suits (9-Ace) displayed alongside higher-paying fruit and animal icons:
- Fruit : Lemons, Plums, Oranges, Cherries
- Animals : Cow, Pig, Horse, Chicken
- Farm Equipment : Scythe, Wheelbarrow, Rake
The highest-paying symbol is the Scythe (10 times bet), followed closely by the Chicken (5 times bet).
Payouts
Winning combinations are determined by standard slot rules. For example, a five-of-a-kind combination of any single symbol pays 5000x the initial stake.
Here’s an approximate payout breakdown for winning combinations:
Symbol 3 of Kind 4 of Kind 5 of Kind A-Ace 1x bet 2.50x bet 10x bet Fruits (Lemon to Cherry) 0.25x bet 0.75x bet 2.00x bet Animals (Cow, Pig, Horse) 0.50x bet 1.00x bet 3.00x bet
Wilds and Scatters
The Wild is represented by the Chicken Road logo itself, replacing all other symbols in winning combinations except for scatters.
Scatter symbols appear as farmhouses with a bright red door. Landing three or more anywhere on the reels triggers the "Chicken Frenzy" bonus round, awarding 10 free spins and doubling any wins made during that time.
Bonus Features
In addition to free spins triggered by scattered farmhouse icons, Chicken Road features several other gameplay-enhancing mechanics:
- Wild Streak : Randomly landing wilds become sticky for one spin.
- Chicken Bonus : Collect three or more scatters in a single game round awards 10x the total stake as an instant cash prize.
Free Spins
The free spins feature offers an exciting twist on standard gameplay. Players can retrigger Chicken Frenzy by collecting additional scattered farmhouse icons, potentially granting up to 20 bonus games per session.
During free spins:
- Wins are doubled : All paytable combinations result in double the payout.
- Wild Streak and Chicken Bonus active : Potential for higher wins due to wilds sticking around longer than usual and scatters providing instant rewards.
RTP
Chicken Road’s theoretical return-to-player (RTP) rate ranges from 95.45% at minimum stakes ($0.25 per spin) down to a relatively modest 91.43%.
While RTP rates of 92% or higher are more standard for modern slots, Chicken Road still manages respectable returns considering its age.
Volatility
Chicken Road operates within the medium-to-high volatility spectrum (7/10). Expecting wins in excess of $100 might take some time due to a moderate frequency and payout depth balance between big prizes and frequent smaller winnings.