Inside the New ‘Break and Win’ Mechanic: What’s Behind 3 Oaks Gaming’s Latest Innovation?

Q. The ‘Break and Win’ mechanic is designed for instant collection and progressive features. Was the primary goal here to increase engagement during the base game or to create a more dynamic bonus experience?

A: We live in a time of fast emotions - people often prefer short videos over full-length movies. This global shift also affects slot gameplay. Players aren’t always willing to wait 100+ spins for a bonus game or feature, which is why we decided to create a game full of dynamic moments that can maintain player attention for extended periods.

Q. The joker symbol plays two roles: wild and collect. Why did you decide to limit it to the central reel, and what effect does that choice have on gameplay flow and strategy?

A: To make the player’s life easier :slightly_smiling_face: We wanted to create a game where most events revolve around one central character. To help focus player attention and streamline the experience, we placed this character on a single, easily identifiable reel - the center one.

Q. Random features like Wild Rewind and spontaneous reel ignition add unpredictability. Was this a deliberate attempt to keep the game exciting, or were you aiming to give players a constant sense of anticipation?

A: We love unpredictability in our games. It’s like opening a birthday present - you don’t know what’s inside, and that surprise creates excitement. Each spin in this game can bring a variety of unexpected events, and that’s exactly the feeling we want to deliver.

Q. The Piggy Bank Meters lead to different amounts of free spins depending on how full they are. What was your thinking behind offering both six and twelve spins - how do you think this affects player decision-making?

A: It’s no secret that "pot-style" games are very popular right now, and we wanted to bring that excitement into our game. Initially, we considered having different features inside each Piggy, but we dropped that idea to avoid making the game overly complex. Instead, we chose a more player-friendly approach: collect coins to fill Piggies, and earn either 6 or 12 Free Spins depending on how many are full.

Q. The ‘Bonus Rewind’ feature turns random symbols into jackpot symbols. How do you balance this feature to keep the excitement level high without making it feel like a gimmick?

A: It was definitely a challenge - though I can’t share all our secrets :wink: The key was balancing the rewards players receive both from the reels and from the character. We worked hard to keep the feature exciting but fair, so it feels meaningful rather than gimmicky.

Q. Dancing Joker has energetic visuals and multiple win paths. How do you make sure these elements complement each other without overwhelming the player experience?

A: That was a tough challenge. We conducted a large number of playtests to fine-tune the game’s flow. Initially, the game had even more features, but we removed some to avoid overwhelming the player. Our goal was to create the feeling that a big win is always close, and that the main character - the Joker - is the key to those wins. Line wins add excitement and atmosphere, but they’re also important to player perception.

Q. From a design perspective, what challenges did the team face when developing the Break and Win mechanic, particularly in maintaining a balance between volatility and rewarding gameplay?

A: Animations - so many questions around animations! How should the character react to different types of wins? What emotions should be tied to specific features? The biggest challenge was syncing the Joker’s emotional animations with all the different events happening on the screen, while keeping everything cohesive and engaging.