ELK Studios is all about Summertime fun as it brings us different take on the cluster slot – Squeeze! As you will learn in this review, Squeeze is a game where winning symbols are, well, squeezed out of the 6x7 grid. The squeezed winning symbols can even randomly “bounce back” into the grid, adding a multiplier to the current round. Ready for this tall glass of cool gaming juice? Then continue reading our Squeeze review to learn all about it!
Squeeze is a cluster slot, meaning it lacks the traditional winning combinations. Instead, wins are formed by landing at least 5 matching symbols on vertically or horizontally adjacent positions on the 6x7 grid. Winning symbols are then “squeezed” in what can be described as a horizontal version of the tumble mechanic.
ELK Studios describes the volatility of the Squeeze slot as “8/10,” which makes it pretty high by our estimate. As such, expect infrequent but potentially big wins thanks to the squeeze mechanic. That said, this win potential does come at a cost - the RTP stands at just 94%, which is pretty low compared to the RTP of around 96% found in most slot games.
Stakes made while playing Squeeze can range from £0.20 up to £100.00. The maximum win you can get while playing can total a maximum of 10,000x the stake. If you manage to get this win amount then the game round will end immediately before you receive your payout.
Once you tried the Squeeze demo you might want to play it for real money. In that case, we recommend doing so at any of these fine UK casino sites. Check our top slot sites here:
ELK Studios is well known for visually elaborate slots such as the Nitropolis series, which is why Squeeze comes as something of a surprise. This is a far graphically simpler slot, with brightly coloured symbols set on a familiar beach backdrop.
However, that doesn't mean ELK Studios failed to put its signature visual flourishes here - the symbols display some pleasingly bouncy animations whenever they get squeezed off the grid, while the aforementioned beach backdrop is actually really pretty. There’s also a nice detail with the game grid being made out of wood and framed with large tropical leaves. Accompanying the action is a pleasant reggae tune which adds further tropical flair to the game.
The symbols found on the grid are simple blocks in red, yellow, green, and blue. The high and low pays can be distinguished by the high pays having a seed pattern in the middle. Also found on the grid are the wilds and bonus scatters. The wilds are yellow “W” symbols that can substitute for all symbols except the scatters, which are marked with a “B”. Land 3 scatters for a round of free spins. Scatters can also appear in a super version marked with “Super.” Land one of these together with 2 regular scatters to trigger the Super Bonus feature.
Blue (Low Pays)
5 - 0.1x bet / 6 - 0.2x / 7 - 0.3x / 8 - 0.4x / 9 - 0.5x / 10-12 - 0.7x / 13-16 - 2x / 17+ -5x
Green (Low Pays)
5 - 0.15x bet / 6 - 0.25x / 7 - 0.35x / 8 - 0.45x / 9 - 0.55x / 10-12 - 0.8x / 13-16 - 2.5x / 17+ -6x
Yellow (Low Pays)
5 - 0.2x bet / 6 - 0.3x / 7 - 0.4x / 8 - 0.5x / 9 - 0.6x / 10-12 - 0.9x / 13-16 - 3x / 17+ -7x
Red (Low Pays)
5 - 0.3x / 6 - 0.4x / 7 - 0.5x / 8 - 0.6x / 9 - 0.7x / 10-12 -1x / 13-16 - 3x / 17+ -8x
Blue (High Pays)
5 - 0.5x / 6 - 0.6x / 7 - 0.7x / 8 - 0.8x / 9 - 1x / 10-12 - 3x / 13-16 - 10x / 17+ - 50x
Green (High Pays)
5 - 0.6x / 6 - 0.7x / 7 - 0.8x / 8 - 0.9x / 9 - 2x / 10-12 - 6x / 13-16 - 15x / 17+ -75x
Yellow (High Pays)
5 - 0.7x / 6 - 0.8x / 7 - 0.9x / 8 - 1x / 9 - 3x / 10-12 - 9x / 13-16 - 20x / 17+ - 100x
Red (High Pays)
5 - 2x / 6 - 3x / 7 - 4x / 8 - 5x / 9 - 10x / 10-12 - 15x / 13-16 - 25x / 17+ -250x
Like other slots from ELK Studios, Squeeze is fully optimised for mobile devices. This is thanks to its being developed using HTML5, which allows for games that can run on any device that can handle a modern internet browser. However Squeeze is best played in portrait mode, as its visuals do appear - wait for it - quite squeezed in landscape mode.
While it might appear as a simple cluster slot at first glance, a closer inspection reveals a game that's as feature-rich as any other game from ELK Studios. There is a randomly triggered Bounce Back multiplier, as well as features meters filled by landing enough wins with symbols of the corresponding colour. Then there is, of course, the titular Squeeze mechanic. Let’s go through these in order to find out what they actually involve.
Land a winning combination of 5 or more matching symbols and these will be “squeezed.” This causes the winning symbols to burst, before they are replaced by new symbols appearing from the left- and right-hand sides of the game grid. This can lead to the formation of new winning clusters, in which case the squeeze is retriggered. This continues until there are no more winning symbols in view.
Winning clusters may randomly “bounce back” and return to the grid to be squeezed again. This activates the round’s multiplier, which increases by +1 for every bounce back. There is no limit to how many times winning clusters can bounce back.
On the left-hand side of the screen you will notice the four meters in blue, green, yellow, and red. Each meter has four segments which are filled whenever you get a win with symbols of the corresponding colour. The meters trigger the following feature once full:
Any spin may randomly fill one of these feature meters. This feature is then activated before the spin takes place.
Landing 3 bonus scatters awards you with a round of 5 free spins. During these meter progress and multipliers carry over between spins, further boosting the round’s win potential. The free spins can be retriggered by, once again, landing 3 scatters anywhere on the grid.
Land a Super bonus scatters together with 2 regular scatters for the Super Bonus round. This is a round of 5 free spins during which at least one feature meter will be filled before each spin.
We have to admit that our first impressions of Squeeze weren’t too positive - after all, it does look just like another fruit-themed cluster slot. However, we were pleasantly surprised to realise we were quite wrong in that respect. The squeeze mechanic of the title brings something different to a crowded arena, especially when it gets paired with multipliers, while the feature meters and bonus games add an extra touch that is very typical of ELK Studios.
With that in mind, Squeeze might still not satisfy fans of the more feature-rich ELK Studios slots, as in comparison its gameplay is more simplistic in style. There’s also the fact that the RTP is at 94%, which paired with the high volatility means less win potential over long periods of play. As such, we recommend Squeeze to the ELK Studios diehards, as well as fans of the colourful gameplay fruity cluster slots have to offer.
Rating: 7.0
These are some common questions about Squeeze.