🎤 Firecracker Frenzy – Money Toad Slot Q&A with Richard Ganster

Q: Greentube are famed for creating classic slots that are often hugely successful both in land-based casinos and online. Are all new Greentube games approached with the view of achieving omnichannel success? 

RG: “Omnichannel is absolutely important to us, but we're realistic: not every game needs to launch in both channels simultaneously.

What we focus on is building with flexibility in mind. Strong fundamentals (solid math, proven mechanics, themes that resonate): these work whether it's land-based or online. Then we decide the best launch strategy per game.

With our Firecracker Frenzy series, we're constantly adding new mechanics with each entry while keeping that core pot collection system. That evolution keeps the series fresh across both channels.

Some games start online and earn their way to land-based through performance. Others might go the opposite direction. The key is designing quality games that could work omnichannel, then choosing the right path based on market opportunity."

Q: Your upcoming release, Firecracker Frenzy - Money Toad, is the next game to hit casinos, can you tell us a little bit more about it and what players can expect?

RG: “Firecracker Frenzy - Money Toad is the second game in our Firecracker Frenzy series, and it's all about celebrating prosperity and good fortune: core themes in Asian culture.

Players get a 5 reel, 25 payline game built around 3 firecracker pots sitting above the reels. During base game play, Mystery Rocket symbols land and reveal purple, red, or green rockets that fill the corresponding pot. Fill a pot completely and it explodes into the Lock & Spin bonus.

What makes Money Toad special compared to the first game, Empress Wealth, is we've introduced Zone Boost: a new modifier where you can fill specific zones on the grid during the Lock & Spin feature and multiply all the coin values in that zone. It adds this spatial strategy element that wasn't in the first game.

The Lock & Spin itself starts with 3 spins that reset every time a symbol lands. You're collecting coins, hunting for jackpot letters, and if you unlock the Extra Row modifier, your grid expands from 15 positions to 35. The bonus keeps going as long as symbols keep landing.

It's celebration, anticipation, and that constant question: Will one more symbol land to reset my spins?”

Q: The Firecracker Trail obviously players a huge role in this slot, can you talk us through this feature and how it works?

RG: “The Firecracker Trails, or the 3 pots, are the anticipation engine of the game.

Mystery Rocket symbols appear during base game spins. When one lands, it spins and reveals either a purple, red, or green rocket. That rocket fills 1 position in the corresponding pot above the reels.

The Purple pot triggers an Extra Row modifier, the Red pot triggers a Zone Boost modifier and the Green pot triggers a Coin Boost modifier.

As rockets fill the pots, they can trigger at any time and explode into Lock & Spin with that modifier active. The real magic is when multiple pots trigger together: now your Lock & Spin has combined modifiers working simultaneously.

These trails build over multiple spins, creating that constant sense of progression. Every rocket reveal could be the one that triggers a pot explosion.

What I love about this system is its visual, it's clear, and you feel like you're building towards something with every rocket reveal."

Q: The Lock ‘N’ Spin Bonus not only sees players unlock new rows for greater win potential, but it can also see them trigger 1 of 4 fixed jackpots. Are jackpots a must-have feature for most modern slots in 2026? 

RG: “I wouldn't call jackpots a must-have for every game, but they're definitely a player expectation for certain volatility profiles and themes.

What we've learned is that jackpots serve 2 purposes beyond just 'big win potential.' First, they add a collection element, in Money Toad, players are hunting for jackpot letter symbols during Lock & Spin. Spell out G-R-A-N-D and you win the Grand jackpot. That active pursuit keeps engagement high.

Second, jackpots provide win ceiling diversity. Not every bonus needs to hit 1,000x, but knowing a Major jackpot could happen creates that dream factor.

So, are they mandatory? No. But for a game like Money Toad where you're already collecting coins and symbols during Lock & Spin, adding jackpot letters creates another layer of 'what might happen this spin', and that anticipation is what great slots are built on.”

Q: It’s fair to suggest that Greentube has always heavily leaned into classic slot themes such as Ancient Egypt with Book of Ra and Asia with Money Toad, do you feel it’s important to stay true to the studio’s core DNA with classic themes?

RG: “There's real wisdom in honouring what works, but 'staying true to DNA' doesn't mean staying frozen in time.

Our classic themes (Ancient Egypt, Asian prosperity, European fruit games): these are classics because they tap into universal player motivations: treasure hunting, celebration of fortune, nostalgia for simpler times. Those emotional hooks are timeless.

But look at how we're executing them now. Firecracker Frenzy with Money Toad is not an old-fashioned Asian slot. Yes, it has the Money Toad prosperity symbol and festival aesthetics, but the pot collection system, the zone multipliers, the expandable Lock & Spin grid: that's modern game design.

And we're not limiting ourselves either. We have Rumble Riches exploring American trucking themes, Three Bandits in the Western space, Starlight Jackpots going mythological. We're expanding our thematic range while maintaining that Greentube quality standard.

What I think is important is understanding why classic themes work: they're immediately readable, they carry cultural weight, they create emotional connections, and then asking how we express those themes with 2026 gameplay expectations.

So yes, to honoring our heritage, but always through the lens of 'what does the modern player want?' Classic themes, contemporary execution: that's the balance.”

Q: If you had to summarise why players should opt to play Firecracker Frenzy – Money Toad in a single sentence, what would you say? 

RG: “Three pots building toward one explosive Lock & Spin where the grid can expand, zones multiply your wins, and jackpots are within reach: pure celebration and anticipation with every rocket that fills your trail.”

Q: Finally, can you give us a sneak peek as to what’s coming in the coming months from Greentube in terms of new online slots? 

RG: “Without spoiling too much, we're doubling down on what's working: series development and innovation within proven frameworks.

The Firecracker Frenzy series will be continued: same beloved pot collection mechanic, but we're introducing a new modifier.

Beyond Firecracker, we're expanding our Rumble Riches series: American themes with Lock & Spin mechanics and truck convoy features. We have Starlight Jackpots growing as a mythological series. The strategy is: find what resonates, then create thematic variations that let players explore different worlds with familiar, refined mechanics.

And we're investing heavily in localisation and branded content. You'll see us moving faster on market-specific games and operator partnerships: taking proven game systems and adapting them with regional themes.

We're also exploring player choice mechanics more deeply: Buy Bonus features.

Expect more series entries, more localised content, and more ways for players to feel in control of their experience. 2026 is about refinement and expansion, not reinventing the wheel.”

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