Man vs Gator Slot Review (ELK Studios)

Man vs Gator is played on a 5 x 5 grid and there are 259 paylines.  Winning combinations are formed when you land 3 or more symbols, these symbols need to land from left to right, beginning from the leftmost reel. 

Bets for this game start at 20p and go up to £100. You can use the coin button to adjust your bet amount. Non-UK players can utilise the Autoplay and Quick Play sections.

The RTP rate is 94%, which is below the online average of 96% and the hit frequency is 24.3%. The volatility rating is high, and the maximum win is 10,000 x the bet. 

Imagine the scene - the 4th of July is just around the corner, and the 1-star Motel Patron in Florida’s Everglades is gearing up for a massive BBQ celebration. But it seems the Gator Gang's invitation got lost in the post, and they’re not best pleased about it. Oh dear - looks like there’s going to be a bit of a scuffle!

Even if the guests aren’t exactly your ideal dinner companions, the setting of the game is inviting. Think of a Florida Keys sunset with warm hues of orange, pink, and purple, creating a nostalgic, retro vibe with comic book-style imagery. There are cool little touches like an inflatable pink flamingo bobbing in the pool, surrounded by floating beer cans, and barrels of noxious substances drifting in the lagoon. And let’s not forget the fighting alligator with the classy 'Mom' heart tattoo.

The laid-back house music adds to the immersive experience, with sound effects that include a loud ringing bell when the Scatter symbol lands and the rapid whizzing of the spinning reels.

The grid is decked out with lights for the 4th of July party, and on the reels, you’ll spot various symbols related to the Gator Gang. 

Here’s a look at all the symbols and their values:

• Q:  3 = 0.20, 4 = 0.15 and 5 = 0.25 x the bet
• K:  3 = 0.15, 4 = 0.20 and 5 = 0.30 x the bet
• A: 3 = 0.20, 4 = 0.25 and 5 = 0.35 x the bet
• Blue cooking glove: 3 = 0.30, 4 = 0.40 and 5 = 0.50 x the bet
• Red bottle of gas: 3 = 0.40, 4 = 0.50 and 5 = 0.60x x the bet
• Blue alligator: 3 = 0.60, 4 = 0.80 and 5 = 1.00 x the bet
• Red alligator: 3 = 0.80, 4 = 1.50 and 5 = 5.00 x the bet
• Bonus scatter symbol: 3+ trigger the Free Spins bonus game
• Man vs Gator wild: substitutes for any symbols apart from Scatter
• Man Up wild: substitutes for any symbols apart from Scatter
• Gator Down wild: substitutes for any symbols apart from Scatter

Man vs Gator Mobile

ELK Studios takes a ‘mobile first’ approach to all of its games, which means that they are specifically designed for mobile use and they look fantastic! Man vs Gator can also be played on tablet and desktop. If you prefer to play on desktop, a 1,690 x 900 ratio works best.

There are a few bonus features to tell you about, including the 3 Wild features available:

Man vs Gator Wild

This is a 5-row tall symbol with 2 multiplier values -  for the Man and one for the Gator. The symbol nudges onto the screen until all 5 rows are covered. When all have landed one of the two multiplier values chosen based on whether the Man or Gator wins the fight, and the multiplier is then awarded to you.

Landing a Man vs Gato wild symbol awards a respin where all Man vs Gator wilds currently in view are kept sticky. In the case of multiple Man vs Gator wild symbols landing at the same time, the respins are stacked and played out one by one.

Free Spins Bonus Game

A combo of 3 or more bonus (scatter) symbols during the base game triggers the Free Spins bonus round, awarding you 5 free spins. 4 Bonus symbols = a Man vs Gator wild landing on the first spin and 5 bonus symbols = 2 Man vs Gator Wilds landing on the first spin. During the bonus all of the Man vs Gator symbols remain sticky. And it’s possible to enter the bonus round multiple times when playing. 

If you land 3+ scatters, you’re awarded  5 free spins,  4 scatters also give you a Man vs Gator wild, and 5 scatters award you 2 Man vs Gator wilds on the next spin.

Man Up Wild & Gator Down Wild

The Man Up wild and the Gator Down wild are 2-row symbols without a multiplier value attached to them. They nudge upward for the Man and downwards to the Gator, giving respins until they go off the screen. Each nudge upgrades the multiplier value shown on Man vs. Gator, where the victor is either the Man or the Gator and is currently in view.

X-iter

If you are not based in the UK, you can use the X-iter feature, which allows you to jump straight into the action. The table below displays the cost of these options:

Jenny Mason

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When I first saw the name of the game, I had no idea what to expect, but the cool Florida vibe was a pleasant surprise. The setting of a balmy evening in the Sunshine State definitely gets a thumbs up.

I’m a big fan of ELK Studios games. They might not churn out as many titles as some other studios, but it’s a case of quality over quantity. ELK Studios, a Swedish company, is known for its innovative slot games with creative themes, unique game mechanics, and advanced mathematical models. This approach makes their games a favourite among players. Some of their most popular titles include 'Wild Toro,' 'Nitropolis 3,' and 'Taco Brothers Derailed.'

The 3 wilds were a hit, especially the Man vs Gator wild, where the man and gator fight it out and a multiplier is awarded. The respins were a nice touch too. And like the Man Up & Gator Down Wilds all of the wilds looked excellent on the grid and kept the excitement flowing. The Free Spins bonus round also provided potential wins with the spins and sicky wilds.

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The only downside was the low RTP at 94%. These days, anything below 96% isn’t great. However, everything else about the game was thoroughly enjoyable.

The slot review was written by our slot game experts on the OLBG Expert team. Beginning with Jenny Mason our prime Slot reviewer who has 17+ years in online gambling, working for top UK brands. Jenny is an expert in slots and bingo. It was then verified by Chris Taylor from our OLBG Expert team who who written over 10,000 slot game reviews in an iGaming career spanning over 2 decades.   

Chris Taylor

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I've spent more than 20 years in the online gambling industry, and in that time, I've reviewed over 10,000 slot games. That's not a number I throw around lightly: it's the result of 2 decades of actually sitting down and playing, picking games apart, and learning what separates a slot worth your time from one that just looks the part.

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Slots are meant to be fun. But with thousands of titles out there, it's easy to end up stuck with run-of-the-mill games, forgettable mechanics, or bonus features that promise plenty and deliver little. My job is to cut through that.

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How I review slots

Every slot game I cover is assessed against a consistent set of criteria so you can compare games fairly. Explained in more detail on OLBG’s How We Rate page, below is a summary of what to expect:

Mechanics and gameplay: how the game actually plays, what makes its mechanic distinctive (or not), and whether it holds up over a real session rather than a handful of spins.

RTP and volatility: the stated RTP figure, the volatility profile, and, importantly, how the published numbers square with the actual session experience. Operators sometimes deploy different RTP versions of the same game, so I flag this where it matters.

Bonus features: how the free spins, modifiers, Hold & Win rounds or other features trigger, how often, and what they entail.

Value and alternatives: whether the game earns its place, and what to play that is similar in terms of mechanics, bonus features or theme.

I test games hands-on in both real-money and demo play. The latter is most common as I test slot games before they are officially released at slot sites.