Tinkerbot Slot (ELK Studios)

The Tinkerbot slot game is played on 5 reels and 5 rows, and it’s a Cluster Pays model which means that wins come from forming 5 or more matching symbols that can appear connected vertically, horizontally or both.

Bets for this game start at 20p and go up to £100. You can adjust your bet amount using the pile of coins button on both mobile and desktop devices. Non-UK players can make use of the Quick Play function that gives the option of speeding up the spins. There is also an Autoplay function, which goes up to 100 spins. 

The RTP rate is 94%, which is below the online average of 96%. The hit frequency is 29.9%, which means a win takes place on average every 3.34 spins. You’ll find a volatility rating of 'medium', with a rating of 6 out of 10 plus a maximum win of 10,000 times the bet.

Jenny Mason

Queen of bingo

Jenny Mason has more than 17 years of experience in the online gambling industry and has worked for some of the UK’s top betting brands. She started at OLBG in 2014 and her role involves creating great content and looking after the marketing activity. Jenny is knowledgeable in all areas of online sports betting and has an interest in slots and bingo.

Meet Tinkerbot, the diligent orange machine, working its magic on top of the grid in the Tinkerbot slot game. Though it’s seen its fair share of wear and tear, this industrious robot thrives in its element - a scrapyard brimming with machinery and metal parts just waiting to be transformed. Tinkerbot is truly living its best life surrounded by all of this scrap metal.

Fun animations come from Tinkerbot painting and transforming the items on the grid, turning one person's rubbish into something useful - Tinkerbot is a true upcycler!

Adding to the playful atmosphere is cheerful music, perfectly complementing the fun vibe of the game. The sound effects are on theme too, featuring a mix of whirring, beeping, and buzzing noises that bring Tinkerbot’s world to life.

On the reels are various bits of machinery from the scrapyard, ready to be transformed by Tinkerbot.

Here are all of the symbols and values:

• Small blue container: 5 to 15+ symbols = 0.10 to 10.00 x the bet
• Small green container: 5 to 15+ symbols = 0.15 to 15.00 x the bet
• Small purple container: 5 to 15+ symbols = 0.25 to 25.00 x the bet
• Blue machinery: 5 to 15+ symbols = 0.50 to 50.00 x the bet
• Green machinery: 5 to 15+ symbols = 0.75 to 75.00 x the bet
• Purple machinery: 5 to 15+ symbols = 1.00 to 100.00 x the bet
• Red machinery: 5 to 15+ symbols = 1.50 to 150.00 x the bet
• Wild: Substitutes for all paying symbols
• Scatter: 3+ triggers the bonus and super bonus games.
  
  

The Tinkerbot Mobile

ELK Studios is a mobile-first studio so you know that you’ll enjoy a top gaming experience on your phone whether you use Android or iOS. The Tinkerbot slot is great in both portrait and landscape modes. It’s also fully optimised for tablets and desktops, if playing on a desktop, a 1600×900 resolution and 16:9 aspect ratio is ideal.

Wowzers, there are 11 bonus features as part of the Tinkerbot slot game. Some are bigger, like the Bonus Game, Super Bonus Game and X-iter features. And there are smaller features which can trigger on the grid, including cascades, Multisymbols, Botbox, BotFrenzy, Multipliers,  Grid Expand, The Button, and Hot Wilds.

Cascades

Every time there is a win on the grid, the winning symbols are moved and replaced by new symbols dropping down from above, giving you further chances to win.

Botbox

Every time a winning cluster disappears from the grid, it generates a botbox. If at least 3 botboxes are on the grid it activates a feature release where every botbox will release a random feature. There is also an instant botbox which always releases a random feature.

Bot Frenzy

When all paying symbols are removed from the grid on a spin, this feature can trigger, awarding a random amount of extra botboxes. This is extra to any already landed from cluster wins.

Multisymbols

These symbols can land randomly during any drop of new symbols. They create multiple versions of the same symbol on 1 symbol position. This new collection of multiple symbols counts as a cluster of payout symbols if there are 5 or more matching symbols.

Multipliers

Multiplier symbols add their value to the multiplier yellow screen next to the grid and they then turn into wilds.

Grid Expand

If a grid expand symbol appears from a Botbox, the grid will expand by one reel and one row up to a max of 7x7.

The Button

If a button symbol lands on the grid, it triggers either the absorb or the symbol change features. The absorb feature selects one paying symbol and collects all identical symbols, creating one multisymbol. Whereas the transform feature selects 1 paying symbol and transforms all identical symbols to another type.

Hot Wilds

A botbox may release a hot wild when it opens, this is indicated by a blue swirl behind the wild. The Hot Wild will release a random number of wilds on other symbol positions.

Bonus Game

If you land 3 scatter symbols you trigger the Bonus Game where you receive 7 free spins. This round has the same setup as the base game, with the addition of any unused Botboxes that are kept for the feature. The current multiplier and the grid size also stay the same. If you land 4 scatters, you trigger the Super Bonus Game.

Super Bonus Game

Landing 4 scatter symbols triggers the Super Bonus Game, where you’re awarded 9 free spins. This feature has a 7x7 grid and the multiplier is increased. For every scatter you land, you receive an extra free spin.  

X-iter

If you are non-UK based, you can utilise the pre-buy functionality which ELK Studios calls X-iter.

The sheer number of bonus features in the Tinkerbot slot game blew me away; there are so many little bits here and there. Some are bigger features like the Bonus Game and other more nuanced additions. With symbol transformations, wilds, bonus games, an expanding grid, multipliers, symbols collections - you name it, this game has got it!

It is a fast-moving title with so much going on on the screen with all the features that can trigger that it never stops. The cascades with cluster pays are always a winning combo to keep things exciting.

A standout feature is the Multisymbols, which create multiple versions of the same symbol, leading to new clusters and potential repeated wins. Another highlight is the Botbox, which appears after every win to trigger a random feature release - adding an exciting element to the game. It feels like there are ample opportunities for bonuses to activate.

The scrapyard/robot setting adds a unique take on a slot. Few games venture into this theme, making Tinkerbot a breath of fresh air. As with all ELK Studios titles, the design is top-notch, immersing you in the mechanical world.

In terms of volatility, Tinkerbot strikes a medium balance, rated 6 out of 10, with a potential maximum payout of 10,000x your bet. The hit frequency rate of 29.9% keeps the wins coming regularly. However, the game’s RTP of 94.00% is on the lower side, aligning with ELK Studios trend of offering games below 96% since 2021.

Cluster Pays mechanics are becoming increasingly popular, and Tinkerbot is a good example. Its robot-themed setting sets it apart in a market with few comparable titles. While Hacksaw Gaming’s Fire my Laser came to mind with its robot suited face of the game, there’s not much else like Tinkerbot, which makes it a standout.

OLBG’s Chris Taylor recently spoke to ELK Gaming’s Head of Marketing Jacob Nordwall, about how games are created, popular slot games and slots series.

Overall, Tinkerbot earns a 4 out of 5 rating from OLBG, thanks to its extensive range of bonus features, vibrant design, and fresh take on the robot theme. 

The Tinkerbot slot review was written by our slot game experts on the OLBG Expert team. I will begin with Jenny Mason, our prime slot reviewer, who has 17+ years of experience in iGaming, 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 has written over 10,000 slot game reviews in an iGaming career spanning over 2 decades.   

Chris Taylor

The king of slots

Chris Taylor is an industry veteran originally from Gibraltar. Having worked in the online gambling industry since 2004, Chris loves slots and has reviewed over 10,000 online slot games. Running a slots-focused website for 13 years, Chris is the go-to guy for everything slots-related.