Rad Maxx

Rad Maxx is a sequel of sorts to Hacksaw Gaming's 2023 hit RIP City, bringing back the feuding duo of Maxx the mouse and Ro$$ the cat onto a 5x5 grid. The monochrome, back-alley aesthetic is deliberately stripped back, and I think it works brilliantly. Splashes of neon green graffiti and coloured premium symbols pop against the grey, and the bluesy, swingy soundtrack genuinely steals the show. It is one of those rare slots where the audio pulls you in more than the visuals.

Where Rad Maxx immediately sets itself apart is the omnidirectional payline system. By default, wins pay left to right across up to 76 paylines. But land a Wild Plus symbol and you can unlock right-to-left, top-to-bottom, and bottom-to-top directions as well. It is a concept other providers could have attempted years ago, yet nobody did. Hacksaw Gaming deserves credit for actually building it. With medium-high volatility rated 4 out of 5, a top RTP of 96.32%, bets from 0.10 to 100, and a 40% hit frequency, the maths feel sensible rather than punishing.

The paytable in Rad Maxx is functional but hardly generous at the lower end. Five greyed-out royals from 10 through Ace each return just 2x your bet for a five-of-a-kind line. That is paper-thin, and base game spins without specials can feel flat. The premiums bring more colour, literally and figuratively: an apple core and pizza slice pay 5x, a peeled banana and fish skeleton pay 7.5x, and Maxx himself tops the table at 10x for five matching.

Both Wild types, the regular and the Crazy Cat multiplier version, substitute for all paying symbols and are worth 10x for a full line of five. The real muscle comes from the Crazy Cat wilds, which carry multipliers between x2 and x20. When more than one Crazy Cat lands in the same winning combo, those multipliers multiply together before being applied. That multiplicative stacking is where the slot's 12,500x max win becomes believable rather than theoretical.

Honestly, the paytable on its own falls short. Strip away the multiplier wilds and directional mechanics, and the raw symbol values are modest. But that is plainly the design intent. Rad Maxx funnels its firepower through features rather than base symbol payouts, and once you accept that, the economy makes sense.

This is where the slot genuinely shines. Three tiered bonus rounds trigger from 3, 4, or 5 FS scatters respectively, each starting with 10 free spins. The entry-level Mad Maxx round keeps base game mechanics but increases Wild Plus frequency and makes all Crazy Cat wilds sticky for the duration. It is decent, though gaining real traction here proved tough in my experience. The Maxximice round, triggered by 4 scatters, guarantees a Wild Plus symbol every spin, which is a meaningful upgrade. And the top-tier To The Maxx round, needing all 5 scatters, locks all four pay directions active throughout. Mentally picture sticky multiplier cats across a grid paying in every direction and you understand the ceiling.

Retriggers are possible in all three modes: 2 scatters add 2 spins, 3 scatters add 4. The bonus buy menu offers BonusHunt FeatureSpins at 3x bet for a 5x trigger boost, Feline Frenzy FeatureSpins at 50x guaranteeing Wild Plus and Crazy Cat symbols, Mad Maxx at 100x, and Maxximice at 200x. Notably, To The Maxx cannot be purchased. I find that decision slightly frustrating but also understand the logic. If you could buy the top feature at will, the game's volatility curve would collapse. It forces organic play for the biggest moments, which keeps the tension alive.

Rad Maxx carries a headline RTP of 96.32%, which sits comfortably above average. However, operators can deploy lower settings at 94.42%, 92.40%, or a truly grim 88.33%, so always verify before committing real stakes. The volatility is rated medium-high at 4 out of 5, and a 40% hit frequency means you land something on nearly every other spin. That is a massive improvement over RIP City's 18% hit rate and makes the base game far less barren.

The 12,500x max win cap is achievable in any game mode, not just the top bonus. That said, realistically, the compounding Crazy Cat multipliers paired with multiple active pay directions during free spins represent the most plausible path to the ceiling. It is a solid cap for a medium-high variance game, neither underwhelming nor outlandish.

Rad Maxx is a genuinely clever release from Hacksaw Gaming. The omnidirectional win system is not just a gimmick; it adds a real strategic layer, especially once bonus rounds guarantee multiple active directions. The multiplicative Crazy Cat wilds provide explosive potential, the tiered bonus structure rewards patience, and the soundtrack is frankly excellent. Where it falls short is in raw base game payouts and the sometimes sluggish entry-level bonus. Activating more than two pay directions outside of free spins felt like a genuine challenge.

If forced to choose between this and its predecessor RIP City, I might lean towards the original for its expanding x200 wilds and sharper character dynamic. But Rad Maxx stands firmly on its own merits. It innovates where it counts, the maths profile is fair, and it rewards players who stick around long enough for the features to compound. Worth playing, without question.