Hacksaw and Thunderkick Launch Wild New Slots

Dr. Annelies De Vos · 2026-05-18

Two of Sweden's biggest iGaming studios are going head-to-head with fresh releases that couldn't be more different. Hacksaw Gaming's Red Rascal and Thunderkick's Hammerblaze both hit the market recently, and they're packed with unique mechanics that set them apart from the crowd. ### Stockholm Showdown It's a battle of identities. Thunderkick, the independent studio known for its creative flair, brings a hammer-themed cluster-paying mechanic in Hammerblaze. Meanwhile, Hacksaw Gaming introduces a split personality-like feature in Red Rascal that fits its devilish theme perfectly. Hacksaw even teased the chaos on LinkedIn, asking if Red Rascal is "a portal to hell or just the devil's playground?" The studio joked that "the moon is full and he was left unsupervised." That playful tone carries through into the slot's mad funhouse vibe. ### Red Rascal: A Mad Funhouse Caper Red Rascal runs on a 5x5 grid with 19 paylines and a solid RTP of 96.34%. It's highly volatile, with a max win potential of 15,000x your bet in all game modes. The star of the show is the Pendulum mechanic, which randomly starts on either Coins or wilds. Each Respin swings the Pendulum left or right, and when Respins end, one of two modes kicks in: - **Coin Mode**: All Rascal and Colossal Rascal symbols turn into Coins worth 0.2x to 500x your bet. Colossal Coins get a multiplier of x2 to x100. - **Wild Mode**: All Rascal and Colossal Rascal symbols become wilds, with Colossal Wilds also getting a multiplier of x2 to x100. Land three scatters to trigger the Ready to Riot Bonus game, which gives you eight free spins. Four scatters get you ten After Dark free spins, and five scatters unlock the Hidden Epic bonus with ten respins. In Hidden Epic, you can win extra rounds, and each respin guarantees at least four Rascal symbols. Colossal symbols are the real game-changers here. Even 2x2 Colossals in the base game can generate multipliers up to 100x, which can completely rewrite the grid and push you toward that 15,000x max win. The bet range is $0.10 to $50, with a buy-in option for After Dark at 200x your stake. ### Hammerblaze: Hammer Time Thunderkick's Hammerblaze takes a different route, drawing on Greek mythology with a fire god theme. The 7x7 grid uses a unique Wild hammer cluster-paying mechanic. Every hit creates individual cell multipliers, setting off chain reactions of wins through Avalanches. The multipliers increase during free spins, with a max win potential of 10,000x your bet. Our reviewer jumped straight into the action by buying the ten free spins feature for 100x the stake and walked away with over 192x the bet. The game's soundtrack, consistent win frequency, and prize value balance make it a joy to play. However, the RTP is on the low side at 94.13%, which is something to keep in mind. ### Which One Should You Try? Both slots offer something unique. Red Rascal is for players who love unpredictable mechanics and high volatility with a chance at massive wins. Hammerblaze is more about steady action and visual drama, with a lower RTP but a satisfying rhythm. If you're in the US and looking for fresh titles, these two are worth a spin.