Dorks of the Deep™

Ready to get deep and dorky? Dorks of the Deep™ by Hacksaw Gaming dives into uncharted slot territory with a bubbling underwater theme, a quirky cast of aquatic characters, and one of the most unique wild multiplier systems we’ve seen in a medium-volatility slot.

If you’re a casual spinner or a bonus-chaser, here’s everything you need to know before you dive into this bubbly beast of a game.

What Is Dorks of the Deep™?

Dorks of the Deep™ is a 5-reel, 4-row online video slot with 14 paylines and a standout focus on expanding Wild Reels that carry multipliers based on one of three ocean-dwelling characters. These Wild Reels are sticky in free spins, and come with varying multiplier levels that can drastically boost payouts, especially in the game's tiered bonus rounds.

Released on March 13, 2025, this slot plays with Hacksaw’s signature cartoon-meets-mischief vibe. Think "SpongeBob meets Atlantis" with high-stakes multipliers and some seriously sticky wild action.

Game Stats at a Glance

• Developer: Hacksaw Gaming
• Release Date: March 13, 2025
• Reels/Rows: 5x4 grid
• Paylines: 14 fixed
• RTP Options: 96.20% / 94.22% / 91.21% / 88.19%
• Volatility: Medium (3/5)
• Max Win: 10,000x stake
• Hit Frequency: 35%
• Min/Max Bet: $0.10 / $100
• Bonus Buy: Available (multiple tiers)
• Mobile-Optimized: Yes

🛶 Base Game Breakdown

Dorks of the Deep uses a 14-payline system, where wins are formed by matching 3 or more identical symbols on consecutive reels starting from the left. Payouts vary across:

🎴 Symbols:

• Low Pays: Bubble-wrapped 10–A playing card ranks (5x = 0.8x to 1.5x)
• Mid Pays: 3 different quirky fish (5x = 2x to 5x)
• High Pays: The Mermaid and Ocean King (5x = up to 10x your bet)
• Wild Symbol: Pays up to 10x and substitutes for all regular symbols

The standout mechanic in the base game is the Treasure Chest symbol. When it lands and contributes to a win, it expands into a full Wild Reel, displaying one of the three featured characters and granting a multiplier.

💡 Expanding Wild Reels – Core Mechanic

Treasure Chest symbols are the stars of this ocean show. These can land on any reel, and if they become part of a win, they expand vertically to cover the full reel and reveal one of the following characters:

🐙 Octopus (Low Tier)

• Multiplier: x2 to x9

🧜‍♀️ Mermaid (Mid Tier)

• Multiplier: x10 to x20

👑 Ocean King (High Tier)

• Multiplier: x25 to x200

Each Expanded Wild Reel substitutes for any paying symbol and applies its multiplier to all paylines passing through it. That means one well-placed wild can amplify multiple winning combos.

This isn’t a one-and-done feature. Once you get into the bonus rounds, these wilds become sticky, gain "lives," and can re-roll their multipliers every spin.

🌊 Free Spins & Bonus Rounds

Dorks of the Deep has three different Free Spin modes, triggered by landing 3, 4, or 5 scatter symbols in a single spin. Each version builds on the one before it, making the fifth scatter the ultimate goal.

🎫 Deep Blue Bonus (3 Scatters)

• Awards 10 Free Spins
• Treasure Chest always expands (even without contributing to a win)
• Expanded Wild Reels become sticky with 1-3 lives
• One life is removed per spin, unless refreshed by landing a new wild
• Each sticky wild receives a new random multiplier every spin

🧪 Last Chance Feature:

If at least one sticky Wild Reel still has lives on the final spin, the game enters "Last Chance Respins," extending the feature until no wilds remain active.

You can also retrigger:

• +2 spins for 2 scatters
• +4 spins for 3 scatters

🌊 Down Under Bonus (4 Scatters)

• Same as Deep Blue, but with guaranteed multiplier tiers
• Wilds won’t downgrade from their initial tier (i.e., a Mermaid Wild always stays Mermaid or higher)
• Helps reduce variance and maintain high-payout potential

💰 Hidden Treasure Bonus (5 Scatters)

• The premium bonus round
• 10 Free Spins
• 2 Expanded Wild Reels start active and sticky
• Wilds behave like in Down Under (no downgrade in tier)
• This mode cannot be purchased and must be triggered organically

Hidden Treasure is where big wins and max potential are most likely to appear, with multiple sticky Wild Reels compounding across spins.

🐙 Dorks of the Deep™ – Paytable Overview

📊 Game Stats at a Glance

🛒 Feature Buy Options

Hacksaw offers several Feature Buy modes for players who want to skip the base game:

🎯 Bonus Hunt FeatureSpins

• Each spin is 5x more likely to trigger a bonus
• Cost: 3x your base bet

🎯 Bubbly FeatureSpins

• Guarantees 2 Treasure Chests per spin
• Cost: 60x your bet
• Note: Scatters cannot land here, so no bonuses are possible

🎯 Deep Blue Bonus Buy

• Trigger 3-Scatter bonus directly
• Cost: 100x your bet

🎯 Down Under Bonus Buy

• Trigger 4-Scatter bonus directly
• Cost: 200x your bet

🧭 Hidden Treasure Bonus

• Not available for purchase (organic only)

🧠 Pro Tips & Strategies

1. Start with Bonus Hunt FeatureSpins

This is a budget-friendly way to increase bonus odds without fully committing to high-cost buys. Ideal for testing volatility.

2. Know When to Buy Deep Blue

At 100x your bet, the Deep Blue feature gives you sticky wilds + respins. It’s a great compromise between risk and reward.

3. Chase Hidden Treasure

Since it can’t be bought, triggering this bonus naturally should be your long-term goal. Consider using the Ante Bet (3x cost) mode to raise your odds.

4. Monitor Sticky Wild Placement

Wins are far more likely when Wild Reels land on reels 2 to 4, maximizing their multiplier impact across multiple paylines.

5. Don’t Skip the Demo

There’s a lot to absorb here. Try the game in demo mode to understand how the sticky wild lives and multiplier cycling works in practice.

📱 Mobile & UX Performance

Hacksaw games are famously mobile-first, and Dorks of the Deep is no exception:

• Smooth 60 FPS animations
• Responsive swipe/tap controls
• Works beautifully in portrait and landscape
• Auto-spin & turbo features available
• No performance lag across iOS or Android

This is a great pick for players who prefer short, high-impact sessions on mobile devices.

✅ Pros & ❌ Cons

✅ Pros

• Expanding wild reels with high multipliers
• Three bonus modes with meaningful progression
• Sticky wilds with lives and multiplier resets
• Max win of 10,000x possible in all modes
• Bright, fun design and character animations
• Several buy features for different bankrolls

❌ Cons

• Hidden Treasure bonus cannot be bought
• Medium volatility may feel slow for some
• Multipliers reset every spin (not cumulative)
• Some visuals may feel too “cartoony” for serious players

Final Verdict: Should You Dive In?

Absolutely. Dorks of the Deep™ is a surprisingly strategic, medium-volatility slot with satisfying progression and a genuinely fun twist on the Wild Reel mechanic. The quirky ocean theme disguises some powerful features underneath—especially in the Down Under and Hidden Treasure modes.

The 10,000x max win is reachable in any mode, but let’s be honest: the real thrill lies in building up multiple sticky Wild Reels with premium multipliers and watching them go to work.

If you like Hacksaw’s Dork Unit, Wanted Dead or a Wild, or any sticky wild slots with upgrade paths, this one deserves a dive.

⭐ Final Score: 9.1/10

Best For: Fans of quirky themes and sticky wild mechanics
Avoid If: You dislike respin-style gameplay or prefer low-volatility slots

🎮 Try the Demo

Want to test out how those Wild Reels multiply across paylines? Try before you spin real money.

🎯 Play Dorks of the Deep™ (Demo)