Born Wild is a jungle slot from Hacksaw Gaming with a twist most databases miss: it exists in two versions. The 2021 original, described by every slot database, is a high-volatility game with a 93.80% RTP and a full-screen lion prize. In July 2022 Hacksaw re-released it as a “new and improved version” with low volatility, a 2,500× max win and an 80× buy. Both share the core: a 5×4 grid, free spins with sticky Wilds and Lion’s Roar respins. Neither version has a live game page on Hacksaw’s site today, so check which one your casino runs.
Last updated: 22 October 2026
Born Wild at a glance: the two versions
| Parameter | Original (2021) | Re-release (2022) |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 30 June 2021 | 7 July 2022 |
| Grid | 5 reels × 4 rows (20 fixed lines listed for the original) | |
| RTP | 93.80%; 93.78% for the bought Lion’s Roar | Not published by Hacksaw |
| Volatility | High | Low |
| Top prize | A full screen of lions, listed by databases as €10,000,000 | 2,500× for completely filling the reels |
| Bonus buy | Lion’s Roar for 129× (free spins not for sale) | Lion’s Roar and Sticky Wilds Free Spins for 80× |
| Source | SlotCatalog, LCB, VegasSlotsOnline and others | Hacksaw Gaming’s release notes |
Bets run from 0.20 to 100 in the database listings. The game’s help screen shows which version you are playing: the volatility label, the max win and the buy price give it away.
What 93.80% costs
In the original version, the long-run average loss on €100 staked is €6.20. On the same stake, Hacksaw’s own Harvest Wilds (96.35%) costs €3.65 and Bullets and Bounty (96.27%) €3.73. A lower RTP does not make a single session worse in a way you can feel, but over many sessions it adds up — see our ranking by RTP.
Symbols and pays (original version)
- Wild — the top symbol: 250× the bet for five on a line.
- Animals — cobra, gorilla, tiger, panther and rhino pay 10× to 25× for five.
- Word symbols — Howl, Claw, Hiss, Grrr and Roar pay 0.1×, 0.5× and 1× for three, four and five.
There are no multipliers anywhere in the game: wins come from line pays, sticky Wilds and the lions.
Free spins: sticky Wilds
Three or more bear Scatters award 10 free spins in both versions. Every Wild that lands during the round stays in place until it ends, so early Wilds keep paying on every remaining spin. The sources do not describe any retrigger. Sticky Wilds in other games — and why they make a round depend on its first few spins — are compared in our Wild symbols guide.
Lion’s Roar respins
- Three or more lion symbols start Lion’s Roar.
- The lions stick, and the reels spin again with only lions and empty positions.
- Every new lion resets the counter to one respin.
- If all 20 positions fill with lions, the top prize is paid — the €10,000,000 listing in the original, 2,500× in the 2022 version.
- If not, the lions turn into Wilds for one final spin on the normal reels.
It is a hold-and-respin feature like the coin rounds in Miss Cherry Fruits Jackpot Party and Vikings Wild Feast, but with a single respin between new lions instead of three — so most rounds are short. How respin counters work across games is shown in our respins guide.
The top prize needs all 20 positions filled with lions, and casinos may apply their own maximum-win limits on top of the game’s. Treat the full-screen prize as a ceiling, not a target. Fixed top prizes and jackpots are compared in our jackpots guide.
Buying the bonus
In the original, Lion’s Roar can be bought for 129× the bet, at 93.78% RTP, and free spins cannot be bought. In the 2022 version, Hacksaw lists both bonus games for 80× the bet in regulated markets where buys are allowed. A bought round can pay far less than its price — the maths of buys is in our bonus buy guide. Buys are not available in the UK.
Pros and cons
Who should play it, and who should skip it
Good fit if you:
- like hold-and-respin features with one clear goal: fill the screen;
- enjoy free spins where every Wild stays;
- want a 20-line game without multiplier maths.
Probably not for you if you:
- care about RTP — the original’s 93.80% is well below the 96% most of our reviewed games offer;
- want long bonus rounds — Lion’s Roar gives one respin between lions;
- need a clearly published maximum win — it depends on the version.