Fire in the Hole 2: 96.07% published RTP, extreme volatility, 65,000x max win

Fire in the Hole 2: our verdict

Nolimit City's mining sequel, a collapsing 6×6 grid that opens a row with every collapse, with xBomb wilds, buried features and a coin-collecting bonus behind a 65,000× ceiling at 96.07%.

Why it is on the list

Fire in the Hole 2 is a grid that grows as it pays. From Nolimit's own page: the reel area is 6×6, each spin starts with 3 active rows, and every collapse opens another, up to 6. A collapse comes from a win, an xBomb Wild explosion or Wild Mining. xBomb Wilds substitute, remove adjacent symbols when they explode and raise the win multiplier for the next collapse. Wild Mining turns 3 to 6 aligned symbols with no win into 1 to 4 Wilds. Released 22 February 2024.

How it plays

Dirt blocks in the base game can hide Wild, Split or Bonus symbols, inactive until the dirt is cleared, and xSplit doubles the symbols on its row. Three, four or five Bonus symbols open Lucky Wagon Spins with 2, 3 or 4 rows open, three spins that reset whenever a coin lands. The top row reveals enhancers each spin: coin values, multipliers, Dynamite, Beer or the Dwarf, who collects every value on the board. Upgrade Crystals on a seventh reel make those enhancers persist.

The maths

One published return on Nolimit's game page: 96.07%, with no statement on lower builds. Volatility is extreme. Max win is 65,000× the bet; the page says the round ends when a win passes it. Bets run from €0.20 to €100. xBet costs 250% of the base bet, guarantees at least one Bonus symbol on the last inactive row and clears the dirt. Bonus buys run from 70× to 600× the bet for the three Lucky Wagon entries and 3,600× for a guaranteed persistent Dwarf, where markets allow them.

Who it is for

Players who like a board that changes under them, where the base game has its own escalation before the bonus arrives. The coin-collecting bonus rewards patience, as each persistent enhancer builds on the last. If you want a similar ceiling with a different engine, Mental tops out at 66,666×. If you want the studio's biggest number, San Quentin xWays goes to 150,000×.