Cubes 2 (Hacksaw Gaming) RTP review: 96.33% (configurable)
Skip if: you loved the original Cubes precisely because its 3,167x cap kept things mellow
Cubes 2 takes the most literal growth mechanic in slots — a board that physically enlarges — and weaponizes it. Our verdict up front: this is the version of the concept worth playing, but it is a different animal from its predecessor. Consecutive cluster wins expand the neon grid step by step from 5x5 toward a colossal 11x11, and where the first Cubes stopped at a 3,167x ceiling, the sequel guarantees 10,500x (circa 11,000x theoretical) and cranks volatility to the studio's full 5/5. The clean abstract look survived the renovation; the gentle temperament did not.
Why an expanding grid changes the math
Each expansion adds cells, and more cells mean bigger possible clusters, which mean better odds of continuing the chain — a feedback loop where success literally enlarges your opportunity surface. The catch is the entry fee: chains long enough to reach the outer grid sizes are rare, so the game's value distribution is dominated by infrequent extended runs while typical spins collapse quickly back to the small board. That is the textbook signature of a 5/5 design, just expressed through geometry instead of bonus scarcity. Free spins amplify the loop where it matters.
Headline solid, ladder unlisted
Big Win Board and Casino Wizard put the default at 96.33%, with the buy fractionally under at 96.30% — nearly a wash. It is flagged configurable, yet no source published the reduced figures, which turns the in-game paytable into your only build detector: a displayed value below 96.33% is your cue that the operator licensed a lesser version. The buy is absent from GB casinos under UK rules, standard for the studio.
Kindred grids
Within the catalogue, the natural cross-shop is King Carrot — also cluster-driven and abstractly cheerful, but medium-volatility and static-boarded, the pick for players who want longevity over spectacle. For a different spatial gimmick at high heat, Rocket Reels' path-clearing rockets scratch a related itch. Nothing else in-house, though, makes the board itself the prize the way this does.
| Slot | Provider | RTP | Volatility | Max win |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cubes 2 (this slot) | Hacksaw Gaming | 96.33% | Very High | 10,500x |
| Wanted Dead or a Wild | Hacksaw Gaming | 96.38% | High | 12,500x |
| Le Bandit | Hacksaw Gaming | 96.34% | Medium | 10,000x |
| Hand of Anubis | Hacksaw Gaming | 96.24% | High | 10,000x |
| Chaos Crew | Hacksaw Gaming | 96.30% | High | 10,000x |
Measuring the ceiling
A guaranteed 10,500x with ~11,000x theoretical headroom is an odd, honest construction — the studio effectively promises the cap is reachable rather than decorative. Plan sessions around the reality beneath it: expansion chains are the only route to large results, they are rare by design, and a 96.33% average still cedes about 3.7% over time. 3.5 out of 5 — the smartest pure-mechanic sequel Hacksaw has made, for players built to withstand it.