Arctic Duel: Wilds That Walk

Arctic Duel is a Bullshark Games slot released on 16 October 2026, themed around a festive feud on the holiday ice. It is a 5x3 cascading ways game: winning symbols clear, new ones drop in, and one spin can run through several cascades.

Two linked features drive it. A single Global multiplier applies to every win, and Walking Wild symbols step one reel sideways each time they take part in a win, feeding the Global multiplier as they go.

In the two bonus games, Carrot Heist and Arctic Showdown, the Global multiplier stops resetting, and Wilds that walk off the grid earn extra spins.

Bullshark Games lists the RTP as 96.30, 94.24, 92.33, so Arctic Duel comes in three versions: 96.30%, 94.24% and 92.33%. The gap between the top and bottom version is almost 4 percentage points, which makes the version stated in the game's rules worth checking.

The hit rate is listed as 28.23, 28.23, 28.23, identical in all three versions. Wins land just as often in each; what differs between them is how much they return over the long run.

Volatility is rated 4/5. The max win is 10,000x (€1,000,000 or equivalent in other currencies, based on €100 bet), and Bullshark Games states that the max win can be achieved in all game modes.

Default bet levels are 0.10 - 100, from €0.10 to €100 a spin. The listed features are Global multiplier, Walking Wild symbols and Free Spins; a bonus buy is not among them.

The Global multiplier starts at 1x and applies to all wins. In the base game it resets with every new spin, so whatever it reaches only counts for the cascades of that spin.

Wilds are what raise it, in two ways: a Walking Wild that carries a multiplier unlocks it after taking part in a win, and two Walking Wilds that collide on the same cell add a random value straight away. In Arctic Showdown it also starts higher, at 5x.

Walking Wild symbols land in the base game and bonus games and substitute for all symbols in the paytable. Some carry a random multiplier value, which is unlocked when the Wild takes part in a win and added to the Global multiplier after that win is paid. It lifts the next win onwards, not the win that unlocked it.

Bullshark Games lists two kinds of value. The additive values are 1x, 2x, 3x, 4x, 5x, 6x, 7x, 8x, 9x, 10x, 15x, 20x, 25x, 50x and 100x, and the multiplicative values are x2, x3, x4, x5, x6, x8 and x10.

When several Wilds unlock values at once, they resolve from left to right, top to bottom. The order matters when both kinds appear, since an addition made before a multiplication leaves a bigger total than the same addition made after it.

After each win it takes part in, a Walking Wild picks left or right and steps one reel that way, staying in its row. A Wild that is not part of any win stays put. Steps happen after wins are counted and before new symbols cascade, every Wild on the grid moves at the same time, and a new spin removes them all.

Reaching the edge ends the walk: the next step takes the Wild off the grid and it is removed. A Wild on reel 1 or reel 5 that steps outward is gone after a single win.

When two Walking Wilds step onto the same cell, they merge into a single Wild for win calculation and immediately add a random value to the Global multiplier, drawn from the same lists. The new value already applies to the next win calculation.

After the merged Wild takes part in a win, the pair separates again, each stepping one position in its own direction for the next cascade. Bullshark's own description singles collisions out as the way to push wins higher within a single cascade.

Walking Wilds cannot land in the same spin as FS Scatters, so the spin that triggers a bonus never carries one.

Three FS Scatters start Carrot Heist with 8 free spins. The base game rules carry over, but the Global multiplier becomes progressive and keeps everything it gains until the feature ends.

Bullshark's rules describe extra spins coming from the Wilds. A collector next to the reels counts the Wilds that step off the grid, and every 2 that leave award one more spin.

Four FS Scatters start Arctic Showdown with 10 free spins, the same progressive Global multiplier and the same collector. The difference is the start: the Global multiplier begins at 5x and one Wild is guaranteed on the first spin.

The two rewards pull together. A Wild only moves after taking part in a win, so every Wild that walks off the grid and fills the collector has also had the chance to unlock its multiplier on the way.

The free Arctic Duel demo on this page shows how quickly the Global multiplier moves within one spin. Watch its value between cascades: an unlocked Wild value appears from the next win, and a collision raises it before the next win is counted.

Follow the direction each Walking Wild picks. Two Wilds in the same row heading towards each other can meet on one cell, which is the moment the Global multiplier gets its random boost.

In the bonus rounds, follow the collector as well as the multiplier. Each pair of Wilds that leaves the grid is worth another spin, and with the multiplier no longer resetting, each extra spin starts with everything it has gained so far.

Other Bullshark Games titles covered on Slotscritic: Doctor Dust, Boombear Bros, Joker Never Retires and Blood Rebels.

What is the RTP of Arctic Duel?

Bullshark Games lists the RTP of Arctic Duel as 96.30, 94.24, 92.33, so there are three versions: 96.30%, 94.24% and 92.33%. The gap between highest and lowest is almost 4 points, so check the figure in the game's rules. The hit rate is 28.23 in every version.

What is the max win on Arctic Duel?

The max win is 10,000x (€1,000,000 or equivalent in other currencies, based on €100 bet), and Bullshark Games says it can be achieved in all game modes. Wins are scaled by the Global multiplier, which grows through Walking Wild values of up to 100x or x10 and through Wild collisions, and never resets during the free spins.

How do Walking Wilds work in Arctic Duel?

A Walking Wild substitutes for all paying symbols and, after each win it is part of, steps one reel left or right in the same row. If it carries a multiplier, the value is added to the Global multiplier after the win. Two Wilds stepping onto one cell merge and add a random value to the Global multiplier at once.

How do you trigger free spins in Arctic Duel?

Three FS Scatter symbols start Carrot Heist with 8 free spins, and four start Arctic Showdown with 10 free spins, a 5x starting Global multiplier and one guaranteed Wild on the first spin. In both, the Global multiplier is progressive, and every 2 Wilds that step off the grid add one extra spin.

Can you play the Arctic Duel demo for free?

Yes. The Arctic Duel demo on this page runs on play credits, so you can watch Walking Wilds step across the reels, collide and feed the Global multiplier without staking money. It is the 5x3 cascading ways game Bullshark Games released on 16 October 2026, with volatility rated 4/5 and the same rules as the full version.