Blaze Buddies (Hacksaw Gaming) – Review & Demo Play

Blaze Buddies: Slot Overview

I went into Blaze Buddies expecting a feel‑good slot, and that’s exactly what it is. Four friendly dragons sit in a snowy setting for the base game before things switch to a hot, lava area during free spins. The grid is 5x4 with 20 paylines paying left to right. Spins are straightforward in the main phase, with no modifiers firing there. The cheerful vibe carries the wait until bonuses, where the dragons start to show what they can do.

Stake range is 0.10 to 100 per spin, which suited my testing runs. The model is highly volatile in the top RTP setup of 96.37%, with a listed hit frequency of 57.4%. The base game is deliberately quiet: no wilds, no random extras, just line wins. That can feel a bit dry across stretches, but the solid hit rate keeps small outcomes arriving while you hunt scatters. I found the calmer pace useful for sizing bets and waiting for a clean entry into features.

Key thing here: the heavy lifting sits in free spins. The max win stands at 10,000x and is tied to the bonus, not the base. When modifiers line up, the game shifts gears fast, especially if a dragon ends up carrying more than one perk at once. That contrast between a minimal main game and fiery bonuses defines the rhythm, and I leaned into it by focusing my session around bonus entries.

Blaze Buddies Symbols and Paytable

Symbol values are clear. Low pays are 10 to A and return 1.5x to 2x for five of a kind. The four dragon pals are the premiums, paying 5x to 20x for five across a line. Scatters are cracked dragon eggs and trigger features. In bonuses, a selected dragon can become a golden wild; five wilds pay 20x, and if that dragon is set to expand, the full 1x4 reel acts wild. That mix underpins the bigger outcomes you’ll chase in free spins.

Blaze Buddies Symbols and Paytable

Symbol	Quantity	Payout
	Wild
	5	x20
	5	x20
	4	x5
	3	x2
	5	x10
	4	x3.5
	3	x1.5
	5	x7
	4	x2.5
	3	x1
	5	x5
	4	x1.5
	3	x0.5
	5	x2
	4	x1
	3	x0.3
	5	x2
	4	x1
	3	x0.3
	5	x1.5
	4	x0.7
	3	x0.2
	5	x1.5
	4	x0.7
	3	x0.2
	5	x1.5
	4	x0.7
	3	x0.2
	Scatter

Dragon's Delight in Blaze Buddies

Dragon’s Delight lands by hitting at least three scatters in the base game. You get 10 free spins and three Feature Picks before the round starts. During the bonus, a scatter on the leftmost reel together with one on the rightmost reel awards one extra pick, up to six in total. Those picks decide which modifiers the dragons carry for the duration, and that’s where momentum builds. I’ve seen a modest setup still pay well when the right patterns appear.

Blaze of Glory in Blaze Buddies

Blaze of Glory triggers from four or five scatters in the base game and also awards 10 free spins. You start with four or five Feature Picks based on how many scatters launched it. As in Dragon’s Delight, scatters on reels 1 and 5 grant extra picks, with the cap set at six. Once the sixth pick hits, scatters stop appearing in that bonus. The higher starting pick count makes this mode tempting, since the early setup can be stacked on a single dragon.

Feature Picks in Blaze Buddies

Feature Picks present a screen of dragon eggs. You select a number of eggs based on the trigger or any buy you used. Picks assign modifiers to high-paying dragons, and all three can land on the same character. Extra spins can also be found, handing out +2, +3, or +4. With only three initial picks, extra spins can be taken once, but you can still add more spins via retriggers or by starting with four or more picks.

The core modifiers are straightforward. Expanded Dragon makes one premium land as a 1x4 symbol; it can only be picked once and only one dragon can expand. Wild Dragon converts a chosen premium into a golden wild, and if it’s expanded, the entire reel becomes wild. Dragon Multiplier assigns x2 up to x100 to a chosen premium, and multipliers on a single payline add together before applying. This is the path to the headline wins when reels co‑operate.

Bonus Buys in Blaze Buddies

The buy panel gives four routes. Bonushunt FeatureSpins costs 2x the stake and makes a bonus three times more likely (RTP 96.27%). Scorching FeatureSpins costs 50x and guarantees all dragons of one type land as a wild reel with a multiplier (RTP 96.28%). You can also buy Dragon’s Delight for 100x (RTP 96.28%) or Blaze of Glory for 200x (RTP 96.25%). I used them to cut the wait when the base went flat.

Scorching FeatureSpins can drop a hefty screen in one shot if several of the chosen dragon land together, though that won’t happen every time. The paid routes carry slightly lower average returns than the default game, so I weigh cost versus mood and bankroll. Bonushunt at 2x is handy for longer sessions, while straight bonus buys suit quick tests of set‑ups. Either way, the bigger outcomes arrive when modifiers align on strong reel positions.

Blaze Buddies: Slot Verdict

I liked the contrast: a quiet base game with tidy line hits, then a lively bonus where modifiers decide the ceiling. The listed hit rate of 57.4% kept the balance ticking between features, but the real pace arrives in free spins. With expanded reels, wild conversions and added multipliers, the grid can light up fast. That’s how the 10,000x top end makes sense on paper, and I’ve seen streaks that backed up the design intent.

If you enjoy a simple main phase and prefer the action bundled into structured bonuses, Blaze Buddies fits that mould. The friendly look works, but it’s the egg picks that keep me engaged, especially when a single dragon stacks more than one modifier. I keep my stakes steady in the base and lean on features or buys to find the spikes. It’s a tidy balance of patience first, fireworks after.