PopNoir (AvatarUX) – Review & Demo Play

The PopNoir Slot Game

As soon as I loaded PopNoir, the black-and-white cityscape, art deco trims, and slinky jazz set the mood. It plays on a 5-reel grid that starts 3 symbols high, running AvatarUX’s PopWins mechanic. Each win expands the reel height and builds momentum. Ways start at 243 and can rise to 7,776 in the base game, then 32,768 during free spins. Wins pay left-to-right and right-to-left on 3+ consecutive reels, while five-of-a-kind pays one way. Stakes range from €0.10 to €100, and variance is high.

The noir brief is nailed: gumshoes, dames, shadowy motives, and splashes of colour on the reels. The PopWins flow keeps the pace brisk, with reels able to hit 6 rows in base play. When every reel reaches that height, I get 2 free spins and a random multiplier to spice up the sequence. In free spins, the ceiling rises to 8 rows. The soundtrack, UI, and reel growth marry well, giving PopNoir a slick rhythm that suits the genre.

Symbols and Payouts in PopNoir

PopNoir’s symbols are tiered as lows, mediums, highs, and a super high. Lows are 10, J, Q, K, and A, paying 0.6x the stake for five of a kind. Mediums are the absinthe bottle and the gun, worth up to 1x and 1.5x for five. Two character symbols sit in the high bracket, each reaching 1.5x for a five-symbol way. The super high is the golden bird statue, paying 3x for a full five-symbol connection.

There’s no wild in PopNoir, so the bonus scatter carries the feature trigger. Three or more scatters start free spins, and scatters are also collected during the bonus. Wins count from the leftmost or rightmost reel on 3+ consecutive reels, though five-of-a-kind pays one direction only. The paytable is dynamic to your current bet, so values scale with stake size. In PopWins sequences, evaluated winning symbols are replaced; scatters themselves don’t pop during that process.

PopNoir Symbols and Paytable

Symbol	Quantity	Payout
	5	x3
	4	x1.5
	3	x1
	5	x1.5
	4	x0.75
	3	x0.5
	5	x1.5
	4	x0.75
	3	x0.5
	5	x1.5
	4	x0.75
	3	x0.5
	5	x1
	4	x0.6
	3	x0.4
	5	x0.6
	4	x0.5
	3	x0.3
	5	x0.6
	4	x0.5
	3	x0.3
	5	x0.6
	4	x0.5
	3	x0.3
	5	x0.6
	4	x0.5
	3	x0.3
	5	x0.6
	4	x0.5
	3	x0.3
	Scatter

PopNoir Slot Bonus Features

PopWins drives every surge of action. After each evaluated win, every winning symbol pops and is replaced by two new symbols, increasing reel height. In the base game, reels can climb to 6 rows. When all five reels reach 6 rows, I’m awarded 2 free spins on the fully expanded grid, plus a random starting multiplier. That mini-feature can snowball if wins keep landing, and it sets the tone for what the main bonus can do.

Free spins arrive via 3, 4, or 5 scatters. Before they start, a Rewards Reel selects four starters: spins (5–11), reel height (3–6 rows), a starting multiplier (x1–x6), and multiplier growth (+1 to +5). During the bonus, the multiplier increases after each win and has no cap. Reels can grow to 8 rows, and when all reels hit that ceiling, +2 spins are added. Between spins, heights drop only to the shortest reel, not all the way down.

Scatters are collected in free spins. Every set of three upgrades the super-high golden bird to a gilded version with its own uncapped multiplier, which can step up in increments from x5 to x50 as further sets of three are gathered. If patience isn’t your thing, an Xpress buy lets me enter the bonus at 80x, 160x, 400x, or 800x the bet. Paying more raises the floor for those Rewards Reel picks, giving stronger starting setups.

How to Win at PopNoir Slot

I start by setting €0.10–€100 per spin and aiming for chains that grow the grid. With ways counting both directions on 3+ consecutive reels, early hits on reels 1 or 5 tend to feed PopWins nicely. Pushing the reels to full height in base can be worth it for the 2-spin burst with a random multiplier. When the base stalls, I sometimes buy the basic bonus for 80x to test the setup, then reassess based on the Rewards Reel outcome.

PopNoir Slot RTP & Volatility

PopNoir runs as a high-volatility slot with a default RTP quoted around 96% (96.031% in one build), though some markets offer 94% variants. The max win is capped at 20,000x the bet, so the ceiling is there, yet the path leans swingy. A stated hit rate near 29.56% suggests wins land roughly three in ten spins, with free spins triggering on average about once every 200 spins. That said, uncapped multipliers mean bonus rounds can escalate rapidly when they line up.

Final Thoughts on PopNoir

From a player’s seat, PopNoir feels like classic PopWins with a noir coat of paint. The base can tread water, but the moments when all reels hit 6 rows and the extra two spins drop in do lift the tempo. The Reward Reel before the main bonus is a nice touch, since starting rows, spins, and multiplier growth define how spicy things get. Land growth of +3 or better and the round can snowball in style.

I rate PopNoir as a satisfying, high-variance step in the series rather than a reinvention. The art direction, jazz, and both-way wins give it flavour, while the gilded super-high upgrades add proper punch once scatters start piling up. I’ve seen middling base runs and then sharp turnarounds once the multiplier climbs. If you enjoy PopWins pacing and don’t mind swings, this one’s worth a spin, especially if you manage a strong starting package from the Rewards Reel.