Densho Pros & Cons
Densho delivers classic Aristocrat action with a proven track record. The choice-based free spins and stacked symbols create a good variety, but the RTP and max win won't impress everyone.
- 10,000x max win through Legendary wild multipliers reaching 100x
- 96.40% RTP — solid for a high-volatility Hacksaw title
- Progression Tracker in free spins upgrades wild multiplier tiers as you play
- Stunning Japanese watercolour visual style — genuinely unique in the market
- Three wild multiplier tiers: Common (2x–10x), Rare (5x–50x), Legendary (10x–100x)
- Bonus Buy available (50x–250x depending on entry tier)
- High volatility — base game without feature access is a patience test
- Only 10 paylines on a 5x4 grid — can feel restrictive
- Multiple RTP versions exist (down to 88.34%) — must verify at your casino
- Legendary tier multipliers are rare even during features
What Players Are Saying About Densho (Reddit & Forums)
Densho is Hacksaw Gaming at their most artistically ambitious. Released September 2023, it trades the studio's typical edgy cartoon style for genuine Japanese ink-wash watercolour artwork — cherry blossoms, temple silhouettes, koi ponds, and traditional brushstroke typography. The visual shift is dramatic enough that you might not recognise it as a Hacksaw title at first glance. Beneath that aesthetic sits a wild multiplier progression system where wilds carry multipliers across three tiers: Common (2x–10x), Rare (5x–50x), and Legendary (10x–100x). During free spins, a Progression Tracker upgrades your active tier as you accumulate wins, pushing wild multiplier values higher as the feature progresses.
The 10,000x ceiling is reached through Legendary tier wilds at 100x landing on premium symbol paylines during late-stage free spins. It requires the progression tracker to reach the highest tier and a 100x wild to contribute to a strong payline — rare but documented. Hacksaw built Densho for players who appreciate both visual craft and mechanical depth, and it delivers on both.
| DEVELOPER | Hacksaw Gaming |
|---|---|
| THEME | Japanese / Watercolour / Traditional Art |
| GRID SIZE | 5 Reels, 4 Rows |
| PAYLINES | 10 Fixed Paylines |
| RTP | 96.40% (default - versions down to 88.34% exist) |
| MAX WIN | 10,000x your total bet |
| VOLATILITY | High (4/5) |
| MIN/MAX BET | $0.10 / $100 per spin |
| BONUS BUY | YES- 50x (Standard), 150x (Super), 250x (Mega) |
| RELEASE DATE | September 7, 2023 |
Symbol Values and Paytable
| SYMBOL | 3 ON A PAYLINE | 4 ON A PAYLINE | 5 ON A PAYLINE |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Wild (Mountaintop)
|
- | - | 20x bet |
|
Male Warrior (Premium 1)
|
10x bet | 20x bet | |
|
Woman Portrait (Premium 2)
|
5x bet | 15x bet | |
|
Bridge Landscape (Premium 3)
|
4x bet | 12x bet | |
|
Bird (Premium 4)
|
3.5x bet | 10x bet | |
|
Cat (Premium 5)
|
3x bet | 10x bet | |
|
Japanese Character (Low 1)
|
1.5x bet | 2x bet | |
|
Japanese Character (Low 2)
|
1x bet | 1.5x bet | |
|
Japanese Character (Low 3)
|
0.8x bet | 1.2x bet | |
|
Japanese Character (Low 4)
|
0.5x bet | 1x bet | |
|
Scatter (Densho Bell)
|
Super Free Spins |
The Wild Multiplier Tier System
Densho's core mechanic is its tiered wild multiplier system. Every Densho wild symbol that lands on the reels carries a randomly assigned multiplier, but the range of possible multipliers depends on which tier is currently active:
| TIER | MULTIPLIER RANGE | HOW TO REACH |
|---|---|---|
|
Common
|
Default starting tier | |
|
Rare
|
Progression Tracker Level 2 | |
|
Legendary
|
Progression Tracker Level 3 |
My 200 Spins Test Run
Spins 1–90
Base game Common tier wilds appeared 14 times. Most carried 2x–5x, boosting otherwise modest payline wins. One 10x wild on a premium symbol 4-of-a-kind at spin 44: $16 from $0.40. Down $11 after 90 spins.
Spin 97
Three scatters — 10 free spins at Common tier. Tracker filled steadily; upgraded to Rare at spin 5. A 25x Rare wild on spin 7 with three premium symbols on the payline: $42. Feature total: $78.
Spins 98–170
Base game grind. One Bonus Buy test at spin 130 (Super entry, 150x = $60): started at Rare tier. Reached Legendary at spin 7 of 10. A 50x Legendary wild on the penultimate spin: $94. Feature total: $138. Net on buy: +$78.
Spin 182
eting a premium 5-of-a-kind. $126 from $0.40. Feature total: $201.
Final balance
Started $80 (+ $60 buy), ended $306. Up $166.
Play Responsibly - 18+ Only
Gambling should be entertaining and fun. Remember that slots are games of chance, and there's no guaranteed way to win. Never gamble more than you can afford to lose, and always set limits for yourself. If you feel gambling is becoming a problem, please seek help immediately.
FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions
How does the Progression Tracker work during free spins?
The Progression Tracker is a visible meter that fills based on accumulated win amounts during the free spins feature. Starting at Common tier (2x–10x wild multipliers), the tracker advances to Rare (5x–50x) and then Legendary (10x–100x) as you hit threshold amounts. Each tier upgrade applies immediately to all remaining free spins — any wild landing after the upgrade carries the new tier's multiplier range. The tracker encourages early wins to fuel the progression, making the final spins of the feature the most valuable.
What's the difference between Free Spins and Super Free Spins?
Standard Free Spins (3 scatters) start at Common tier, Level 1 on the Progression Tracker. Super Free Spins (4 scatters or 150x Bonus Buy) start at Rare tier, Level 2 — meaning you skip the Common phase entirely and begin with 5x–50x wild multipliers from spin 1. This gives you the full feature duration to push toward Legendary rather than spending early spins accumulating through Common first. The jump in starting tier makes Super Free Spins significantly more valuable per spin on average.
Is the 96.40% RTP consistent across all casinos?
No. Hacksaw offers Densho at six different RTP levels: 96.40%, 96.33%, 94.38%, 94.31%, 92.33%, and 88.34%. The range is among the widest in the industry. Always open Densho at your casino, click the info or help button, and verify the displayed RTP before playing. Anything below 94% is poor value; anything below 92% is essentially punitive. The 96.40% version is what the game is designed around — demand it or find a different operator.
How realistic is reaching Legendary tier during free spins?
It depends on early-feature performance. In a standard 10-spin feature starting from Common, reaching Legendary typically requires several strong wins in the first 5–6 spins to fill the tracker through both thresholds. In my testing, roughly 1 in 3 standard free spins rounds reached Legendary by the final spins. Super Free Spins (starting at Rare) reached Legendary more consistently — roughly 1 in 2 rounds. The feature is designed so that Legendary is achievable but not guaranteed, maintaining meaningful variance within each feature.
What are the Bonus Buy options and which is best value?
Three Bonus Buy tiers: Standard (50x, starts Common), Super (150x, starts Rare), and Mega (250x, starts at enhanced Rare with boosted tracker fill). Super at 150x is generally considered the best balance — you skip Common tier entirely and have full feature duration to push toward Legendary. Standard at 50x often results in features that don't reach Legendary in time. Mega at 250x provides the highest floor but at significant upfront cost; budget for at least 3 buys minimum.
How does Densho compare to other Hacksaw Gaming titles?
Mechanically, Densho sits alongside Chaos Crew and Stick 'Em as a wild multiplier-focused title — but the tiered progression system is unique to Densho. Visually, it's in a different league: the Japanese watercolour art bears no resemblance to Hacksaw's typical cartoon-heavy aesthetic. The 10,000x max win and high volatility are standard for Hacksaw's upper catalogue. For players who've tired of the studio's visual house style but love their mathematical approach, Densho offers the same quality maths in an entirely different wrapper.