Deconstructing Hexbreaker

Introduction

In my ongoing project to unveil the inner workings of video slot machines, I aimed to dissect the design of Hexbreaker through hands-on play. With nothing but a smartphone camera, I documented around 45 minutes of gameplay. Using data regarding symbol frequency, payout tables, and bonus conditions, I aimed to assess the odds of Hexbreaker. This was the primary goal of my analysis.

Step One - Data Collection

Similar to a previous game that I took apart, I selected Hexbreaker because it did not feature bonus spins, and the bonus rules were transparent. The only uncertainty revolved around the arrangement of the reels. Consequently, I located a quiet game in Main Street Station in downtown Las Vegas and recorded 45 minutes of my gameplay. These recordings are available on YouTube: Jackpot Party Once I returned home, I enlisted my brother-in-law to manually document the three visible symbols on each reel for 506 spins recorded in the first two videos. This task consumed many hours and incurred significant costs on my part.

• Hexbreaker part 1 (16:57)
• Hexbreaker part 2 (11:51)
• Hexbreaker part 3 (16:13)

Subsequently, I attempted to reconstruct the order of the reel strips based on the symbol sequences I observed. To balance and close the loops of the reels, I presumed that certain sequences repeated on the same strip. These selections were made based on the sequences needed to complete the reels and the frequency with which they occurred. My web developer, JB, then created a program to organize these combinations sequentially. It is important to highlight that, based on the observed sequences, multiple configurations could be valid. The reel strips presented are merely one of several possibilities, but they would all yield the same expected return.

As I previously mentioned, I’m not asserting that these reel strips are the definitive configuration within Hexbreaker. However, I believe that the symbol frequency I gathered closely resembles what exists in the game at Main Street Station. Below is a table depicting my best approximation of the Hexbreaker reel arrangement.

Step Two - The Reel Strips

Multi-line video slots operate by generating random numbers, assigning one for each reel to establish their stopping positions on the reel strips. In this instance, the game selects five random integers corresponding to each reel. For instance, numbers ranging from 1 to 69 are used for reels 1 and 5, while numbers from 1 to 67 are designated for reels 2 through 4. If, for example, the chosen numbers were 55, 41, 24, 29, and 11 for the reels sequentially, these values would be aligned with the top row displayed on the screen. In such a case, the display would show this arrangement:

The following table indicates the total count of each symbol across all reels, based on my best judgment.

The payout structure is clearly visible on the rules screens, as shown in the table below. The logo acts as a wild symbol, substituting for any line pay combination. The cat symbol is particularly noteworthy because securing three or more cats without wild symbols results in a higher payout compared to instances where wilds are included. Additionally, in contrast to most slots, Hexbreaker awards line pay wins in both directions. If a player can achieve wins in both directions, only the higher payout on that pay line is credited.

Step Three - The Pay Table

The subsequent table outlines the total number of combinations yielding a win. Cells reflecting no winning outcomes are left unfilled. Because of the wild symbol, the unique rule concerning the cat symbol, and the dual-direction payouts, conducting a mathematical analysis of line pay wins becomes intricate, challenging, and prone to errors. In my view, the safest method to analyze line pay wins is to evaluate every conceivable outcome using five nested loops.

Step Four - Line Pay Math

In the lower right cell, it reveals a total of 53,972,083 winning combinations. The overall number of potential combinations in Hexbreaker is 69*67*67*67*69 = 1,431,932,643. This results in a hit frequency per line of 53,972,083 divided by 1,431,932,643, resulting in approximately 3.77%.

The following table presents the probability associated with each potential win. The lower right cell reaffirms the hit frequency per line of 3.77%, which was calculated previously.

In the next table, each winning probability's product and its corresponding payout are displayed. The lower right cell indicates that the player can anticipate winning 53.22% of their bet with each spin based on line pays.

The game rewards players based on the occurrence of Jinx symbols anywhere on the screen. Scatter pay wins are calculated based on the total amount wagered. The payouts for scattering symbols are 150 for five symbols, 13 for four, and 4 for three. To highlight a cultural insight, the number four is considered unlucky in Chinese superstition as it sounds akin to the word for 'death.'

Step Five - Scatter Pays

The next table details the probability and the return contribution for each level of scatter payouts. The lower right cell indicates a total return of 5.89%.

Players can trigger the Mirror Mirror Bonus by landing four consecutive mirror symbols on any active pay line. The winnings are contingent upon the amount wagered per line.

Step Six - The Mirror Miror Bonus

During the Mirror Mirror Bonus, there are 13 mirrors. The game will randomly assign 13 prizes behind these mirrors. Notably, if the bonus is initiated with five mirror symbols, the prizes allocated to those mirrors will be even larger. Players then have the opportunity to break any five mirrors and claim the corresponding prizes.

Additionally, five Treasure Symbols are randomly set behind the mirrors. It’s feasible for a single mirror to conceal more than one symbol. I theorize that for each Treasure Symbol, one of the 13 mirrors is chosen at random, independent of whether that mirror already holds another symbol.

To illustrate this concept, here are links to my three videos along with the timestamps where the Mirror Mirror bonuses begin.

— 1:47, 4:32, 5:37, and 9:23. Notably, the 4:32 bonus was activated with five mirror symbols.

• Hexbreaker part 1 — 3:57, 6:07, and 11:24
• Hexbreaker part 2 The subsequent table includes the 13 prizes based on whether the bonus was triggered with four or five mirror symbols.
• Hexbreaker part 3 — 6:47, 10:54

As previously mentioned, finding at least one treasure symbol will grant the player a bonus within the initial bonus. The next table lists prizes based on the quantity of Treasure Symbols found and whether the bonus was initiated with four or five mirrors.

The following table summarizes all aspects of the Mirror Mirror Bonus. The lower right cell indicates that this feature contributes 17.15% to the overall return of the game.

Players can participate in the Money Ladder Bonus by landing the ladder symbol on either reels 2 or 4. All winnings from the Money Ladder Bonus depend on the bet amount made during the triggering spin.

Step Seven - Money Ladder Bonus

The Money Ladder features 12 steps on either side. Commencing from the bottom step on the right side and proceeding counter-clockwise, the prize structure is as follows: 1,1,1,1,1,1,1,2,2,2,3,4,16,4,3,2,2,2,1,1,1,1,1,1,1. In the accompanying image, I made a wager of 13 coins, thus multiplying the winnings per step by 13.

Hoo Doo the cat begins on the lowest step of the ladder and moves counter-clockwise. Players will select a number from 1 to 13 on a Ouija Board that dictates how many steps the cat will advance around the ladder. With each step the cat lands on, the corresponding prize for that step is collected, which is then nullified. Every time the cat makes a complete lap around the ladder, the remaining prizes increase by the total amount wagered. Should the cat land on a previously occupied step or reach the top of the ladder, the bonus concludes.

To provide tangible examples, here are links to my three videos along with the timestamps marking the start of the Money Ladder bonuses.

The following table presents probabilities and the anticipated returns for each Money Ladder bonus win. This data stemmed from a random simulation involving over seven billion bonuses. The lower right cell reflects an average win of 18.707.

• Hexbreaker part 1 — 14:18
• Hexbreaker part 2 — 9:23
• Hexbreaker part 3 — 14:33

Money Ladder Bonus — Possible Outcomes

The concluding table below summarizes the return for each win category in Hexbreaker. The lower right cell indicates the game offers a total return of 87.517%.

Step Eight - Summary

The returns from various Hexbreaker versions may differ. Typical with many video slots, multiple versions exist, primarily varying by the arrangement of reel strips. Casino managers decide which version to implement in the game.

This page aims not to endorse Hexbreaker, either positively or negatively, but rather to illuminate overarching principles in slot machine design.

Enjoy the video below, which illustrates how I conducted the Hexbreaker analysis using Excel.

Video

To clarify, I do not claim that this page provides an exact representation of Hexbreaker. The presence of repeating symbols necessitated certain educated guesses to fill in the gaps. As previously explained, various orders of reel strips are possible based on what was observed on the machine.

Direct link: www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6-ajlpE-Iw .

Disclaimer

I would like to extend my gratitude to J.B. for integrating the diverse sequences of three symbols for each reel into a coherent reel strip.

Acknowledgments

Dissecting the Atkins Diet-themed slot machine

Internal Links

• My main slot machine page .
• Deconstructing Jackpot Party analysis of the video slot machine.
• Deconstructing Megabucks .
• Exploration of Lucky Larry's Lobstermania . (PDF)
• Hexbreaker Slots - Immerse Yourself in Creative Superstitions with Hexbreaker Video Slots .

External Links

: IGT's promotional material for Hexbreaker. Strategies and information grounded in mathematics for a variety of casino games, including blackjack, craps, roulette, and countless others.

Written by: Michael Shackleford