The game may be based on the Ugly Duckling but the design here is anything but - a cartoon lake is the setting for the action. The lower value A to J symbols are done in the style of duck egg shells. They're joined by a family of funky ducks. Daddy duck is the top payer, awarding up to 400 coins for 5 on a payline.
The ducks are joined by a wild which can expand to fill up the whole reel in which it appears and turn an ugly duckling of a payout into a beautiful swan. This is known as the Expanding Wild feature.
Look out too for the free spins symbol - when this lands on reels 3, 4 and 5 on the same spin, you'll trigger the Free Spins feature. You'll be taken to a new screen where 5 ducks will dive under the water. Pick 1 to reveal which feature you've been awarded - you'll randomly get 1 of the following:
Multiplier feature - here you'll be awarded 15 free spins. All payouts are boosted by a 3x multiplier and trebled.
Symbol Removal feature - 12 free spins are on offer here. All of the lower value A to J symbols are removed from the reels for the duration of this feature.
Colossal Wild feature - you'll get 10 free spins here. Giant 2x2 and 3x3 wilds are added to the middle 3 reels. If you get a 3x3 Colossal Wild fully on the 3 middle reels, it will act like 9 individual wilds. Wilds can also appear on reels 1 and 5 which will expand to cover the entire reel.
Random Wilds feature - land this and you'll receive 8 free spins. On each of them, between 2 and 5 wilds will randomly land to boost your winning chances. These wilds don’t expand though.
Double feature - pick the double feature and you'll earn 6 free spins. 2 the 4 features above will both be active on each free spin.
Scruffy Duck is another entertaining affair from Net Entertainment. The cartoon visuals are excellent and the soundtrack has a certain slapstick quality. The expanding wild helps things along but the best action comes during the free spins round.
All of the modifiers provide a little something extra and certainly spice up the action. The Double feature might only award 6 free spins but land a full colossal reel in conjunction with random wilds or trebling multiplier and some big wins are certainly possible – up to 1,200 times your total bet on each free spin!
If you enjoy cartoon themed slot games, you'll find plenty to enjoy here. Even if you're not normally a fan of this style of game, the wide range of features make Scruffy Duck a smart option. If you like the fairy tale theme, Net Entertainment also offers you Fairytale Legends: Red Riding Hood and Jack and the Beanstalk.