Playtech has managed to pack in just about every Irish stereotype you could imagine into the reels - the playing cards are embellished with potatoes, forks, wellies, pints of Guinness and horseshoes. They're joined by a jovial Irish mammy, tractor and even a pair of 'Kiss Me I'm Irish' underpants. They're all done cartoon style and have a light-hearted feel.
The burly farmer, aka Spud O'Reilly, is the game's wild - he substitutes for everything apart from the bonus and scatter. Spud is the top paying symbol too - land 5 in a payline for a payout of some 10,000 coins!
There are 2 features on offer. Land the sheep symbol on 3 or more consecutive reels, starting from the left, and you'll trigger the Sheep Shearing Bonus feature. It's a variant of the pick me round - pick 1 of the sheep which Spud will shear to reveal a cash prize. The more sheep that triggered the feature, the more you'll get to shear during the feature.
Land 3 or more of the scatter (the 4-leafed clover) and you'll unlock the Free Games feature and be awarded 10 free spins - all wins during the feature will be boosted by a 3x multiplier and trebled. You can trigger the Sheep Shearing Bonus feature from within the free spins (but those wins aren't trebled). Similarly, you can win even more extra free spins if you land 3 or more of the scatter (on an infinite basis).
Spud O'Reilly's Cops of Gold is a well-designed game - the cartoon visuals are nicely done and the action bounces along to a jaunty, Irish jig of a soundtrack. The Sheep Shearing Bonus feature hits at regular intervals and delivers solid if not spectacular prizes. The bigger money comes via the free spins where the tripling multiplier can get the cashier rocking.
There's plenty of entertainment on offer in this trip to the country. And if Irish eyes are smiling, Spud's farm can deliver a healthy crop of coins. Saying that, I prefer other Irish luck themed offerings such as Shamrockers Eire to Rock by IGT which is higher variance too.