Four by Four Slot Review - Microgaming

Provider	Microgaming

Four by Four is a Microgaming slot released in 2013 that takes an unusual approach to reel design. Rather than the standard three or five-reel layout, it presents a 4x4 square grid - sixteen symbol positions arranged in four rows and four columns. Winning combinations run along any of the eight straight lines through that grid: four horizontal and four vertical. It is a compact, retro-flavoured slot that draws on classic fruit machine traditions while adding modern cascading wins mechanics.

Game Basics

The 4x4 grid delivers eight paylines - the four horizontal rows and four vertical columns of the playing field. Bets run from £0.10 to £50 per spin. The RTP is 96.87%, which sits comfortably above average for a Microgaming title from this era.

Symbol values are straightforward. The yellow circle pays 3x your line bet for a four-symbol line, the green diamond returns 1x, the blue plus 0.5x, and the red cross 0.2x. The pink star serves as the wild, substituting for all regular symbols and paying 5x when it fills a complete line by itself. There are no multipliers on base game wins and no bonus buy option - this is an old-school Microgaming build designed to run cleanly at any stake.

Cascading Wins

Every winning combination triggers a cascade. The symbols that formed the win disappear and new ones drop in from above to fill the gaps. If the replacements form another winning line, they cascade too. The chain continues until the grid settles with no new wins. This means a single spin can generate several payouts in succession, which is a meaningful boost to a game that otherwise runs on fairly modest payline values.

Cascading wins were less common in 2013 than they are today, and Four by Four made good use of the mechanic. The square grid means cascades can trigger wins on both horizontal and vertical lines simultaneously, so a well-placed replacement symbol can contribute to multiple new combinations at once.

Free Plays Bonus

Land four or more of the green Free Plays symbols anywhere on the grid to trigger the free spins round. You receive four free plays. The key feature here is that the four corner positions of the grid become locked wild symbols for the entire duration of the bonus. With wilds anchored in all four corners, every horizontal and vertical line passes through at least one wild, which substantially improves the odds of forming winning combinations on each free play.

Any cascading wins during free plays also benefit from the corner wilds, so a chain of cascades here can produce noticeably larger returns than an equivalent sequence in the base game.

Bonus Nudge Feature

The nudge mechanic is the most distinctive element of Four by Four, borrowed directly from traditional British fruit machines and adapted for the video slot format. Trigger it by landing four or more of the red Bonus Nudge symbols anywhere on the grid.

You are awarded four nudges. Each nudge lets you shift an entire row or column one position in any direction - left, right, up or down. The aim is to line up symbols manually to create a winning combination. Once you form a winning line, the bonus nudge round ends. If you use all four nudges without completing a win, the round ends without a payout from this feature.

The nudge mechanic adds a genuine element of decision-making that most slots lack. You can see the current grid, assess which shift gets you closest to a win, and choose accordingly. It is a simple but satisfying feature that works particularly well on the square grid format.

Is Four by Four Worth Playing?

Four by Four is a short, focused slot with a clear identity. The 4x4 grid and eight-line pay structure give it a distinctly different feel from standard Microgaming releases of the same period. Cascading wins, corner-locked wilds in the free spins, and an interactive nudge feature all contribute meaningfully to the gameplay without overcomplicating it.

The RTP of 96.87% is solid. The bet range of £0.10 to £50 covers casual players and mid-stakes regulars. It will not appeal to players after big-multiplier potential or elaborate bonus structures, but as a retro-influenced grid slot with some genuine interactivity, it holds up well.

Who makes the Four by Four slot?

Four by Four was developed by Microgaming, one of the longest-established software providers in online casino gaming. It was released in July 2013.

What is the RTP of Four by Four?

The Four by Four slot has an RTP (return to player) of 96.87%, which is above the industry average for online slots.

How does the 4x4 grid work?

Instead of traditional reels, Four by Four uses a square 4x4 grid with 16 symbol positions. Wins are paid along any of the eight straight lines through the grid - four horizontal rows and four vertical columns.

What triggers the free spins in Four by Four?

You trigger the free plays bonus by landing four or more of the green Free Plays symbols anywhere on the grid. This awards four free spins with locked wild symbols in all four corners of the grid for the duration of the bonus.

What is the Bonus Nudge feature?

The Bonus Nudge feature is triggered by four or more red Bonus Nudge symbols on the grid. It gives you four nudges, each of which lets you shift an entire row or column one position in any direction to try to form a winning combination.