Peek & Pounce

Peek & Pounce is a 5-reel, 4-row video slot developed by NowNow Gaming, a studio operating under the Hacksaw Gaming umbrella, released on April 28, 2026. It follows Señor Pounce, a cunning cat character, as he hunts a group of mice across 20 fixed paylines.

The game's standout mechanic is the Wild Chase feature, which triggers during the base game and free spins. When Señor Pounce symbols land beneath mice peeking from holes above the reels, he leaps upward, converting symbols into wilds and awarding multipliers. This mechanic drives most of the game's win potential, with multipliers reaching up to 500x and a maximum win of 10,000x the bet.

Peek & Pounce is built on a medium volatility profile with an RTP of 96.32%, making it accessible across different player preferences. Its structured bonus buy options and a well-defined free spins round give players several ways to engage with its key features.

Peek & Pounce uses a warm, earthy color palette that suits its cat-and-mouse setting. The reels sit within a wooden, dungeon-like frame, with stone walls and dim lighting in the background. Señor Pounce stands to the right of the grid, dressed in a wide-brimmed hat and animated when the Wild Chase triggers.

The symbol set blends low-value card letters rendered in colored stone with thematic high-value icons: a ball of yarn, fish bones, a milk bowl, and a cheese board. The Señor Pounce wild is the most detailed symbol on the reels.

Mice animations above the reels add visual movement between spins, peering out from their holes before the outcome resolves. When a Wild Chase triggers, Señor Pounce leaps upward with a short chase animation, converting symbols into wilds one reel at a time. Sound design reinforces the action with distinct audio cues during the chase sequences.

The game runs on 20 fixed paylines. Wins are formed by landing three or more matching symbols on adjacent reels from left to right, starting on reel one.

To get started:

• Set your bet using the up/down arrows next to the bet display. Stakes range from 0.10 to 100.00 per spin.
• Spin the reels using the circular spin button on the right, or press the spacebar.
• Autoplay is available via the autoplay menu. You can set a number of rounds, a loss limit, and a single win limit. Autoplay stops automatically when any limit is reached.
• Turbo Play speeds up spin animations where permitted by the operator.
• Paytable and game info are accessible from the menu icon on the left side of the interface.
• The Buy Bonus button opens the bonus buy screen where FeatureSpins and direct bonus access options are available.

Wild Chase

During every spin, between two and five mice peek out from holes above the reels. If a Señor Pounce symbol lands on a reel where a mouse is visible – and if after the reel expansion there is at least one winning combination – the Wild Chase begins.

Señor Pounce leaps upward from his position, converting all symbols from his landing position up to the top of that reel into wild symbols. Only one Señor Pounce can activate per reel. Each caught mouse awards a random multiplier: 2x, 3x, 4x, 5x, 7x, 10x, 15x, 20x, 25x, 50x, 75x, 100x, 200x, or 500x.

If multiple Wild Chases occur in one spin, they resolve from left to right. All multipliers collected during that spin are summed and applied to the total win. The multiplier meter resets at the end of each spin in the base game.

Bonus Buy Option: No (accessible via BonusHunt FeatureSpins and Wild Chase FeatureSpins – see below)

Catch the Cheese Bonus

The free spins round is triggered by landing three or more scatter symbols (the mousetrap) in the base game:

• 3 scatters → 10 free spins
• 4 scatters → 15 free spins
• 5 scatters → 20 free spins

The base game mechanics remain the same during free spins, with one important change: Señor Pounce will leap to catch any visible mouse during the bonus, even if no winning combination is present on that spin.

Multipliers also behave differently. Instead of resetting after each spin, they are added to a persistent multiplier meter that remains active for the full duration of the bonus. Each time a mouse is caught, its multiplier value is added to the current meter total. At the end of every free spin, the meter's total is applied to that spin's win. The multiplier meter can grow significantly across a full bonus round.

Bonus Buy Option: Yes (direct entry costs 100x the bet)

BonusHunt FeatureSpins™

Each spin during this mode is three times more likely to trigger the Catch the Cheese bonus game. This option is suited to players who want more frequent bonus triggers without committing to a direct bonus buy.

Bonus Buy Option: Yes (Cost: 2x the bet per spin, medium volatility)

Wild Chase FeatureSpins™

In this mode, every spin guarantees that at least one Wild Chase feature will occur. Scatter symbols cannot land during Wild Chase FeatureSpins. This option provides consistent Wild Chase activity with elevated volatility.

Bonus Buy Option: Yes (Cost: 50x the bet per spin, high volatility)

Wins are formed by landing three or more matching symbols across adjacent reels from left to right. The paytable below shows payouts as bet multipliers. Señor Pounce acts as the wild symbol and substitutes for all symbols in the paytable. The mousetrap is the scatter symbol, which triggers free spins and only appears in the base game.

The Señor Pounce wild appears on any reel and substitutes for all paytable symbols. The mousetrap scatter can appear on any reel during the base game and acts solely as the free spins trigger – it does not pay out in the same way as standard symbols.

Peek & Pounce uses 20 fixed paylines. Winning combinations require three or more matching symbols on consecutive reels starting from the leftmost reel. Only the highest win per payline is paid.

Most significant wins come from the Wild Chase mechanic. When Señor Pounce converts reel positions into wilds, those wilds contribute to multiple active paylines simultaneously. Each catch also adds a random multiplier to the round's total. When several Wild Chases occur on the same spin, multipliers from each catch are combined before being applied to the final win.

During the Catch the Cheese bonus, the persistent multiplier meter builds across every spin in the round. As more mice are caught, the meter grows – meaning later spins in the bonus benefit from the full accumulated multiplier, which can produce substantial wins when multiple high-value multipliers stack together.

The maximum win of 10,000x can be reached in both the base game and the bonus round.

As of the game's April 2026 release, there are no confirmed alternative versions or sequels. Players who enjoy the Wild Chase mechanic and multiplier-based free spins may find similar gameplay in other Hacksaw Gaming titles that use position-based wild expansions and accumulating multiplier systems.

Peek & Pounce is a well-structured medium volatility slot with a clear central mechanic. The Wild Chase feature is easy to follow and the multiplier meter during free spins gives the bonus round a satisfying build-up. The 40.54% hit frequency means wins appear regularly, though larger outcomes depend on several Wild Chase events occurring in the same sequence.

The game suits players who prefer a balance between regular engagement and meaningful bonus potential. The three bonus buy options offer flexibility, though the direct bonus entry at 100x the bet is a notable commitment. With a maximum win of 10,000x and an RTP of 96.32%, Peek & Pounce is a competent release from NowNow Gaming with a mechanic that holds up across both base game and bonus play.