Dead or Alive 2 – NetEnt’s Wild West Pokie

Dead or Alive 2 is a 5-reel, 3-row pokie with 9 fixed paylines, developed by NetEnt and released in 2019. The theme is the Wild West: outlaws, saloons, and shootouts. The game’s structure is standard for a 5x3 grid, but the key difference is the selectable Free Spins feature, which lets you choose how you want to play the bonus round. This choice affects the volatility and potential payouts within the feature. The base game is straightforward, with wins on adjacent reels from the left. The maximum win is 111,111x your stake, which is a significant draw for high-volatility players.

To set up a spin, choose your bet using the bet selector. The minimum is $0.09 and the maximum is $9 (or $18 at some operators). The game uses a 5x3 layout with 9 fixed paylines, so wins are paid on adjacent reels from the left. The paytable and info panel are accessible via the paytable/info button, where you can also check the RTP version. Press the spin button to start. If you want to enter the Free Spins round directly, you can use the Feature Buy option, which costs a fixed amount per attempt—budget for it separately. The bet range allows for low-stakes play or higher stakes if your bankroll permits.

The main feature is the Free Spins round, which offers three selectable modes: Old Saloon, High Noon Saloon, and Train Heist. Each mode has a different character and style of sticky wilds.

• Old Saloon: Sticky wilds appear and stay in place for the duration of the free spins. They do not carry multipliers.
• High Noon Saloon: Sticky wilds also stay, but they come with 2x or 3x multipliers. If multiple wilds land in a winning combination, their multipliers are added together, not multiplied. For example, two 2x wilds would give a total multiplier of 4x, not 4x times the base win.
• Train Heist: Wilds collect multipliers from other wilds that land during the feature. Each wild that appears adds its value to a global multiplier, which applies to all wins. This can build up over many spins.

Scatter symbols pay up to 2,500x your stake for five of a kind, even in the base game. A Feature Buy option was added in 2021, allowing you to purchase direct entry into the Free Spins round for a set cost.

The default RTP is 96.8%, though some sources list 96.82% (SlotCatalog). This is the theoretical return over many spins. If you play a version with a lower RTP, the difference matters. For example, a 1% lower RTP means you lose an extra $1 per $100 wagered on average. Always check the game’s info panel to see the exact RTP version available at your chosen casino.

The maximum win is 111,111x your stake. On a $1 bet, that’s $111,111. On the minimum bet of $0.09, it’s $9,999.99. This is a very high ceiling, but it comes with very high volatility, meaning wins are rare but can be large when they land.

Given the very high volatility, your bankroll needs to survive long dry spells. The bet range is $0.09 to $9 (or $18 at some operators). For a $50 session, a sensible bet might be $0.50 to $1, giving you 50 to 100 spins. For a $200 session, you could stretch to $2 per spin, giving 100 spins. The key is to keep the number of spins high enough to have a chance at the feature.

The Feature Buy (added in 2021) costs a fixed amount per attempt, but the exact price is not listed here. If you use it, budget for that cost as a separate expense. No betting system changes the RTP; the game’s return is fixed over time. Volatility means you might lose your bankroll quickly, but a single big win can recover it. Play responsibly.

The demo mode uses play credits but runs the same maths and RTP version as the real-money build at the casino you open it in. Given the very high volatility, a demo session is useful for seeing how rarely the Free Spins modes trigger and how the three modes behave—Old Saloon, High Noon Saloon, and Train Heist. You can also test how bet size feels across the range, from $0.09 up to $9 or $18. With real AUD, bets are real and limits matter, so the demo helps you decide if the variance suits you before risking money.

You can play Dead or Alive 2 at Genghis Khan Lucky Dreams, which offers AUD deposits and withdrawals. A demo mode is available there, so you can try the game for free before risking real money. When you play for real, check the game’s info panel to confirm the RTP version offered. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call Gambling Help Online on 1800 858 858.

Book of Dead — Both are high-volatility, 5x3 pokies with a max win of 5,000x. Book of Dead uses a single expanding symbol during free spins, while Dead or Alive 2 offers three selectable modes with sticky wilds. RTPs are close: 96.21% vs 96.8%.

Gates of Olympus — Gates of Olympus is also high volatility with a 5,000x max win, but uses a 6x5 scatter-pays grid with tumble and multipliers. Dead or Alive 2 is a 5x3 payline game with sticky wilds. Both have high volatility and big win potential.

Big Bamboo — Big Bamboo is high volatility with a 50,000x max win, higher than Dead or Alive 2's 111,111x. It uses mystery stacks and a gamble wheel for free spins, while Dead or Alive 2 offers three fixed free spins modes. Both have strong bonus features.