Space Zoo

Space Zoo, developed by Backseat Gaming and released on 6 May 2024, imagines a galactic collector travelling the cosmos gathering creatures from distant worlds for a menagerie of sorts, letting players "share the vacuum" with a cast of kooky animal astronauts along the way. It's a light-hearted, character-driven take on the well-worn space slot theme, favouring playful charm over grand cosmic spectacle.

The presentation leans firmly into that kooky tone rather than chasing a polished, awe-inspiring view of the universe. Objects drift lazily across the sky in the base game, accompanied by distant ambient space noises, before players board a starship bound for parts unknown once the free spins bonus kicks in. It's a distinctive, slightly offbeat visual style that suits the game's overall sense of humour.

Structurally, Space Zoo runs on a 5-reel grid with 14 paylines evaluating winning combinations across the panel. The volatility sits squarely in the middle of the spectrum, rated 3 out of 5 by the developer, while the default RTP comes in at 96.22%, a solid figure above the typical industry average. Three separate bonus buy options are available for players who want to skip straight to the features, and stakes run from 10p up to £/€100 per spin.

The pay table splits into lower-value 10-through-Ace card symbols, worth 1x the stake for a five-of-a-kind win, and four higher-value animal symbols — giraffes, lions, elephants and zebras — worth 10x to 12.5x the bet for a full line. Wild symbols appear across all reels and substitute for every regular paying symbol, with a full line of five wilds paying a generous 20x the stake.

The feature that ties everything together is the Wheel of Fortune symbol, which acts as the gateway to Space Zoo's added mechanics and can appear in both the base game and during free spins, giving players multiple chances across a session to unlock its bonus effects. It's a mechanic that keeps the base game feeling purposeful rather than just a wait for the next free spins trigger.

With a maximum win of 10,000x the stake, a medium volatility rating and an above-average RTP, Space Zoo offers a genuinely well-rounded package — accessible enough for regular play, with real upside for patient sessions. The animal-astronaut theme gives it a distinctive identity in a crowded genre, too.

Fancy joining the crew on this cosmic menagerie run? The free demo is available at johnessyslots, giving you the chance to see the Wheel of Fortune mechanic and 14-payline structure in action before playing Space Zoo for real money.