Slightly Edgy on 3 Wheel Reel: “The industry does not need another clone”

Slightly Edgy on 3 Wheel Reel: “The industry does not need another clone”
Answers by the Slightly Edgy team

Slightly Edgy is a studio in Yggdrasil’s YGG Champions program. Its latest game, 3 Wheel Reel, was built entirely with Yggdrasil’s Game in a Box. In the bonus, three wheels feed into one another and then back into the base game.

We asked the team how they start a new game, where the 3 Wheel Reel idea came from, and where they draw the line between edgy and too much.

1. Your site says you don’t start with themes, you start by breaking systems. What does that look like in practice when you begin a new game?

It’s quite simple, really: we go with the mechanics first. Once we agree on those, the rest is finding a way to present a game that stands out from the crowd by offering an enhanced visual and audio experience, and a theme that dares to be different.

2. 3 Wheel Reel was built entirely with Yggdrasil’s Game in a Box™. What did that change for you in speed and freedom, and were there any trade-offs?

Once GiAB delivered the working model for 3 Wheel Reel, we focused on implementing the visuals and audio for the base game. We then did the same for the bonus round so both parts of the gameplay would flow smoothly into each other.

Trying something original takes time. Game in a Box™ lets us focus on the experience earlier than with a traditional production process.

3. 3 Wheel Reel introduces a bonus format I’ve never seen before. Where did the idea come from, and how challenging was it to bring it to life?

The idea came from us just talking about a big wheel mechanic. It’s a familiar concept, so the team decided that this would be the element we’d spruce up. From there, we tried different combinations and math models.

Eventually, we came up with a mechanic where the wheels feed into one another and then into the base game. That inspired the game’s name and everything around it. It’s much like a modified version of the game loops seen in console and mobile games.

4. You’re part of Yggdrasil’s YGG Champions™ family. What does that give a young studio that going alone wouldn’t?

Being part of Yggdrasil’s YGG Champions™ gives us shared resources and a pedigree of experience. It allows us to experiment and learn without sacrificing our vision and plans for each game.

With Yggdrasil we don’t only have access to useful technology, but also a pool of expertise and commercial support needed to bring our games to market and expand our global footprint.

5. “Respect the player” sounds simple, but plenty of slots are copy-paste. Is there a common mechanic or design habit you refuse to use?

Respecting the player means building games that actually offer something new and unexpected. We try not to repeat the same trick twice or more, in a row. We respect players’ time by delivering games that keep the action moving, and their choice by offering unique gameplay experiences.

The industry does not need another clone, and players deserve to know when a “new” game is simply an existing one with a new skin.

6. The name says Slightly Edgy. Where is the line for you between edgy and too much, especially in regulated markets?

The regulated markets set the boundaries. We agreed from the start that there should be something new in each game, where appropriate of course. The rules for the markets keep us in check; anything we try that does not break the rules is fair game.

In 3 Wheel Reel, the Edgy element is at the core of the game. It is not just a classic wheel; it is three wheels that connect to one another.

7. What’s next? Anything you can share about the next game on your roadmap?

Our 2026 roadmap will close with Kraken’s Tribute, a pirate adventure featuring multipliers, free spins and cascades, all centred on the Kraken’s tentacles.

For 2027, we’ll keep the goal of giving a new experience each time. Stay tuned for unexpected, original, and slightly edgy games.

About Slightly Edgy

Slightly Edgy is a game studio in Yggdrasil’s YGG Champions program. It builds games mechanics first, with the theme coming after. 3 Wheel Reel is its latest release, and Kraken’s Tribute is next.