The renowned slot provider Hacksaw Gaming has expanded its slot portfolio with the release of Toshi Ways Club, a title that returns to a familiar Japanese-inspired setting while introducing a completely reworked gameplay structure. The game follows an earlier release built around a similar visual identity, but rather than acting as a direct sequel, it reshapes the experience through a modern ways-based system and layered symbol mechanics.

Set against a stylized Tokyo street backdrop, Toshi Ways Club uses a deliberately restrained color palette dominated by monochrome tones and sharp orange accents. The visual presentation leans into a retro-digital aesthetic, complete with an optional CRT-style display effect that adds interference lines across the screen. This design choice reinforces the underground club theme that runs through the game, while keeping the interface clean and functional across desktop and mobile devices.

Hackways System Shapes the Core Gameplay

At the core of the slot is Hacksaw Gaming’s Hackways system. The game uses a six-reel grid where symbol heights change on every spin, creating a fluctuating number of winning paths that can reach up to 1,000,000 ways. Winning combinations form when matching symbols land on adjacent reels from left to right, with payouts scaling based on symbol value and the number of matching instances.

Players can adjust their stake between 0.10 and 100 per spin, depending on currency, and the maximum potential payout is capped at 10,000 times the bet. The published RTP reaches up to 96.09%, with alternative RTP configurations also available, meaning outcomes depend on the specific version offered by each operator. Volatility is positioned toward the higher end, with a stronger focus on payout size rather than frequent small wins.

Instead of using traditional cascading reels, the game relies on a mechanic that highlights winning symbol positions and refreshes them within the same spin. These highlighted areas remain active as long as new wins continue to form, allowing a single spin to develop through multiple stages. This approach creates extended win sequences without resetting the entire grid, placing emphasis on symbol interaction rather than constant reel movement.

A second layer is added through special symbols that interact directly with these highlighted areas. When conditions are met, certain symbols replace all highlighted positions with a single paying symbol, effectively consolidating wins into larger combinations. The game limits how often this can occur by restricting the number of special symbols that may appear at once and by preventing further symbol refreshes after these replacements resolve. Once the process finishes, the grid clears and prepares for the next spin.

Bonus Modes Build on the Base Mechanics

The free spins features expand on the same mechanics rather than introducing separate rule sets. The first bonus mode triggers with a lower scatter requirement and retains the base-game structure while increasing the likelihood of symbol replacement events. Additional scatter symbols during the feature extend the round with extra spins.

According to the company’s website, a second bonus layer introduces an enhanced replacement symbol that not only converts highlighted positions into a matching symbol but also splits them into smaller segments, increasing the number of ways to win within a single spin. A third, rarer bonus mode guarantees the appearance of a replacement-style symbol on every free spin, while removing the possibility of retriggering the feature.

Across all modes, the game enforces clear interaction rules between scatters and special symbols to control volatility and pacing. Certain symbols cannot appear together, and some features become unavailable once others activate. These restrictions ensure that extended win chains remain structured rather than unpredictable.

The symbol set blends standard playing card ranks with higher-paying icons inspired by Japanese imagery, including stylized animals, masks, and mechanical figures. Wild symbols substitute for regular icons and also deliver independent payouts when they form full combinations. While the visual theme echoes the earlier Toshi release, the absence of multipliers and the focus on symbol transformation mark a shift in how wins are generated.

For players who prefer direct access to feature content, the slot includes optional buy-in mechanics that allow entry into selected bonus modes at fixed bet multiples. These options alter how quickly players reach key features but do not change the underlying rules once the bonus begins.