Series
Dead or Alive series
Dead or Alive series: NetEnt's high-pressure Western formula
The Dead or Alive series is NetEnt's Wild West franchise, built on compact 5x3 screens, sparse paylines and free-spin rounds where sticky wilds and multipliers create most of the payout pressure. Dead or Alive established that formula in 2013 with nine paylines, high volatility and increasing multipliers. Its restraint is central to the design: few lines, familiar triggers and a bonus capable of changing the entire result.
Ranked by Slot Score
| Game | Year | RTP | Volatility | Slot Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Dead or AliveNetEnt | 2013 | 95.03% | High volatility | 70 |
 Dead or Alive 2LatestNetEnt | 2019 | 96.82% | Medium volatility | 83 |
 Dead or Alive 3 WantedNetEnt | — | 96.03% | High volatility | 72 |
Dead or Alive 2 made the decisive ceiling expansion in 2019 without abandoning the nine-line grid. It added a Bonus Buy, respins and free-spin multipliers, raised the listed RTP to 96.82% and set a 111,111x maximum win. The medium-volatility listing does not make the feature set mild; it means the sequel distributes its much larger potential through more routes into and through the bonus.
Dead or Alive 3 Wanted widens the structure to 21 paylines and restores a high-volatility profile. Its 33,333x ceiling is lower than the second game's, but wild multipliers, expanding symbols, random multipliers and extra free spins create more ways for the bonus state to change after it begins.
The mechanical progression
- Dead or Alive: the nine-line foundation, with sticky wilds and increasing multipliers carrying the free spins.
- Dead or Alive 2: the ceiling release, adding direct bonus access and a 111,111x maximum win.
- Dead or Alive 3 Wanted: the wider 21-line branch, trading some headline ceiling for more wild and multiplier variation.