Behind the Grid: Toothrot Tilly with Cameron Fraser
Pineapple Play's latest release trades traditional winlines for a high-stakes Scatter Pays mechanic. Toothrot Tilly introduces a unique 3-4-5-4-3 asymmetric grid alongside dynamic features like the interactive Beam Battle and Fairy Flick symbol removals. At the center of the action is an epic showdown between Tilly and the Tooth Fairy. We sat down with Cameron Fraser, CEO of Pineapple Play, to talk gameplay evolution, asymmetric layouts, and flexible bonus buys.
After your first two titles used standard winlines, you decided to go with Scatter Pays for your third release. What made you make that shift?
I wouldn't call using scatter pays for Toothrot Tilly a shift; it was a gameplay choice. The win type changes how a game feels when it's played and suits different games in different ways.Toothrot Tilly called for something different to bring its features to life, and scatter pays suited it perfectly.
It gave us room to use the grid space differently and allowed more flexibility in the interaction between symbols and features. We're not locking ourselves into one reel mechanic. You will see winline and ways games from us again. For us, it comes down to theme and gameplay more than anything else.
In Midnight Mirage we saw the changing grid mechanic, and now in Toothroot Tilly you're introducing a 3-4-5-4-3 asymmetric grid. What was the core idea behind this layout?
We like to experiment and wanted to try something different with Toothrot Tilly. The grid shape earns its place twice over.
It complements the features we introduced (such as Fairy Flick removing symbols from a corner of the grid), and it gives us the ability to present the characters and the beam battle clearly. It actually started off as a concept for another game but ended up being the perfect fit for this game instead.
It's not easy to surprise us when it comes to slot innovation, but the Beam Battle feature definitely did. Where did the inspiration for that come from?
That's great to hear! We wanted an epic battle between Tilly and the Tooth Fairy, and we wanted players to watch it unfold and feel part of the action.
The beam was the best way to visualise the tension and take players on the journey of the fight as it swings one way and then the other. The challenge was making it clear which feature unlocks at each point along the beam. We are really pleased with how it turned out, and glad it has been well received.
What is your personal favorite feature in Toothroot Tilly, and why?
The gummy bears trapped in jelly are my favourite symbols in the game. The expression on those little faces as they try to escape the cube,
I can't help rooting for them to win and escape the grid. Sugar Swirl is my favourite feature for that reason. The feature is built around the gummy bears.
Across your first three games, the highest Bonus Buy option sits at 100x. Can players expect higher-cost Bonus Buys for premium features in future releases?
Absolutely. We have a wide variety of games in our roadmap with stand-out bonus buy options coming up. Accessibility matters to us, so where we do go higher, it will sit alongside the lower options rather than replace them. Different players want different ways in, and the ladder is there to give them a choice.
About Pineapple Play
Pineapple Play: The Bold New Australian Studio Ready to Innovate
A new and ambitious contender has emerged from Down Under, set to bring a fresh burst of creativity and energy to the global online gambling industry. Pineapple Play, a dynamic new Australian game studio founded in 2024, is poised to make a significant and lasting impact. Headquartered in the vibrant city of Brisbane, Australia, this ambitious company is entering the competitive market not just to participate, but to lead with a clear and distinct vision.
Strategic Launch and Experienced Team
A significant signal of their market-readiness is their strategic partnership as a Hacksaw Gaming OpenRGS partner. This collaboration provides a powerful platform for their debut, ensuring their games reach a wide audience. The studio is kicking off its portfolio with its first-ever title, "Coconut Chaos." This debut game is more than just a launch; it represents the first step in the studio's ambitious journey to reshape player expectations and introduce a new standard of entertainment.
Pineapple Play was born from an ambitious vision to build a studio founded on core principles of agility, boldness, and relentless innovation. Their leadership team has explicitly stated a desire to create an environment where they can experiment with new ideas and forge their own unique path, rather than simply following established trends. This commitment to fresh thinking is at the heart of their operations.
Based in their Brisbane headquarters, the company prides itself on being a close-knit team. This isn't a faceless corporation; it's a collective of passionate creatives, talented artists, dedicated storytellers, and skilled engineers. What unifies them is a shared passion for gaming, a deep interest in technology, and an unyielding drive for innovation. While the studio itself was founded in 2024, the team behind it is composed of industry veterans. They bring a formidable amount of expertise to the table, boasting a combined experience of over 30 years in the gaming industry. This powerful blend of a fresh, agile startup mentality and deep, time-tested industry knowledge forms the core of their strategy.
A Philosophy of Quality and Craft
The studio's philosophy for creating great games is rooted in a specific and deliberate formula. The team at Pineapple Play believes that true success starts with a unique, compelling vision. This vision is then intricately blended with clever mechanics that are designed to engage, surprise, and excite players.
However, the process doesn't stop with mechanics. The studio places immense and equal value on presentation, firmly believing that a game must be a complete sensory experience. They are committed to bringing their concepts to life through meticulous, handcrafted visuals and an overarching dedication to high-quality production. This dedication to craft is central to their mission. They are not just looking to create functional games; they are looking to create polished, artistic experiences that resonate with players on both a visual and a mechanical level, setting them apart in a crowded marketplace.
Mission: A Fresh Take on a Mature Industry
Pineapple Play has set an exceptionally high bar for itself. Their goals are twofold and crystal clear: to release a portfolio of games that are implicitly trusted by operators and, most importantly, that consistently entertain and captivate players. The studio is on a mission to prove that even in a mature industry, there is still significant opportunity to bring a fresh take. With their 30+ years of combined experience, a clear philosophy, and the backing of the Hacksaw Gaming OpenRGS platform, they are exceptionally well-equipped to achieve this vision. All eyes will be on their debut game, "Coconut Chaos," as the industry and players alike wait to see the first glimpse of this bold new Australian creative force.
