Growing Grandma Dream Drop has one of those progression systems that gives ordinary spins more purpose than the relatively simple 20 payline setup initially suggests.

The Denture Collection is the key. Knowing that every useful Denture is moving Grandma towards a larger Wild gives the base game a longer term objective, and there is a noticeable difference between playing with the prospect of a little 1x1 Grandma and knowing she can now arrive as a 3x3 block.

I also like how easy the progression is to understand. Collect teeth, Grandma gets bigger. Bigger Grandma covers more positions and can carry stronger multipliers. There is plenty happening mathematically, but the idea presented to the player could not be much simpler.

Free Spins are where the gameplay becomes considerably better. Starting with only five spins creates immediate pressure to find Dentures, while every successful growth stage both improves Grandma and gives you more time. A bonus that starts modestly can therefore become substantially stronger if the collection begins cooperating.

The 94% RTP is the obvious drawback. Dream Drop takes part of the theoretical return, but 94% still feels lean for players more interested in Growing Grandma itself than chasing a progressive jackpot.

Mechanically, though, there is a lot to like.

Score 8.1/10

The Free Spins feature works because almost everything you are doing contributes towards making the same central mechanic better.

Grandma starts at the size you have already earned, becomes Sticky and can continue growing. Every additional stage improves her coverage and adds another three spins, while larger versions can carry multipliers reaching 5x.

That creates proper escalation. A 2x2 Grandma at the beginning of the feature feels useful; a 4x4 Grandma later on feels dominant; getting her to 5x5 effectively turns the entire grid Wild.

I much prefer this to bonuses that introduce half a dozen unrelated modifiers. Growing Grandma knows what its best idea is and keeps developing it.

Dream Drop then adds a completely different layer through its five progressive jackpot levels. It is not closely integrated with the Grandma progression, but the main feature is strong enough that it does not need the jackpot to prop it up.

The only thing keeping this below 9 is that the journey can be rather dependent on Dentures appearing at the right time. A Free Spins feature that refuses to grow Grandma can feel much less exciting than the specification promises.

When it works, though, it is excellent.

Score 8.8/10

Growing Grandma has considerably more personality than another slot about an old woman sitting in her living room really ought to have.

The retro television framing is a great touch, while the armchair, knitting, medication, cats and household clutter create a cosy environment that is completely different from the temples, vaults and fantasy kingdoms filling most casino lobbies. Contemporary reviews have similarly highlighted the humour and domestic presentation as one of the game's strongest qualities.

Grandma herself is obviously the star, and watching her physically increase in size gives the progression far more impact than simply changing a number beside the reels. By the time she reaches 4x4 or 5x5, the visual joke and the gameplay mechanic have become the same thing.

That is exactly what good slot presentation should do.

The game does not need cinematic dragons flying around the screen because watching an elderly woman gradually become too large for her own television is memorable enough.

Score 8.5/10

Growing Grandma Dream Drop has a very clear identity, and that is not simply because somebody decided false teeth would make good collectable symbols.

The Denture Collection makes thematic sense within the game's ridiculous little world while also providing genuine persistent progression. More importantly, the reward for collecting them is immediately visible because Grandma herself gets physically larger.

That idea becomes even better during Free Spins. Keeping the enlarged Grandma persistent and allowing her to grow until she occupies the entire 5x5 grid gives the feature an obvious journey from beginning to end.

There is also something refreshing about the theme. Relax Gaming could have attached exactly the same growing Wild mechanic to a dragon, monster or ancient god and produced something far less memorable. Building it around Grandma, her dentures and a cosy living room gives the mechanics a sense of humour without getting in their way.

Dream Drop itself does not add much originality because it is an established network used across numerous Relax Gaming titles. The underlying slot does not need it for originality points anyway.

Growing Grandma is weird for a reason, and the weirdness actually improves the game.

Score 8.8/10