How Kendoo is taking Hold & Win in a new direction with Bingo Twist

As Hold & Win remains one of the most recognisable and widely used mechanics in online slots, Kendoo is taking a familiar format in a new direction with Bingo Twist. In this Q&A, Mariely Alves, Account Manager at Kendoo, will explore the thinking behind the new mechanic, the challenges of innovating within an established format, and how Kendoo believes Bingo Twist can offer a fresh experience for players and operators.

Hold & Win is one of the most established mechanics in slots. What inspired Kendoo to introduce a Bingo element to the format?

Hold & Win is one of the most recognisable mechanics, and we believe its popularity comes from being simple to understand while creating strong anticipation and excitement. With Bingo Twist, we wanted to build on that familiar foundation rather than change it completely.

Our goal was to find an additional mechanic that could make the Hold & Win experience even more engaging. Bingo was a natural fit because it introduces a clear sense of progression: players are not only collecting symbols but also working towards completing Bingo lines and unlocking additional rewards.

How does the Bingo mechanic change the traditional Hold & Win experience for players?

The Bingo mechanic adds a new layer of progression to the traditional Hold & Win experience. Instead of the bonus game feeling like a single board with a defined outcome, players can combine the two mechanics and continue progressing in different ways.

It also creates a stronger sense of future possibilities. Even if the current board doesn’t deliver the result a player hoped for, Bingo gives players the feeling that the game isn’t necessarily over; there are still more potential wins ahead.

For us, that was the key idea. To make the familiar Hold & Win feel more dynamic and engaging, while keeping its simplicity and appeal at the core.

What were the biggest challenges in creating a new mechanic while keeping the gameplay intuitive and accessible to players familiar with Hold & Win?

We wanted to introduce something genuinely new without changing the core rules and simplicity that make Hold & Win so accessible. The Bingo element therefore had to feel like a natural extension of the experience rather than an additional layer of complexity.

Every feature needed to have a clear purpose and be easy for players to understand. Ultimately, the goal was to add depth and anticipation while preserving the Hold & Win experience players already know and enjoy.

What do you think makes the Bingo mechanic engaging and how does completing Bingo lines create a different sense of progression?

The Bingo mechanic gives players a very clear and visible sense of progression. There are 12 Bingo lines, so the board can develop quickly and players can immediately see that they are moving towards specific goals.

Another important element is that the values collected on the board don’t simply lose their relevance when a Bingo line is completed. Filling the board therefore doesn't automatically mean the bonus is over. Instead, it can lead to further possibilities.

There is always something clear for the player to aim for, whether that’s reaching a multiplier or unlocking a jackpot. That creates a more active sense of progression where players aren’t simply waiting to see the outcome; they can see potential goals developing in front of them.

With Bingo Twist, what does Kendoo hope to demonstrate about its approach to innovation?

For us, Bingo Twist demonstrates that innovation doesn’t always mean completely reinventing a mechanic. Sometimes, it means looking at something players already love and asking how much further it can go.

We see significant potential in established mechanics like Hold & Win. By combining it with Bingo and introducing additional features, we can create something that feels new while remaining familiar and accessible.

That’s an important part of Kendoo’s approach: combining mechanics that players understand, experimenting with new possibilities and turning those combinations into distinctive, high-quality games. With Bingo Twist, we wanted to show that even a well-established format can still offer room for meaningful innovation.