Big Bass Bonanza
When you’re fishing, who knows what will come up on the other end of the rod.
You’re hoping for the biggest catch you can find but at the same time you could end up with nothing but junk. You’ll get kudos for catching a rare fish, a beautiful specimen, or a record-breaking catch.
Fortunately, in this game, you can not only pull in fish but free spins and wins! Plus, there’s a lot of fun to be had reeling in your catch (sorry, we couldn’t resist).
Get your rod, tackle and gear at the ready and read on to find out the features of this slot and how to play.
Rules
This game is played over the standard 5x3 video slot reel structure. As is fitting with the theme, your symbols are submerged in water with the surface just about visible. Each reel is separated with a line of bubbles, making the layout clear.
Pragmatic Play, the software developer for Big Bass Bonanza, has kept the control panel simple. Use the plus or minus buttons to adjust your stake. You also get a handy pop-up showing you the coin value, coins per line and the total bet.
Between those buttons, you’ve got the spin arrows and, in some locations, the option for autoplay. You can set up the number of times the slot spins automatically.
You can actually get a payout by landing two float symbols. However, all the other icons require at least three across a line, which pays from left to right to trigger. The highest win per payline pays out, but you can get wins on multiple lines and combine them to make bigger wins.
The RTP of the slot is 96.71%. You’ll feel like you’ve got a bite on your line when you land any of the special symbols, including the wild or money icon. Similar to fishing, slots can be a waiting game, although, with this medium to high volatility game, anything could happen.
Tips and Strategy
The maximum win for the game is 2100x your bet. Keep in mind that if you reach that threshold, the round will end immediately, and your winnings will be paid out.
If you have access and choose to use the autoplay function, please note that it works in increments of ten, with the smallest amount being ten and the highest 1,000 spins. It can be more challenging to manage your budget with this option, so ensure you’ve checked the coin value, coins per line and total bet beforehand.
Special Symbols
While matching the standard symbols in the base game is fun, it’s good to know that there’s something else to look forward to. Think of these icons as the slightly more exciting and elusive fish you want to reel in.
Free Spins
The free spin round is the main bonus game of the slot. It’s triggered by landing three or more fish scatters.
- Three scatters equal ten free spins
- Four scatters equal 15 free spins
- Five scatters equal 20 free spins
As well as getting to spin the reels for free, there are a few exciting twists that make this bonus round a catch worth waiting for. Keep reading to find out how the other special symbols affect your bonus games.
Wilds
Wilds only appear during the free spin rounds. It’s a fisherman here to help you bring in your catch. It substitutes for all symbols, with the only exception being the scatter.
As well as helping you find winning paylines, the fisherman does a much more important job. Each time one appears during a free spin, it fills the progress bar above. Each time you get a fourth wild, you retrigger the round with a multiplier for the money symbol.
- The first retrigger equals x2
- Second equals x3
- Third equals x10
You can only retrigger the spins three times.
It seems the money fish like to come out to see the fisherman. When there’s only one wild on the reels, it can lead to random appearances of the money symbol.
Money Icon
The money symbol appears on the reels in the base game. It features that famous big bass and a cash value underneath. The amounts are random, and if you line them up on a payline, you’ll be awarded that particular sum.
This icon acts the same way in the free spin round but also has another neat function. When any money symbols appear on the screen with a wild, the wild will take its value.
Design
Your trip below the water’s surface is nicely immersive without being too gimmicky. The design in terms of graphics and gameplay establishes a fun theme, and there isn't anything too complex.
Simple fishing icons, wooden signs that you’d expect to see on a jetty and a gentle glug glug glug as the reels turn all add up to an attractive game that’s relaxing for fishing fans and non-anglers alike.
Final Thoughts
As a medium to high volatility slot, patience can be required, but anyone who’s been fishing will already know that.
The special features add just enough interest to keep this simple slot entertaining without becoming too demanding. You’ll be hoping to land the big fish, and if the fisherman appears to help you haul it in, you know you’re going to be reeling in a big win!