Big Bass Bonanza
Welcome to the ultimate review of Big Bass Bonanza, the classic slot that changed the face of fishing-themed games. Developed by Reel Kingdom and distributed widely by Pragmatic Play, this game is a true catch!
It blends simple 5×3 gameplay with a thrilling Free Spins round where the friendly fisherman helps scoop up cash prizes. It’s got a great look and a fun soundtrack that puts you in the mood for a relaxing, yet potentially profitable, day by the water.
For a slot with a Medium-High volatility rating, it keeps players coming back for more, hoping to reel in that big 2,100x maximum prize.
Written by: Alex Ivanov
Fact Checked by: Martin Hansen
Game Specs
Provider: Reel Kingdom (via Pragmatic Play platform)
Release Date: 2020-12-03
Theme: Fishing / Aquatic Adventure
Layout: 5 Reels, 3 Rows
Paylines: 10 (Fixed)
RTP%: 96.71% (Note: RTP can vary by casino/jurisdiction, sometimes listed lower)
Variance: Medium-High
Player Suitability: Mixed, for both newcommers and advanced players
Minimum Bet: C$0.10
Maximum Win Potential: Up to 2,100x your bet
Technology: JS, HTML5
Minimum OS: N/A (Standard modern browser compatibility)
Game Size: 13.7MB
Last Update: 2025, Sept.
Key Gameplay Features You Should Look Out For
The fun really starts when you trigger the Free Spins round by landing three or more Scatter symbols (the fish hooked on a line). Depending on how many scatters you land, you get 10, 15, or 20 initial spins.
This Wild appears in the bonus round and serves two special functions:
- It substitutes for other symbols to make winning combinations.
- It acts as a Money Symbol Collector. Every time the Fisherman lands with Fish symbols (which carry random cash values like 2x, 5x, or up to 2,000x your bet) on the screen, he collects all of their values. If multiple Fishermen appear, they each collect the values, multiplying the catch!
The Fisherman is also collected on a meter above the reels. Collecting four Fishermen awards +10 extra Free Spins and increases the multiplier applied to the money symbols collected: 2x, then 3x, and finally 10x on the third retrigger.
Top Wins Reported by Fans
hanks to player tracking tools utilized by the slot community, we can see exactly what kind of catches are being made. Tracking nearly 478,000 total spins, the data confirms this slot’s capacity for substantial prizes.
Players have successfully landed a top multiplier prize of 2,026x the stake. Considering the official cap is 2,100x, hitting so close to the limit is seriously good news! In monetary terms, the biggest recorded prize from a single win in this community data is a whopping €917,799.75. That’s a life-changing amount, a true whopper of a fish, as we’d say up here in Canada!
The statistics offer great insight into the bonus round experience:
- The Free Spins feature is activated, on average, once every 182.8 spins.
- When the bonus round hits, the average return is an impressive 109.12x the bet.
This data, generated by players, provides proof that the game delivers generous prizes when the Fisherman is feeling cooperative in the bonus feature. Community chatter often zeroes in on the excitement of chasing that 10x multiplier, and this tracked performance demonstrates why fans consider this original Big Bass a solid performer.
Graphics & Sound
The graphic design of Big Bass Bonanza is crafted with a charming, approachable aesthetic that perfectly captures the fishing theme. The game is set deep underwater, featuring translucent reels that allow you to see the vibrant blue backdrop, complete with gentle bubbles rising to the surface and aquatic plants swaying on the ocean floor.
The symbols themselves – from the various colourful fish to the high-paying float and fishing rod – are rendered in a bright, inviting, and slightly cartoonish style, ensuring they are visually distinct and easy to read even on smaller mobile screens. This design choice contributes to a pleasant, non-aggressive gaming atmosphere, making the volatility feel less jarring when those big wins finally surface.
The atmosphere is defined by a surprisingly upbeat and cheerful soundscape that suggests a relaxing, successful day on the water. The background music is a lively, fast-paced synth track that almost has a country-pop feel, which keeps the energy high, especially during the base game. This is cleverly layered with ambient sound effects, such as the gentle sounds of lapping water and birds chirping, which creates an immersive and tranquil environment.
When a win hits, or more importantly, when the Free Spins feature triggers, the sounds transition instantly into celebratory jingles and the satisfying ‘ka-ching’ of the Fisherman collecting the Money Symbols, dramatically enhancing the feeling of a big “catch” and amplifying the slot’s excitement.
Developer Spotlight: Reel Kingdom and Pragmatic Play
Many players notice the dual branding on this slot. Here is the lowdown:
- Reel Kingdom is the creative UK-based studio responsible for the slot’s concept, design, and mechanics. They are the true developers behind the Big Bass series.
- Pragmatic Play is one of the industry’s biggest suppliers. They partner with Reel Kingdom, using their respected platform to distribute the game globally across certified markets.
Pragmatic Play’s extensive network provides the distribution muscle, meaning Big Bass Bonanza gets seen by millions of players worldwide, while Reel Kingdom gets to focus on creating the exciting game designs.
Recent News & Awards
The developer and its platform provider keep the franchise fresh with new concepts, but they also respond to the changing legal environment.
Big Bass Franchise Expansion: Pragmatic Play continues to heavily invest in the Big Bass name, consistently releasing new installments.
Maximum Potential Boosts: Recent announcements confirm new titles pushing the limits. Big Bass Bonanza 1000 features a huge 20,000x maximum win potential, and Big Bass Reel Repeat offers a 5,000x win cap and introduces new sci-fi themes and modifiers. These additions keep the technology and excitement moving forward.
Rewards: Beyond its immense popularity with players, Big Bass Bonanza has also received industry recognition. The slot was awarded The Best Game for 2021 at a major iGaming conference. This award acknowledges the game’s significant impact and success in the casino market during that year, proving that its simple, effective mechanics and highly engaging bonus round were well-received by the broader industry. While some community members noted the game’s similarities to earlier fishing slots, others championed the game’s superior entertainment value, immersive theme, and high frequency of bonus feature triggers, arguing that its design quality and overwhelming popularity made it a worthy winner.