Big Bamboo

Big Bamboo Slot Review

Slot Provider: Push Gaming

RTP: 96.13% | Variance: High | Maximum Win: 50,000x

Our Score: 9.4

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About Big Bamboo

Reviewed by:

Published Date: 16th March 2022

How We Review Slot Games

We test and rate all slot games across 5 criteria, assigning a score out of 10 for each and an overall score that is an average of the 5. To build an accurate assessment of each game we gather information from the supplier and play in real play or demo mode. Find out more.

Big Bamboo is a super volatile online slot from Push Gaming with an Oriental theme, 5 reels and 50 paylines. It was released in March 2022 with a sophisticated and intricate set of interacting features that makes it a compelling play and it is one of Push’s most popular slots.

In the game Mystery Bamboo stacks reveal pay symbols, Wilds or Golden Bamboo. The latter themselves then reveal instant win prizes of up to 5,000x which are activated by multipliers and collect symbols. There is also a free spins round where collecting scatters converts low value symbols into Mystery Bamboos and triggers further multipliers.

Big Bamboo has a top payout of 50,000x and spins start from 10p.

Big Bamboo Game Information

  • RTP: 96.13%
  • Variance: High
  • Maximum Win: 50,000x
  • Progressive Jackpot: No
  • Reels: 5
  • Rows: 6
  • Paylines: 50
  • Minimum Stake: £0.10
  • Theme: Animals
  • Features: Wilds, Free Spins, Multipliers, Symbol Upgrades, Instant Wins

What We Liked

  • Peaceful graphics and backdrop
  • Plenty of mystery symbols in base game
  • Instant wins up to 5,000x
  • Multipliers up to 10x
  • Symbol meters and upgrades in free spins

What We Didn't like

  • Complex features
  • High variance will put some players off

Big Bamboo Review Scores

  • Theme and Design 10
  • RTP and Variance 9
  • Maximum Win 10
  • Symbols and Paytable 9
  • Features and Gameplay 9

What Our Reviewer Says ...

"A beguiling slot with peaceful vibes but a complex and high risk gameplay that will only appeal to the bravest slots players!"

Overall Score: 9.4

Theme & Design

Our Score 10

Big Bamboo has zen like qualities thanks to its calming aqua green and blue colouring and peaceful soundtrack which is somewhat at odds with the hyper volatile nature of the gameplay. The reel set appears to be underwater, surrounded by bamboo stems with air bubbles floating up towards the surface. It’s a unique setting – I can’t think of any other slots that use this theme. And the artwork is most definitely Push Gaming, a studio whose design style is instantly recognisable. Production values are always high with Push and once again one of their slots takes top marks for design and artwork.

Big Bamboo Slot by Push Gaming
Big Bamboo – Serene and Zen-like atmosphere

RTP and Variance

Our Score 9

What is RTP?

RTP (Return to Player) refers to the amount a game will pay out in cash prizes expressed as a percentage of all the money wagered on that game. For example, a 96% RTP means a game will pay out £96 for every £100 wagered. This is an average number and will vary from one session to the next.  Read more here.

What is Variance?

Variance refers to how far a game will deviate from its RTP over time. High variance games deviate a lot and produce uneven win distributions and unexpected windfalls. Low variance games provide a more stable and even distribution of wins. Read more here.

Big Bamboo has a Return to Player (RTP) of 96.13% which puts it comfortably in the average RTP range for online slots to give you good value for your wagering. Most slots come in at around 96% to 96.5%.

This is also a notoriously high variance game with a very unpredictable payout distribution. It can run cold for many spins before dropping huge wins, particularly in the Golden Bamboo feature described below. Of course, that means you should be prepared for this and set your stake accordingly. Don’t gamble with high bets if you can’t absorb the losses in your balance before hitting a good win.

Maximum Win

Our Score 10

What Is Maximum Win?

Maximum win refers to the maximum amount a player can win from one spin. It is expressed as a multiple of the stake. For example, where the maximum win is 100,000x, from a £1 stake, the maximum win would be £100,000.  

Big Bamboo has a top payout of 50,000x which puts it up there as one of Push Gaming’s highest max win slots. The only game to have a higher potential right now (September 2023) is the recent Razor Returns game at 100,000x. Others with a 50,000x potential include Fire Hopper and Jammin Jars 2.

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Symbols and Paytable

Our Score 9

Big Bamboo plays out on a 5 reel set with 6 rows on every reel. To trigger a win you have to land 3 or more identical symbols, or 2 or more of the top premium symbols, across a payline from left to right.

There are 50 paylines to win on.

Big Bamboo Paytable
Paytable with 150x wins for 5 premium pandas

One of the features I like about this game is the high values in the paytable which is why it scores high for this section. In particular you will see that the highest paying premium, the panda, pays out up to 150x for five on a payline, as well as 0.5x for 2 on a payline which is unusual in a slot. Other premiums are the birds, monkeys and boars, which pay out between 0.3x for 3 on a line and 20x for 5 on a line.

Low value symbols are less generous of course. They are represented by the card suits, clubs, spades, diamonds and hearts. They have values of between 0.1x for 3 on a line and 0.4x for 5 on a line.

There is also a Wild that substitutes in for all other paying symbols to complete win lines AND triggers payouts at 0.5x for 2 on a line up to 150x for 5 on a line.

Features and Gameplay

Our Score 9

Big Bamboo has a few intricate features built into the gameplay but it becomes easy to understand once you have played the game a few times.

In essence it can be broken down into three parts – Mystery Bamboo, Golden Bamboo and Free Spins. The latter has the best potential and works with a superb progressive gameplay mechanic but is extremely tricky to unlock.

But let’s start with the easy stuff.

Mystery Bamboo

You will see stacks of green Mystery Bamboo symbols regularly on the reels. When they land the green bamboo will slide across and reveal either pay symbols, wilds or Golden Bamboo.

Pay symbols or wilds will help you to create winlines and trigger payouts. But it’s really the Golden Bamboo that you want.

Big Bamboo Mystery Bamboo
Mystery Bamboo and Golden Bamboo can bring up big wins

Golden Bamboo

This is an instant win prize feature that is separate to the standard paylines wins. It can lead to some very good wins where multipliers and high value instant wins interact.

When Golden Bamboo is revealed, then each symbol position where the bamboo is displayed will spin on its own until it reveals a prize or modifier. The prizes are instant wins valued at 1x, 2x, 5x, 10x, 25x, 50x, 100x, 250x, 500x, 1,000x, 2,500x and 5,000x.

Modifiers are as follows:

Multiplier Symbols – these will multiply the value of the Instant Win prizes displayed by the the Multiplier’s value of 2x, 3x, 5x or 10x, before the Multiplier is removed.

Collector Symbols – This symbol will collect the value of all Instant Win Prizes displayed on the grid before they are removed.

Free Spins With Symbol Conversions and Progressive Multipliers

The main event, and the hardest part of Big Bamboo to unlock, is the free spins round. It has an intricate system to trigger it, so let’s start with that.

It requires a combination of Scatters and Gamble Scatters. Scatters can land on reels 2, 3 and 4 at any time, OR they can appear ANYWHERE courtesy of the Golden Bamboo feature.

Big Bamboo Free Spins Rules
Free Spins Rules in Big Bamboo

To be in with a chance of entering free spins you need a Gamble Scatter to land on reel 4 at the same time as two ordinary Scatters land elsewhere. If this happens, then the Gamble Scatter will spin before revealing one of the THREE available free spins configurations OR a blank:

  • Between 4 and 9 free spins
  • Between 7 and 9 free spins with two of the low value symbols converted to Mystery Bamboo symbols
  • Between 8 and 10 free spins with ALL the low value symbols converted to Mystery Bamboo symbols

To add jeopardy at this point, if you land one of the first two configurations then you can gamble for a better one. However, if you do this you may lose the free spins completely, so beware! The gamble is done with the spin of a wheel shown in the screenshot above.

What makes this part of the game so exciting is the progressive gameplay during which collecting Scatters converts low value symbols into Mystery Bamboos AND awards you more free spins.

Scatters are collected in meters to the right of the reels. Each meter represents one of the low value symbols and has four dots next to it. When a scatter is collected in the meter, one of the dots changes color. Once all 4 change color, the symbol is converted and spins are awarded.

The first meter to be filled gets you 4 spins, the second and third get you 3 spins and the fourth gets you 2 spins.

Also, with each symbol converted, a multiplier value is activated to be applied to any wins from the Golden Bamboo feature (the one with Instant Win Prizes of up to 5,000x!). The multipliers are 2x, 3x, 5x and 10x.

And finally … you can earn more free spins by landing a Gamble Scatter when Golden Bamboo is playing in the free spins round. That can get you a further 1, 2 or 3 spins!

The Final Verdict

Big Bamboo is very much a Push Gaming slot. It carries elements of many others in its make-up. The visuals have something of Fire Hopper in them, whilst the instant pays will be familiar with those who have played another popular game from their studio, Bison Battle.

Overall, I would say that Big Bamboo is a challenging slot. The features are complex to understand and it is worth playing the game in demo mode to get the most out of it when you start staking your own cash. Clearly there are some superb wins available and what is good is that you don’t need to hit the free spins round to unlock them. In Golden Bamboo, high value instant win prizes combining with good multipliers can produce wins of 10,000s x for example. Having said that, the most thrills are surely saved up for those elusive moments when things come together in free spins. For that, Push have done a fantastic job of creating a progressive mechanic that can combine multipliers, instant win symbols and extra spins to devastating affect. And for that reason, it is no surprise that this is a cult classic amongst high risk slots fans and streamers alike.

Compare Big Bamboo With Similar Slots Picked By Us

Here are more games like Big Bamboo compared on configuration and features. Click through to read a review of each one.

Slot GameProviderThemeMin. StakeMax. RTPVariancePaylinesTop PayoutJackpot
Push GamingAnimals£0.1096.4%High2050,000xNo
Push GamingCars£0.1096.39%High5025,000xNo
Push GamingAnimals£0.1096.3%HighCluster Pays50,000xNo
Push GamingMusic£0.1096.4%HighCluster Pays50,000xNo
Push GamingVegas£0.1096.4%High57650,000xNo
Push GamingAction and Adventure£0.1096.29%High3021,003xNo
Push GamingAncient History£0.1096.5%High729 to 46,65647,233xNo

Who Made Big Bamboo?

  • Name: Push Gaming
  • Established: 2010
  • UK License: 54984
  • Total Games: 30 +
  • Known For: High variance grid slots, smart artwork, high max win slots
  • Popular Slots: Big Bamboo, Mad Cars, Razor Returns, Fat Rabbit
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