Big Bass Bonanza Megaways

Big Bass Bonanza Megaways Slot Review

Slot Provider: Pragmatic Play

RTP: 96.7% | Variance: High | Maximum Win: 4,000x

Our Score: 7.0

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About Big Bass Bonanza Megaways

Reviewed by:

Published Date: 26th April 2024

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 Bass Megaways is the third in the popular fishing series from Pragmatic Play, this time with up to 46,656 win ways per spin thanks to the expanding reels format. Despite the chance in configuration the gameplay remains the same. In the free spins round fish money symbols are collected by landing fishermen at the same time. Every 4th fishermen symbol collected extends the round by 10 spins and increases a win multiplier up to 10x max. The top payout is 4,000x and spins start at 10p.

Big Bass Bonanza Megaways Game Information

  • Release Date: 18.11.21
  • RTP: 96.7% | 95.66% | 94.62%
  • Variance: High
  • Maximum Win: 4,000x
  • Progressive Jackpot: No
  • Reels: 6
  • Rows: Up To 6
  • Paylines: Up To 46, 656
  • Minimum Stake: £0.10
  • Theme: Fishing
  • Features: Wilds, Cash Collects, Free Spins, Multipliers
  • Format: 6-ReelMegaways
  • Series: Big Bass Bonanza

What We Liked

  • More win ways - up to 46,656 per spin
  • Extend the free spins round by up to 30 plays
  • Up to 10x win multiplier in free spins
  • Iconic slot with fun design
  • Simple gameplay is easy to follow

What We Didn't like

  • Low max win for a high variance slot game
  • RTP may be lower at some sites

Big Bass Bonanza Megaways Review Scores

  • Theme and Design 8
  • RTP and Variance 8
  • Maximum Win 6
  • Symbols and Paytable 7
  • Features and Gameplay 7

What Our Reviewer Says ...

"No real surprises here - a classic slot series given the Megaways treatment. Fun, but an underwhelming max win holds it back somewhat."

Overall Score: 7.0

Theme & Design

Our Score 8

Bright, Cheerful and Iconic Game Design

For the Megaways version of Big Bass, Pragmatic Play don’t re-write the script. The action takes place underwater, with the 6-reel grid displaying the same iconic paytable symbols as you find in all other games in this series. It’s a cheery display with bright colors and the classic Big Bass soundtrack. Nothing more needs to be said!

Big Bass Bonanza Megaways by Pragmatic Play
Big Bass Bonanza Megaways – familiar and friendly!

RTP and Variance

Our Score 8

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 Bass Bonanza Megaways has three available RTP settings. It is up to your slot site operator to choose which to run the game at. They are 96.7%, 95.66% and 94.62%. You want to play at 96.7% if you can, which is a very good RTP rate – anything over 96.5% is above average. You can check the RTP where you play by hitting the ‘I’ button under the reels, then scrolling through the pages until you see ‘Game Rules’. Look down that page and you’ll see ‘Return to Player’.

I would recommend trying MrQ from Lindar Media who consistently run Pragmatic Play slots at the optimum RTP settings.

Of course, like all other Big Bass games, this is a volatile one, so be prepared for an uneven win distribution and set your stake low to avoid burn out.

Maximum Win

Our Score 6

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.  

The max payout available on Big Bass Bonanza Megaways is 4,000x, which is the same as you find on Bigger Bass Bonanza. Back in November 2021 that wasn’t bad but these days we expect more. If you want to try a Big Bass game with more potential try Hold and Spinner (10,000x).

Symbols and Paytable

Our Score 7

This might be a Megaways slot with 6 reels but it has fewer win ways than the classic 1178,649 configuration. That’s because reels 1 and 6 display up to 6 symbols and reels 2, 3, 4 and 5 have up to 5 symbols only. That gives you a maximum of 46,656 win ways per spin.

You’ll also see an extra reel set with 4 reels and 1 row that sits above the middle 4 reels and spins horizontally, independently of what is underneath.

Big Bass Bonanza Megaways Paytable
The paytable with 50x for 6 floats

Win ways are different to paylines. You only need to land identical symbols on adjacent reels from left to right starting at the left most reel, regardless of their row position, to score a win.

The pay symbols themselves will be familiar to anyone who has played a Big Bass game before. There are 10 in all. The low payers are the cards, 10 through to Ace. These are valued at from 0.1x for 3 10s up to 1.75x for 6 Aces. The premiums are the shoal of fish, the tackle box, the may fly, the rod and reel, and the float. These are valued at from 0.2x for 3 shoals of fish up to 50x for 6 floats.

There is also a Wild that appears in both base game and free spins round. It is ONLY appears on the top 4×1 reel and substitutes for any pay symbol to complete a win way.

Features and Gameplay

Our Score 7

The gameplay is very similar to all the other Big Bass slots. It’s what makes these games so popular, so why change it, even when the reel format is different? Tumble wins keep the action ticking along, and cash collects and free spins add the thrills.

Tumble Wins 

Let’s start with these. After any winning spin, winning symbols are removed from the grid and new ones drop in to replace them. This may create more wins. If so, the process repeats. And so on, until no more wins occur.

Free Spins and Cash Collects 

To get a decent-sized win from this game you’ll need to trigger the free spins round. That is where the cash collects happen. The leaping bass represents the scatter symbol and 3 or more are needed to unlock the free spins as follows:

  • 3 scatters: 10 free spins
  • 4 scatters: 15 free spins
  • 5 scatters: 20 free spins
  • 6 scatters: 25 free spins

Throughout the game, when the shoal of fish symbols land they carry a cash value of 2x, 5x, 10x, 15x, 20x, 25x, 50x or 4,000x. But these values can ONLY be unlocked during the free spins round when the fisherman symbol lands at the same time.

As well as helping you to collect the cash values, the fisherman symbol can also extend the round. Each time he lands he is collected in a meter above the reels. Every 4th one collected gets you 10 more spins and increases a global win multiplier to 2x, 3x then 10x. After 12 fishermen are collected, the round cannot be extended further. But that is still an additional 30 free spins up for grabs!

Second Chances for Near Misses

Like other Big Bass games, there are some near miss features too.

If you see 1 or 2 fishermen, but no fish symbols to collect, then a dynamite explosion MAY occur, bringing fish onto the grid OR a bazooka may go off, changing ALL the symbols on the grid except for the fishermen.

The Final Verdict

The Big Bass series thrives on a simple model where the gameplay rarely changes much, but different backdrops, payout and RTPs keep things interesting. So, it’s no surprise that the Megaways version does exactly what it says on the tin. So, if you enjoy expanding reels games and you’re a fan of Big Bass then it’s worth having a spin on this one. Having said that, since its release back in 2021, further slots in the series with significantly higher potential and more interesting designs have come out, and you should check those out too.

Useful Tips When Playing Big Bass Bonanza Megaways

Remember, online slots are games of chance, there is NO strategy that can improve your odds of winning. However, reading our review and following these tips will help you get the most out of your time playing this slot game.

1. Look Out For The Fisherman Symbol

During the bonus round the fisherman is key to success, triggering cash collects and extra spins. So keep your eyes out for him at all times!

2. Set A Sensible Stake

We always advise players to choose a low stake when playing a high volatility game like this. That is sensible bankroll management. Remember, you can burn your balance fast when playing slots like this one.

3. Watch The Top Reel For Wilds

In the unique Megaways configuration of this game wilds can ONLY land on the top 4×1 reel set. But they can be very useful in helping to complete win ways. So watch that space for these powerful symbols.

 

4. Play At Our Recommended Slot Sites

We have chosen the sites on this page because they are all licensed by the UK Gambling Commission and scored well in our reviews. That means they are safe and fair and offer a great service to slots players.

Who Made Big Bass Bonanza Megaways?

  • Name: Pragmatic Play
  • Established: 2015
  • UK License: Remote 046683-R-325951-014
  • Total Games: 500 +
  • Known For: Wide range of themes and styles, live casino including gameshow formats, and bingo
  • Popular Slots: Fruit Party, Dog House Megaways, Big Bass Bonanza, Release the Kraken
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