If you’re not in it for the Dream Drops then Cowabunga feels a bit underwhelming with just a few small features to liven up the gameplay.
Synching and Expanding Reels
The expanding middle reels is a random event that can happen after any spin. Two, or sometimes three of reels 2, 3 and 4, will expand upwards to 7 rows high, displaying matching (synching) symbols on the 4 new rows.
Remember, this is not a paylines slot. It’s a win ways game, so the expanded reels give you a greater chance of completing those win ways.
Middle 3 reels expanded to 6 rows during testingRandom Nudges
As well as expanding reels, there is a random nudge event. In this case, on occasion the reels will nudge downwards after they come to rest to set up a win way.
Free Spins
One good thing about Cowabunga Dream Drop is that you need only TWO scatters to land to trigger the free spins round instead of the usual three. That gets you 5 spins where the middle 3 reels are always synched.
You will also be awarded an extra free spin for every scatter that lands on reel 5 during the free spins.
3 rows of red fish triggering a 48x win in testingThe Dream Drop Jackpot Game
Dream Drop games use a variety of mechanisms to trigger the main event. In this case it’s simple.
There are two steps.
Firstly, you at any time you may be awarded a Jackpot Spin when you hit the spin button. The Jackpot Spin features special DD symbols on the reels. You need one to land on EACH reel to trigger the actual Dream Drop game.
Now the action moves to the Dream Drop grid with 5 reels and 5 rows where only DDs and blanks can land. The DDs from the triggering spin are brought over to this game. Each reel represents one of the jackpots, from Mini on the left to Mega on the right. The reels keep spinning and you keep collecting DDs until one of the reels is filled and the respective JP is triggered.
The 5 jackpot seeds are as follows:
- Rapid – £1
- Mini – £5
- Maxi – £100
- Major – £25,000
- Mega – £500,000
The Mega is now capped at £3,000,000. In October 2023 the 11th Mega Dream Drop was won on Volatile Vikings Dream Drop. The lucky player scooped €2,976,908.13 from a 2 euro bet.