Boat Bonanza

Boat Bonanza Slot Review

Join us in our Boat Bonanza review, as we bait the hook ahead of an exciting angling adventure. 

Perhaps hoping to replicate the success of the popular Big Bass series, this Play’n GO game is the first in a fishing-themed trilogy. Released in October 2022, the 5×3 slot offers a sturdy 96.21% RTP. 

Set sail with us on our Boat Bonanza review, and prepare to haul in a maximum win of 5,000x.

Boat Bonanza Details, RTP and Volatility

Play’n GO opts for a conventional grid of five reels and three rows, albeit with only 12 paylines. One version of the game offers an RTP of 96.21%, statistically above the average for slots. However, some new online casinos feature lower rates of 94.25%, 91.25%, 87.24% and 84.22%.

You can spin the reels for as little as $0.20 per play, with the maximum bet size potentially rising to $50. In return, the Boat Bonanza slot offers a maximum potential payout of 5,000x your wager. Mind you, the game is highly volatile, so patience may be required ahead of a big catch.

Theme & Graphics in Boat Bonanza

On the subject of slot themes, Boat Bonanza revolves around a fishing expedition. The game begins with a simple animation, before whisking you out to sea. Here lies the 5×3 reel grid, just beneath the water’s surface, marked by thin, demarcating lines.

In addition, the symbols and bonus features further accentuate the theme. For instance, the special fish and lobster symbols, known as Catch Symbols, which boost your rewards. Other base game icons include important components of an angling expedition, such as lobster cages and fishing reels.

Boat Bonanza looks very much like Big Bass Bonanza in its presentation and style. However, this particular slot boasts sharper graphics and more lively imagery than the Reel Kingdom and Pragmatic Play classic. Finally, if you’re a fan of sea shanties, you might find the slot’s soundtrack entertaining.

Boat Bonanza Slot Features

Next up in our Boat Bonanza review, we’ll take a “deep dive” into the slot’s various gameplay elements and bonus features.

Regular Symbols

Playing card icons 10 through A are the lower-paying symbols here. All of these return 0.5x your wager for three, 2.5x for four and 10x for five on a payline.

Up next are four higher-paying fishing-themed icons. In the ascending order of payouts, these are a lobster cage, fishing reel, seagull and a buoy. The highest-paying icon returns 200x for five-of-its-kind, but it’s also the only symbol that pays for two on a line.

Wilds

A common symbol in classic and new slots alike, Boat Bonanza does not feature a wild. Instead, there are Catch Symbols, which offer even more exciting rewards. 

Scatters

The slot’s scatter symbol is a trawler. Land at least three of these anywhere on the reels to trigger the free spins feature. 

Catch Symbols

Look for two grayed-out boat icons above the reels. At random, one of the boats may become active above any of the reels, triggering a Catch Symbol beneath it. 

There are four Catch Symbols, which are a golden lobster, plus three fish in different colors. Each of these appears on a rectangular background with a shade of yellow or orange. 

Catch Symbol prizes range from cash, multipliers and a fixed reward of 1,000x your bet. 

Mega Catch

If both boats become active above one reel, the Mega Catch feature is triggered. Here, all Catch Symbols on the reels are collected and their respective prizes awarded. 

Free Spins

Hitting three, four or five scatters rewards you with ten, 15 or 20 free spins, respectively. 

The two boats are active through the feature, starting with a x1 multiplier. Landing Catch Symbols on active boat reels will earn you multiplier boosters or extra free spins. An active boat can increase its multiplier to a maximum of x5, with up to 39 free spins available.

Players can also earn respins when Catch Symbols bearing cash values are collected. During respins, only Catch Symbols appear on the reels, which this continues until no further symbols appear. 

How to Play Boat Bonanza Online

Toggle your bet size using the plus and minus icons beneath the reels. Afterwards, hit “SPIN” to get the game started. 

Land at least three symbols on a payline, from left to right, to earn a payout. The only exception is the buoy, which returns 0.5x for two.

Don’t forget the “AUTO” button, which allows you to play hands-free for up to 100 spins. For faster spins, hit the lightning bolt icon in the bottom-left corner.

Try the Boat Bonanza Demo for Free before playing for real money

As tempting as it is to play at one of our top-rated real money casinos, we recommend trying the free Boat Bonanza demo first. Available here on this page, it allows you to put all you’ve learnt into practice, risking your own money. 

Boat Bonanza Review – Our Final Verdict

It’s fair to say that the market for fishing-themed slots is oversaturated. All that Boat Bonanza and its sequels have managed to do is struggle in a jam-packed genre. 

Unfortunately, there’s a lot of cloning going on, too. For instance, the Catch Symbols are strikingly similar to the money symbols of Pragmatic Play’s Bigger Bass Bonanza, another slot with 12 paylines. 

That’s okay if you’re differentiating in other areas, but the 5,000x maximum potential payout isn’t exactly stunning. The RTP is lower than most of the Big Bass games, while the level of volatility is the same.

There are some positives to Boat Bonanza, however. The interface is easy to use, the minimum bet size is fair and the Mega Catch feature is a little bit different. 

If you’ve never seen any other fishing-themed slots, you’ll probably enjoy this game. But the veterans will likely see right through it.

Similar Slot Games

If you found our Boat Bonanza review and demo game intriguing, here are some similar games you’ll also love.

• Big Bass Bonanza: This classic Pragmatic Play and Reel Kingdom collaboration also features a fishing theme, with a 96.71% RTP 
• Boat Bonanza Colossal Catch: The sequel to Boat Bonanza, this medium-volatility slot boasts a 5×4 grid and a 3,000x max win. 
• Fishin’ for Gold: Another angling-themed slot, this highly-volatile iSoftBet release features an RTP of 96.05%.