Category Archives: Casino Games

Fishing and online slots: on paper, they’re not exactly the most intuitively linked activities. Sure, when fishing and there’s a lot of downtime, like any other digital entertainment medium, slots can provide some fun. On the flip side, featuring iconic fish as symbols just adds to the ‘anything goes’ approach to themes in slot development.

Right now, however, fishing is the top theme in online slots, dominating the charts and being pushed high up on casino landing pages. The rankings are teeming with fishing games from two now-classic series. As well as these, just about every other reputable slot developer has tried to cast a line into the pool with their fishing slot.

So, where did this frenzy of fishing slots come from, and what is it about the core mechanic that’s caused such a bonanza in online slot gaming?

Getting the Chum in the Water

One angle some people will look at for the popularity of fishing slots is the popularity of the pastime itself. In the UK alone, the fishing equipment market of the UK was reportedly valued at over £743 million. So, there are loads of people out there fishing the bodies of freshwater and out at sea.

Still, preferences in one’s pastime don’t tend to influence slot choices. There is a bit of crossover with branded slots, having said that. When there are games that draw from popular films and games, people can have their eyes caught by brands that they already like. When it comes to fishing, though, there isn’t an official slot, as it were.

Instead, it was the creation of a feature that masterfully combines the slot game win potential that spinners seek and fishing. Originally seen in Fishin’ Frenzy from Blueprint in 2014, it still requires symbol matches. Here, though, you need a special fisherman wild symbol to collect the fish. Those fish also have cash values on them.

It creates an experience akin to sports fishing in that you’re trying to catch the biggest fish when they’re around. There’s still the randomness of getting a bite. So, the bonus rounds merge the unpredictability of fishing and making winning slot lines to show how well the two activities blend.

Meeting the Appetite for Fish

While the hit fishing mechanic hails from 2014, it took until 2020 for it to surge in popularity. Now, Fishin’ Frenzy is seen as the progenitor of the craze, with credit mostly being given to the Big Bass series. Big Bass Bonanza, which launched in late 2020, truly popularised fishing slots at the casino online.

Just looking at the section for the Top 20 games on the platform, you’ll see several fishing games. At the time of writing, nine were in the fishing theme. While Fishin’ Frenzy still has a place here with Fishin’ Frenzy Even Bigger Fish, the crown, undisputedly, goes to the Big Bass series.

A whopping seven of the Top 20 belong to the Big Bass series from Pragmatic Play and Reel Kingdom. This is owed to the sensational popularity of the original and the developer’s keen eye for adapting the series. More and more Big Bass games keep coming. One of the more recent was Big Bass Secrets of The Golden Lake, which features two hit features.

Fishing became the most popular slot theme because of an inventive in-theme feature that was then greatly expanded on. Now, there are loads of ways to experience the fishing mechanic, maximising its appeal.

Pandastic Adventure is a Play’n GO slot game featuring a festive panda theme, reminiscent of Kung Fu Panda. Popular among panda-themed slots like Panda Blitz and Book of Panda Megaways, it has an Asian theme and two bonus games, allowing players to collect wild symbols and potentially win up to 5000 times their bet.

The game is available on mobile devices with a 96.2% RTP and medium-high volatility, offering a blend of frequent and substantial payouts. The graphics and audio feature traditional Chinese elements, creating an immersive experience.

The gameplay involves a 5×3 grid with 20 paylines, where winning requires landing 3+ identical symbols from left to right. The game’s features include:

Game Symbols

Wild Symbol: Depicted as a palace with “WILD” text. A 5-symbol combination pays 30x the bet. Collected during Free Spins, accumulating 8 triggers the Temple Treasure Bonus.

Scatter Symbol: A golden oriental icon, offering payouts of 3x, 5x, and 15x for landing 3, 4, or 5 symbols. Triggers Free Spins, with each additional scatter providing an extra spin.

Cash Symbol: Appears in the Temple Treasure Bonus, offering cash prizes or mini to grand bonus prizes, scaling up to 5000x the bet.

Pandastic Adventure Bonus Features

Free Spins: Triggered by 3+ scatters, giving 8 spins and additional payouts. Each scatter during this feature grants an extra spin. Collecting 8 Wilds triggers the Temple Treasure Bonus, enhancing bonus prizes.

Temple Treasure Bonus: Activates with 8 Wilds during Free Spins. Offers 3 respins with only Cash Symbols and blanks, resetting respins to 3 when Cash Symbols land.

Our Verdict

In summary, Pandastic Adventure’s unique aspect is accessing the Temple Treasure Bonus via Free Spins and accumulating Wilds, enhancing bonus prizes. With a maximum win of 6500x the bet, it appeals to fans of panda-themed, Chinese-influenced slots.

Read any online casino strategy guide or review, and welcome bonuses get top billing. There’s a good reason for that: they’re the biggest single bonus you’ll get during your time online.

When you factor in the issue of variance pushing results in positive and negative directions, welcome bonuses are essential. As part of our commitment to giving you reliable information, top tips, and the best advice, here are the five things you need to look for when you’re sizing up welcome bonuses:

1. Deposit Terms

All deposit-based bonuses have minimum and maximum limits. The latter tells you the amount you can deposit to get the maximum bonus. You don’t get penalised for depositing more, but you won’t get more than the maximum bonus.

The minimum deposit limit is the most important because it’s the smallest amount required to trigger the bonus. If your first deposit is lower than the minimum deposit, you’ll miss out on a sizeable bonus.

As a general rule, the average minimum deposit for welcome bonuses is between £5 and £30. Any offer within that range can be classed as a generous welcome bonus. Our top tip is to use reputable payment methods such as Visa, MasterCard and PayPal.

2. Wagering Conditions

You will almost always need to wager a certain amount of money to convert bonus credits to withdrawable cash. The only time this isn’t the case is if you have a no-wagering bonus that rewards you with cash.

The amount you need to wager is known as a playthrough target, and it’s a multiple of your bonus. For example, 10x means you need to wager 10x the value of your bonus to convert it to cash.

People often assume that wagering conditions refer to a loss amount. That’s not the case. Wager is the sum of all your bets, irrespective of wins and losses. In fact, it’s entirely possible to hit a playthrough target during a winning session.

3. Contribution Weightings and Game Restrictions

Closely linked to wagering conditions are contribution weights and game restrictions. The former refers to how much of your bets contribute to your playthrough target. For example, a 100% weighting means every penny goes towards your target. Conversely, a 50% weighting means half of anything you bet on that game goes towards your target.

It’s also worth noting that bets on certain games won’t contribute to your playthrough target. For example, PlayStar has 800 games you can play via any device. You’re free to enjoy all of these games whenever you want. However, if you’re trying to clear the casino’s welcome bonus, only bets on slots, slingo, instant tap games and roulette count towards your playthrough target, whilst any bets you make on blackjack, video poker and baccarat won’t count. This bonus rule applies to desktop and mobile casino play, so don’t think you can avoid restrictions by switching devices.

4. Time Limits

The final hurdle to clear when it comes to welcome bonuses is time limits. Like life, nothing lasts forever in the casino world, so you’ll need to satisfy an offer’s terms and conditions before it expires.

Time limits apply before and after you’ve claimed an offer. If it’s a first deposit bonus, you’ll need to make a qualifying deposit within a certain amount of time after creating an account. After that, you’ll need to hit your playthrough target within a certain amount of time.

In general, the best bonus offers give you up to 30 days to hit your target. Whatever amount of time you’ve got, our tip is to play slots. These games have the best contribution weightings, so pick a bet amount you can afford, spin, and start claiming welcome bonuses.

Introduction

It has always been a pleasure to play slots from ELK Studios because they have never been dull and they have bright plots. Video slots such as Ice Wolf are prime examples. There are six reels on which prize combinations can be created. They consist of 36 images arranged in a 6×6 grid. The number of winning combinations is initially 729, but it can reach 74 088 if they are properly applied.

Bonuses & Features

The Re-spin mode is activated every time you win. As the ice is cleared, your paylines and rows will increase, and then the reels will spin again. The upper half of the reels will be cleared of ice if you win again. As long as the ice is not removed, the game continues until there is a losing spin or you run out of ice.

If you remove all the ice from the reels, up to 7 reels and 74,088 paylines can be revealed, and an Ice Wolf symbol will assist you in this endeavour. The wolves will clear all the ice if you land this symbol. Upon running upwards over the reels, the wolves leave a trail of wild symbols in their wake. This will be followed by a single re-spin, followed by the top reel.

Three reel modifiers are available on the top reel:

There are sticky wilds on the top reels, which stick to each other.

All wins are multiplied by sticky multiplier symbols, which range from 2x to 50x, depending on where these symbols appear on the reels.

An extra re-spin is obtained by using a sticky symbol.

Boost your Ice Wolf experience with free spins. ELK Studios integrated no dedicated free spins feature into Ice Wolf since it’s all about the re-spins.

Verdict

Animations, sounds, and graphics are all nice in this slot which has a high volatility.

In the glittering world of Las Vegas, we find ourselves in the company of two intriguing characters: John Romanelli and Tim Nordahl. The narrative unfolds in a whirlwind of emotions, laughter, and unexpected twists, providing a glimpse into the unpredictable journey of two friends on a three-day gambling blitz in Las Vegas.

As the camera captures the duo engaged in a lively conversation with Louis Theroux, we are immediately drawn into their contrasting personalities. The bearded man, John, wears a self-assured grin as he proudly announces being ‘up 10G.’ He playfully discloses that his companion, Tim, has experienced a substantial loss of $160,000 over the year, prompting an immediate rebuttal with a laugh: “It’s not true! He’s full of it! I’m not in the hole at all.” The banter between the two friends sets the stage for an enthralling story, leaving viewers eager to witness the unfolding drama.

Amidst the camaraderie, a foreshadowing sense of impending tragedy lingers, especially when the ’10G’ man confesses, “I try to play as consistently as possible.” A subtle smile plays on his lips, hinting at the volatility of their chosen path. The audience can’t help but be captivated by the chemistry between these two gamblers, their laughter echoing through the scene, with each almost insisting they are the bigger loser in this high-stakes game.

Louis probes further, asking if there will be more gambling that night. The smug bearded man, with an air of nonchalance, replies, “Absolutely. Isn’t that why people come to Vegas?” The stage is set, and the drama unfolds as Louis reconnects with the pair later that evening after 24-hours play.

Louis, with a mix of curiosity and sarcasm queries about the events that transpired. The bearded man, now appearing half-stressed if not nervous, reveals, “I’m down 14 or 15K, plus the ’10G’ I won!” The reality of the situation sinks in as Louis calculates, “So, you’re down $24k.” A wry smile accompanies the admission, “It sucks!” The scene is a roller-coaster of emotions, alternating between laughter and disappointment, creating a dynamic narrative that keeps the audience engaged.

Undeterred by setbacks, John continues his pursuit of fortune, insisting that he will teach Louis how to win. A sense of foreboding creeps in as John, an extroverted gambler chewing gum, asserts, “I’m not a quitter.” However, the tables turn, and John finds himself on a losing streak, expressing disbelief, “This is unbelievable. I haven’t won a hand in half an hour.” The atmosphere becomes charged with tension as John walks away from the table, a dejected figure clearly struggling with his loss.

In contrast, Tim, the quieter but seemingly luckier friend, places a $400 bet and triumphs, proudly proclaiming, “That’s how you do it, man.” The camera zooms in on John at another table, shaking his head in frustration after losing more cash. Despite the setbacks, the duo maintains a resilient spirit, with Tim advising, “Only bet what you can afford to lose,” as John continues to chase his losses.

As the night progresses, a sense of desperation permeates the scene. Elvis’s familiar tune, “It’s Now or Never,” plays in the background, creating a poignant backdrop to the unfolding drama. In a final act of defiance against the odds, Louis places one last big bet and emerges victorious, concluding the evening on a high note. However, the same cannot be said for John, whose losing streak persists.

In a moment of introspection, Tim utters Kenny Rogers, singing, “You gotta know when to hold’em, know when to fold’em, know when to walk away, know when to run.” The words resonate as a stark reminder of the unpredictable nature of the gambling world. The scene unfolds as a captivating and poignant portrayal of the highs and lows of a three-day gambling expedition, leaving viewers reflecting on the elusive nature of luck and the fine line between triumph and despair. In the end, it’s a tale of resilience, camaraderie, and the ever-present uncertainty that defines the world of high-stakes gambling. Truly, excellent TV.