Big Bass Hold & Spinner Megaways

Big Bass Hold & Spinner Megaways Slot Review

The Big Bass fishing series from Pragmatic Play has proven to be a hugely successful franchise, with multiple installments capitalizing on the addictive angling theme. The latest entry is Big Bass Hold & Spinner Megaways, which combines the gameplay of the original Big Bass Bonanza and Hold & Spin mechanics with the hugely popular Megaways engine licensed from Big Time Gaming.

As the title suggests, Big Bass Hold & Spinner Megaways is set in an idyllic fishing location, with reels framed by riverbanks, bulrushes, and clear rippling water. The underwater scene features fish swimming amongst plants and bubbles, creating an immersive naturalistic ambiance enhanced by a soothing soundtrack of flowing water and cheerful music.

While the visuals are well-executed, the theme itself is relatively simplistic and well-trodden territory for slot developers. However, the strength of the Big Bass brand likely outweighs any criticism of lacking originality in the fishing setting.

Volatility & RTP

Big Bass Hold & Spinner Megaways is rated as a high volatility slot (5 out of 5 on the developer’s scale). This indicates players can expect relatively infrequent but potentially lucrative payouts over a sustained period. The return to player (RTP) is a reasonable 96.7%, based on information from the official Pragmatic Play website.

Such volatility and RTP stats are typical for a bonus-heavy modern video slot, appealing to those with strategies favoring higher variance gameplay over more frequent smaller wins on lower volatility titles.

The betting range on Big Bass Hold & Spinner Megaways caters to slot players of all bankroll levels, with stakes from just $0.20 per spin up to a maximum of $250. This flexibility allows casual players and high rollers alike to enjoy the action at their preferred levels.

In terms of potential payouts, the game boasts an impressive maximum win of 20,000x the total stake. This towering prize is achievable during the base game, free spins bonus, or the Hold & Spin feature discussed later.

Fish Money Symbols

Rather than offering a fixed payout value, the Fish Money symbols display a random cash prize ranging from 2x up to a huge 5,000x the total stake when they hit. During the base game, winning Fish Money icons explode and new symbols tumble to replace them.

In the free spins bonus, however, Fish Money symbols remain locked on the reels and accumulate instead of exploding. Their values are collected at the end of the round whenever a special Fisherman symbol appears.

Free Spins Details

The free spins bonus is activated by landing 3 or more scatter symbols anywhere, awarding 10, 15, 20, or 25 spins for 3, 4, 5, or 6 scatters respectively. As mentioned, any Fish Money symbols now remain locked on the grid until a Fisherman symbol appears to collect their accumulated values.

The bonus can retrigger infinitely, awarding 10 more spins whenever 4 Fisherman symbols are collected. Moreover, each retrigger progressively increases the multiplier on collected Fish Money wins, starting at 2x for the first retrigger, 3x on the second, 10x on the third, and increasing by 10x (20x, 30x, etc.) for each subsequent retrigger.

Hold & Spin Bonus Feature

A separate Hold & Spin bonus round is triggered by landing 3 or more Coin Money symbols in the base game or via the bonus buy option. The initial triggering coins lock in place while the rest of the reels transform into a blank grid the same dimensions as the triggering spin.

Only Coin Money symbols (awarding random multipliers of 1x-30x the bet) or Diamond money icons (50x-2,000x values) can land in this bonus, fixing in position with 3 respins awarded initially. Each new Coin or Diamond symbol resets the spin counter back to 3, allowing players to potentially build up huge accumulated values before the round ends.

Big Bass Hold & Spinner Megaways Bonus Buy Options

Pragmatic Play is among the developers offering bonus buy options to instantly activate the free spins or Hold & Spin rounds for a cost. For Big Bass Hold & Spinner Megaways, these are set at 100x the bet for 10-25 free spins or 120x to trigger the Hold & Spin round.

Outside of jurisdictions prohibiting the feature, bonus buys provide an alternative for those chasing the thrill of the bonus rounds immediately rather than waiting for the random triggers on paid spins.

What Makes This Slot Great

There are several elements that elevate Big Bass Hold & Spinner Megaways and contribute to its overall strong gameplay experience:

• Huge 147,456 max ways to win provides massive payout potential
• Fish Money symbol values up to 5,000x introduce dream win possibilities
• Infinite retrigger multipliers in free spins increase win sizes rapidly
• Hold & Spin with high-value Diamond symbols is a potentially very lucrative bonus
• Range of bonus buy options to suit preferences

The high maximum win size of 20,000x combined with engaging gameplay from the various bonus rounds makes this a slot that can appeal to the full spectrum of players, from casual to high roller.

Comparisons to Other Similar Slots

While standing apart thanks to its Megaways layout, Big Bass Hold & Spinner Megaways can be compared to slots like Big Bass Bonanza (for its similar fishing theme and features) or Piggy Riches Megaways (another Pragmatic Play 6-reel Megaways title).

The similarities to Big Bass Bonanza are obvious, as both share some core mechanics like the Fish Money symbols, retriggering free spins, and collection of Fishermen symbols. However, the presence of the tumble feature, Megaways layout, and secondary Hold & Spin bonus make Megaways the more feature-packed experience overall.

Piggy Riches Megaways provides one of the closest comparisons gameplay-wise. It also uses a similar 6×6 reel grid with a smaller 4×3 set above, incorporates tumbles after wins, and contains both free spins and a separate bonus round (Piggy Spins). However, the max win of 12,500x is lower than Big Bass Megaways’ 20,000x ceiling.