Fishin’ Frenzy

Fishin' Frenzy is a fishing-themed online slot developed by Reel Time Gaming (also referred to as Blueprint Gaming in some sources). The game features a vibrant underwater setting with a deep blue sea backdrop and coral reefs lining the edges of the screen. The transparent reels are set against this aquatic background, creating an immersive fishing experience. The main character of the slot is the fisherman, who serves as the Wild symbol. Other characters include various fish species and a pelican.

Core Game and Mechanics

Fishin' Frenzy is built on a standard 5×3 reel layout with 10 fixed paylines. The game offers a betting range from £0.10 to £20 per spin, catering to both casual players and those who prefer higher stakes.

The slot uses a mix of themed symbols and classic card values. High-value symbols include the pelican, fishing rod, life ring, box of bait, and various fish. Lower-value symbols are represented by playing card values 10, J, Q, K, and A. The pelican is the highest-paying regular symbol, offering up to 2,000x the stake for five on a payline.

To form a winning combination, players need to land three or more matching symbols on a payline, reading from left to right, starting with the leftmost reel. The game has a medium volatility, striking a balance between the frequency and size of wins.

Fishin' Frenzy boasts an RTP (Return to Player) of 96.12%, which is slightly above the industry average. The maximum potential payout is an impressive 50,000x the stake.

Bonus Features

1. Wild Symbol: The fisherman acts as the Wild symbol, substituting for all other symbols except the Scatter to help form winning combinations. Landing five Wild symbols on a payline awards the game's top payout of 5,000x the stake.
2. Scatter Symbol: The fishing boat serves as the Scatter symbol. Landing three or more Scatters anywhere on the reels triggers the Free Spins feature.
3. Free Spins:
   • 3 Scatters award 10 free spins
   • 4 Scatters award 15 free spins
   • 5 Scatters award 20 free spins During the Free Spins round, the fisherman symbol gains additional functionality.
4. Fisherman Bonus: During Free Spins, when the fisherman (Wild) symbol appears, it “catches” all visible fish symbols, awarding their cash values. Each fish symbol carries a prize value ranging from 2x to 50x the stake. If multiple fisherman symbols appear simultaneously, the prizes are multiplied accordingly (e.g., two fishermen will double the fish prizes).
5. Big Catch Fish Upgrade: This feature activates during the Free Spins round when four fisherman symbols are collected. When triggered, it upgrades a low-value fish symbol to a higher-value one and awards an additional 5 free spins. This process can continue until all fish symbols on the reels have the maximum 50x value.
6. Gamble Feature: After any win in the base game, players have the option to gamble their winnings. They must guess the color of a face-down card correctly to double their prize. An incorrect guess results in losing the winnings from that spin.

Interesting Feature

A particularly intriguing aspect of Fishin' Frenzy is the Big Catch Fish Upgrade feature. This progressive enhancement during the Free Spins round adds an extra layer of excitement and potential for big wins. As players collect fisherman symbols, they not only receive immediate rewards from catching fish but also work towards upgrading the overall value of fish symbols on the reels. This creates a sense of progression and anticipation throughout the bonus round, potentially culminating in all fish symbols carrying the maximum 50x value.