Gus Goes Fishin’

Gus Goes Fishin' is the latest addition to iSoftBet's portfolio, featuring the beloved character Gus in a new aquatic setting. This 5-reel, 3-row slot with 20 paylines offers players a delightful fishing expedition with cartoon-style graphics and a range of engaging features.

The game is set against a backdrop of a tropical paradise, with crystal-clear waters, swaying palm trees, and a sandy beach. Gus, the one-toothed prospector who has been a staple in iSoftBet's Gold Digger series, trades his mining gear for fishing equipment in this cheerful new adventure. The transition from underground caves to sun-soaked shores provides a refreshing change of scenery while maintaining the charm and humor that Gus brings to the reels.

iSoftBet has cleverly expanded on the Gus character, who has previously appeared in slots such as Gold Digger, Gold Digger Megaways, and even Christmas Gold Digger. These predecessor slots focused on mining themes, with Gus helping players extract precious resources from underground. Gus Goes Fishin' represents a departure from this established formula, placing the character in a new environment while retaining his endearing personality.

The core gameplay of Gus Goes Fishin' revolves around a 5×3 grid with 20 fixed paylines. Players can set their bets from 0.20 to 20 credits per spin, catering to a wide range of budgets. The game's symbols include low-paying card royals (J, Q, K, A) crafted from wood and painted in vibrant colors, as well as theme-related high-paying symbols such as a tackle box, a boot, starfish, and cans of worms.

One of the key mechanics in Gus Goes Fishin' is the Collect feature. This involves Gus Wild symbols, which act as both wilds and collect symbols, interacting with fish symbols that appear on the reels. When a Gus Wild lands alongside fish symbols, it collects their associated cash values, adding them to the player's winnings. This mechanic adds an extra layer of excitement to each spin, as players eagerly anticipate the appearance of Gus to reel in those valuable fish.

The game boasts a medium to high volatility, indicating that while wins may not be as frequent as in lower volatility slots, they have the potential to be more substantial when they do occur. With an RTP of 96%, Gus Goes Fishin' sits comfortably within the industry standard, offering fair returns to players over extended gameplay sessions.

Gus Goes Fishin' is packed with bonus features that significantly enhance the gameplay experience. The base game includes three randomly triggered modifiers that can activate on any paid spin. The first of these is the Reel ‘Em In modifier, which can trigger when at least one fish symbol appears on the reels without a Gus Wild. In this instance, Gus may appear to collect all the fish on the screen, providing an unexpected boost to the player's winnings.

The second modifier is the Big Catch feature. This can activate on any paid spin, with Gus awarding a random win multiplier of 2x, 3x, or 5x. This multiplier applies to all wins from the spin, including any collected fish values. Adding to the excitement, the Big Catch modifier can occur simultaneously with the Reel ‘Em In feature, potentially leading to substantial wins.

The third base game modifier is the Bonus Boost. When two or more bonus symbols land on a paid spin, Gus may add an extra bonus symbol to the reels, increasing the chances of triggering the main bonus feature.

The centerpiece of Gus Goes Fishin' is the Deep Spins bonus round. This feature is triggered when three, four, or five scatter symbols appear on the reels, awarding 8, 10, or 12 free spins respectively. During the Deep Spins, a progress bar is displayed above the reels. Each time a fish symbol is collected, it contributes to this progress bar. As certain thresholds are reached, multipliers are applied to all subsequent fish symbols. These multipliers increase from 2x to 5x, and finally to an impressive 10x, significantly boosting the potential payouts.

In addition to the fish collection, the Deep Spins feature also includes a Wild collection mechanic. Each time a Gus Wild symbol lands, it contributes to a separate progress bar. Collecting 5, 10, or 15 Wilds in total awards an additional 4 spins each time these levels are reached, extending the bonus round and increasing the chances of substantial wins.

A unique element of the Deep Spins feature is the Sticky Golden Fish. This special symbol can appear during the bonus round and, when it lands, it remains stuck to the reels for the remainder of the feature. The Sticky Golden Fish can be collected multiple times, potentially leading to repeated payouts. However, only one Sticky Golden Fish can land during each bonus round, maintaining a balance in the game's potential payouts.

For players who prefer a more direct route to the bonus features, Gus Goes Fishin' offers two bonus buy options. The standard Deep Spins Bonus can be purchased for 60 times the base bet, guaranteeing the appearance of three, four, or five scatter symbols to trigger the feature. For those seeking an even more lucrative experience, the Deep Spins Golden Bonus can be bought for 200 times the base bet. This not only guarantees five scatter symbols to trigger the Deep Spins but also ensures that a Sticky Golden Fish will land during the feature.

One of the most interesting aspects of Gus Goes Fishin' is how it seamlessly blends familiar fishing slot mechanics with the established character of Gus. The game manages to maintain the charm and humor associated with the Gus character while introducing him to a completely new setting. This clever integration of character and theme demonstrates iSoftBet's ability to evolve their popular franchises in fresh and engaging ways, providing players with a sense of familiarity while still offering a novel gaming experience.