Numerous attempts have been made, but the original Fishin ‘Frenzy has proven difficult to dethrone. Pragmatic Play has come up with a blast with its visually improved Fishin ‘Reels. You can look forward to bright colors, beautiful animations and a cheerful soundtrack, but we’re not quite sure if the simplified charm has survived the transformation (as it certainly did in the very popular Megaways version ).
Besides the visual overhaul, Pragmatic has added a brand new bonus round option in addition to the classic Reel ‘Em feature. It is a kind of pick and click game where the fisherman can reel in fish prizes up to 250x. It’s a riskier and more volatile option, which means potentially bigger rewards. However, nothing too impressive can be landed, and the overwhelming potential of 1,200x is a bit hard to comprehend.
Fishin ‘Reels Slot Features
The wild symbol lands only on the 3 middle reels and interferes with all regular pay symbols to form winning combinations. This excludes the bonus symbols, fisherman symbols and money fish symbols.
The golden marlin fish trophy is the bonus scatter in this game, and you need at least 3 in view to trigger the bonus round. You will get 10, 12 or 15 free spins if you land 3, 4 or 5 scatters respectively. You then get two options, the elusive Big Catch feature or the less risky Reel ‘Em In feature .
The Big Catch feature saves this game from being a total Fishin ‘Frenzy rip-off. It comes with a golden Merlin Big Catch symbol that is randomly displayed as an overlay over the regular pay symbols. You need to land 3 on the same spin to trigger the Fishing Mini Game, and this also gives you 2 extra free spins.
The Big Catch Fishing Game is a pick & click feature, and there are 8 cash fish worth between 0.2 times and 250 times your bet. The fisherman will try to catch the fish, and it is possible to catch all 8 in a single round. In this case, no more overlaid Big Catch symbols will appear during the rest of the bonus round.
The Reel ‘Em bonus round is a copy of the classic Fishin’ Frenzy feature, and you can reel in money fish worth between 0.5x and 250x your total bet. You have to land the fisherman on reel 5 to catch anything, and he collects all the cash values from all the fish present at the same time. If the fisherman reels in a can of worms, you get 2 additional free spins.
The 200 Spins Fishin ‘Reels Slot Experience
We’re big fans of the Fishin ‘Frenzy series, and we don’t mind a clone or two bringing something new to the table. However, when it came down to it, we gave in and went with the classic Reel ‘Em feature. It’s triggered with 5 scatters on a single payline in exactly 1 minute in the 3-minute highlight video you can see below.
Summary
The simplicity and dated appearance were part of the charm that made the original Fishin ‘Frenzy so appealing. Pragmatic Play has given the title a major overhaul in the visual department, making the game feel much more alive. The charm has been preserved to some degree, but we still feel that Pragmatic missed a unique opportunity to really do something special with this popular concept.
The added Pick’em bonus game is not really exciting and especially not when the overall potential is so low anyway. Why they decided to limit the maximum win to only 1,200x in a very volatile game is beyond us. The loose sentiment that fans are angling for is there on the surface, but the mathematical model doesn’t seem to decide whether it’s “bird or fish”.
Pros
Visually Enhanced Fishin ‘Frenzy Clone
Volatile big catch pick ’em bonus option
Less risky classic Reel ‘Em bonus option
Cons
Maximum win of 1,200x combined with high volatility
Fishin Reels Slot FAQs
What is the Return to Player of Fishin’ Reels?
The standard RTP of 96.5% is well above average and higher than what the original game offers. However, due to the RTP ranges, you can get a lower payback. Available RTP values are 96.50%, 95.50% and 94.50%.
How volatile is Fishin’ Reels?
Volatility is high in this game, which makes it a bumpy ride for your bankroll.
What is the biggest possible win?
You can win a maximum of 1,200 times your bet here, and the game will literally stop when you reach that number.
Is there a free spins mode in Fishin’ Reels?
Yes, you have two options. The classic Reel’Em feature is all about landing the fisherman symbol on reel 5 to reel in money fish. On top of that, you have a fishing mini-game that offers potentially higher rewards, but is also the most volatile option.
How is Fishin’ Reels different from Fishin’ Frenzy?
Visually, the game looks much more modern. The mathematical model is also a bit different, with a higher RTP and for some reason a lower potential. It also comes with the additional bonus round option described above.
Can I play the Fishin’ Reels slot for free?
Yes, you can try the free Fishin’ Reels demo game at the very top of this page (UK players need to check their age first).
