Release the Bison Slot Review 2024

Take in the glorious views and trudge across rough terrain as we participate in an epic treasure hunt in Pragmatic Play’s latest release, Release the Bison!

Release the Bison takes us on a journey across harsh terrain and extreme heights, to a place where the air is crisp and the views are spectacular. As you near the top, you will come across Respins, random Guaranteed Wins, and a promising Free Spins round!

Release the Bison - Base Game
Release the Bison – Base Game

Release the Bison – Slot Symbols & Paylines

Release the Bison is a 5-reel, 4-row Video Slot, playable from £.€0.20 per spin, up to a maximum bet size of £.€240 per spin, with an ample selection of betting options in between the two.

Release the Bison has 4 High-paying and 5 Low-paying symbols throughout, with the highest-paying producing wins of up to 10x your bet for a full 5-line winning combination. Low-paying symbols are standard A, K, Q, J, and 10. Wilds substitute for all other symbols except Scatters.

Wins occur when 3-5 identical symbols (or 2+ High-paying symbols) land from left to right, starting from the leftmost reel. Wins are created across 20 active pay lines, in a Horizontal and Diagonal line sequence.

Game Provider Pragmatic Play
Company
Minimum Bet 0.20
Company
Maximum Bet 240
Company
Maximum Win 3,000x
Company
Paylines 20
Company
Release Date 25/04/2024
Company
RTP 96.54% - 95.48% - 94.49%
Company
Mechanics Video Slot
Company
Volatility High
Company
Reels 5
Company

Release the Bison RTP, Volatility, & Max Win

Release the Bison has a theoretical RTP of 96.54% and a Very High Volatility rating. Pragmatic Play has also included lower RTP options of 95.48% and 94.49%. Be sure to check which RTP level is available at your chosen Casino.

The high volatility rating means big wins can be expected, yet the risk of hitting smaller wins is far greater in the short term. In addition, Release the Bison has a max win cap of 3,000x your bet.

Release the Bison Special Features

Release the Bison offers a Wild Respin feature, Guaranteed Wins, and Ante Bet and Bonus Buy options.

Wild Respin Feature

If 4 or more Wild symbols hit in the base game, the Wild Respin feature activates. During this time, all Wild symbols roam the reels, moving to new random positions after every Respin occurs.

If additional Wilds hit, +1 Respin is awarded and the Multiplier that applies to all wins is increased by +x1. Each additional Wild symbol will become a roaming wild.

Scatters that land during this feature are collected, up to a maximum of 5 in total. If 3 or more have been collected at the end of the feature, the Free Spins round is automatically awarded.

Guaranteed Wins

A base game spin that results in no win may randomly result in a Guaranteed Win. The reels will create a winning combination, awarding a minimum win of 10x your bet, up to a maximum of 40x your bet.

Ante Bet

Before or after any game round, the Ante Bet feature can be activated for an additional 25% of your current bet. Once active, your chances of triggering Free Spins are naturally higher.

Bonus Buy

  • 3 Scatter Free Spins trigger – 80x your bet.
  • 4 Scatter Free Spins trigger – 150x your bet.
  • 5 Scatter Free Spins trigger – 300x your bet.
Release the Bison - Free Spins Wheel
Release the Bison – Free Spins Wheel

Release the Bison Bonus Rounds & Free Spins

Landing or collecting 3, 4, or 5 Scatters in the base game or Wild Respin feature triggers the Free Spins round. If 2 Scatters hit during a base game spin, a Respin is triggered, giving players a second chance of landing additional Scatters.

Before the round begins, a Wheel with two sides appears. One side contains Free Spins, while the other side contains Multiplier values. The wheel spins to award a number of Free Spins and a Multiplier value.

  • 3 Scatter trigger – Offers 8, 10, 12, 15, and 18 Free Spins and a x1, x2. x3, x4, or x5 Multiplier.
  • 4 Scatter trigger – Offers 8, 10, 12, 15, and 18 Free Spins and a x2, x3, x4, or x5 Multiplier.
  • 5 Scatter trigger – Offers 10, 12, 15, or 18 Free Spins and a x3, x4, or x5 Multiplier.

During Free Spins, all Wild symbols that hit transform into roaming wilds that remain in view until the end of the round, moving to new positions with each spin.

Additional Wilds that hit are collected into a special meter. Starting from the 5th Wild collected in this manner, for each additional Wild, +1 Free Spin is awarded and the Multiplier increases by +x1. A maximum of 10 Wilds can be collected during a single Free Spins round.

Release the Bison - Free Spins
Release the Bison – Free Spins

Pros and Cons of Release the Bison

Pros:

  • Engaging Free Spins wheel that determines the number of Free Spins and Multiplier.
  • Bonus Buy and Ante Bet options.
  • Exciting Wild Respin feature and Guaranteed Wins.

Cons:

  • Max win cap of 3,000x your bet.
  • Overused Bison theme.

Conclusion

Release the Bison allows players to see the mighty Bison in action while delivering a calming atmosphere and scenic views, but does gameplay keep the peace?

In terms of features, Pragmatic Play has settled for Wild Respins and Guaranteed Wins, as well as the additional Ante Bet and Bonus Buy options. Non-winning spins can be particularly discouraging, yet the Guaranteed Wins feature can create wins of up to 40x your bet at random.

The Wild Respin feature is the star of the show, triggered when 4 or more Wild symbols land in view. One respin is awarded, yet there’s an opportunity to inherit more respins if additional Wilds should land at this time.

Things only go from good to great in Free Spins, where roaming Wilds remain in view for the entirety of Free Spins. What is disappointing is that Release the Bison has an exciting concept yet falls short in the max win department.