In this exclusive Q&A, we sit down with the team behind the reels to explore the origins of 4 Fantastic Fish, explore the popularity behind fishing slots and what makes 4 Fantastic Fish stand out.
Jamie: The 4 Fantastic Fish series has become one of your flagship franchises. What inspired the original concept, and did you expect it to grow into such a long-running series?
Henry: We first started to entertain the idea of making a fishing slot after we heard from customers how popular fishing slots were becoming, and whether it would be possible for us to make one of our own.
In addition to this, and it is quite funny to think about now, another reason why we decided to start our 4 Fantastic Fish series was because of Chris’s love for fishing and sailing! Chris Ash is one of our co-founders as well as a Director and Business Developer at 4ThePlayer, and one thing about him is that he loves the sea. The team often hears about his sea escapades in his boat, so when he enthusiastically said we should have a go at a fishing slot, we went along with it.
But I think it is safe to say that we did not expect it to grow into such a long-running and loved series, but that’s what makes it so special for us. When we created our first fishing game, we really thought about the player and, consequently, the frustrations and problems with current fishing slots.
The frustration we kept seeing was due to the way players won money in the base game. More specifically, how the cash the players saw on the reels they couldn’t win, unless in a bonus, or if they found a rare fisherman.
This was something we really wanted to focus on fixing when we first created 4 Fantastic Fish, and so MoneyWays™ was born. This enabled players to win what they saw if it was part of a ways-win, both in the base game and on bonuses, which our players loved!
And ultimately, it was seeing that support that made us excited to revisit, and keep revisiting, the universe. The 4 Fantastic Fish series is always a franchise that we’re happy to return to!
Jamie: Fishing-themed slots have always been popular, but there seems to be no sign of that popularity wavering with more fishing slots being released than ever before. Why do you think they resonate so strongly with players?
Henry: That’s quite an interesting question. I believe that it might, in part, have to do with the way we view fishing. Over the years, fishing has had many different roles in our society. Earlier, in prehistoric times, fishing was a survival skill. We would have to eat and feed our families, so it was a part of hunting.
Then, as we evolved, it started to become a job. Fishermen started to get paid to fish so that we could help sustain villages and cities.
Nowadays, although it is still a very important job, it has also evolved into a hobby. I think that, in that sense, fishing can be a peaceful activity to pursue. You either go out by yourself or with a couple of friends, for a few hours, and you sit on a boat or by the beach and wait. During that wait, you’re surrounded by sea, your senses are overwhelmed by that salty smell and the sound of the waves rolling, which tends to lull you into this state of tranquility. I think that for a lot of people, fishing can almost become a happy place, which fits perfectly with the message we want to spread with our slots, that being that players must feel like they’re in a happy, enjoyable place when playing slots.
And maybe that’s why fishing slots tend to be so popular. When the players see the theme, they feel at ease, and they know that much like fishing, they will catch something, even if it takes a while for it to happen.
Jamie: Do you have any data that shows where fishing slots are most popular? For instance, are they more dominant in the UK compared to other regions? If so, why do you think that is?
Henry: Yes, we actually do! We can’t speak for everyone, but our 4 Fantastic Fish series is most popular in the UK and Europe. Interestingly, it doesn’t do quite as well in Sweden.
As for the reason why it does so well in Europe, we’re a little unsure. I believe, as in my previous answer, it could somehow be tied to the role fishing has had in these countries. But I really like our co-worker Susie’s theory that the reason it does so well in the UK is because it is an island! As we’re surrounded by the sea, fishing becomes not only an inevitable part of our society but also a cultural activity that many enjoy. Add that to the excitement of catching some big wins and some really entertaining visuals like in 4 Fantastic Fish Amazon Adventure, and you’ll have a well-loved series.
Or maybe is just because we like fish and chips so much here in the UK! 😂
Jamie: One thing that stands out in the 4 Fantastic Fish series is the accessibility of cash prizes in the base game. Many fishing slots tie bigger wins exclusively to bonus rounds. Was it a conscious decision to change that dynamic?
Henry: Well spotted, and yes, it was intentional! As mentioned earlier, one of the things we were adamant about including in our 4 Fantastic Fish series was a way to stop the player’s frustration when they saw cash on the reels they couldn’t win. Hence, we made Money Ways™, where all the cash you see land on the reels, you win, whether that be in the base game or in the bonus buys.
One of 4ThePlayer’s core principles is “player entertainment”. We’re players ourselves, so we know firsthand how important it is to make slots with the best quality possible, and this includes giving players a chance at a big win in the base game, too.
We believe that by doing this, we are not only making games that everyone will enjoy playing, but also that we would like to play ourselves. It sounds a bit cheesy, but that’s how we got our name – we committed from the beginning to make games “for the player”.
This is why the 4 Fantastic Fish series, for instance, is so action-packed in the base game. Not only do we incorporate Money Ways™ in the base game, but we also facilitate the possibility of players landing the biggest fish during it. In fact, those Big Fish can land on any spin and in any part of the game!
We strongly believe that an entertaining and fair base game should be the foundation of any game, as it makes for an immersive diversion, and our players can certainly feel that.
Jamie: You’ve expanded the series into a number of unique settings- Egypt, Lobsters, and now the upcoming Amazon Adventure. How do you balance innovation with the core identity of the series?
Henry: That’s a great question. At 4ThePlayer, we value innovation very highly–it is one of our core values. So when we set out to make a sequel, we never want to just reskin the first game. Likewise, we never innovate for innovation’s sake or ‘reinvent the wheel’ just for the sake of it! We are always quite mindful of how we innovate our slots.
The way this works is for the 4 Fantastic Fish series in specific is first we brainstorm themes that excite us and put them next to the original theme to see how well they would work together. If the themes complement and enhance each other, then we know that it is a good theme choice. We wouldn’t want to change the identity of the series players have come to love just for the sake of making something completely different.
But that doesn’t mean that the sequel itself is completely the same as the original game. We keep some of the elements that players are familiar with, such as Money Ways™, and the Shark and Giant Squid features. Then we think of ways of making the new sequel unique in its own way. Wether that is by adding new features such as Boosting Fortunes™ in 4 Fantastic Fish Gold, Pick-A-Win in 4 Fantastic Fish Amazon Adventure, or whether by introducing a fun new theme – a good example of this is our collaboration with Yggdrasil in 4 Fantastic Vikings Go Fishing where we introduced Vikings Go to the franchise and added a bunch of their game’s elements.
Throughout this whole process, we make sure to keep the original 4 Fantastic Fish design elements, albeit elevating them, so that players who enjoyed the original will still enjoy the new game, but likewise, new players might want to take it for a spin, too.
Jamie: Let’s talk about 4 Fantastic Fish Gigablox. This was a bold blend of Yggdrasil’s Gigablox mechanic with a fishing theme. How did players respond to that mix, and what were the key takeaways?
Henry: We have noticed that Gigablox slots tend to do really well. 90K Yeti Gigablox is a great example of this; players really enjoy it. This is one of the reasons why we wanted to try to incorporate it in our 4 Fantastic Fish series.
This ended up working fantastically! Not only did players really enjoy the slot, it also went down really well. We believe that the best thing about Gigablox games is that no matter what wins, the players get, they can always see the slot’s potential. There’s nothing quite like the adrenaline rush when you see one of those big blocks almost land on your reels!
Jamie: The Dream Drop version added progressive jackpots into the mix. How did that shift the player experience compared to the original?
Henry: The addition of Relax’s Dream Drop to 4 Fantastic Fish Gold Dream Drop added a whole new way for players to enjoy the game. We are aware that some players were big fans of progressive jackpots, so when we were given the opportunity to make a slot with this feature, we didn’t hesitate.
The unique thing about Dream Drop slots is that they offer 8 jackpots whose value increases daily, and from which 3 of those jackpots are guaranteed to land for one player every day. This naturally generates a different level of anticipation and enthusiasm that can make the player eager to give the slot a few spins every day in the hopes of landing the biggest jackpot. After seeing how popular this was, we made our first Dream Drop slot with Relax, 5K Gold Mine Dream Drop. Later on, we decided to incorporate it into the 4 Fantastic Fish series.
In comparison to the original slot in the series, 4 Fantastic Fish Gold Dream Drop brings in new players who like the excitement of progressive slots. As for the players who were already acquainted with the series, they get to experience a different level of immersiveness, as the stakes for the jackpot feel higher than they would in a slot that doesn’t have progressive jackpots, such as 4 Fantastic Fish in Egypt.
Nevertheless, progressive jackpot slots might not be for everyone, so by offering a range of different experiences through our 4 Fantastic series, we make it possible for players to discover a game they resonate with and enjoy!
Jamie: One of the recent titles is 4 Fantastic Fish Amazon Adventure. Can you tell me about it? Where did it come from?
Henry: 4 Fantastic Fish Amazon Adventure, one of our latest releases in the 4 Fantastic series, follows a Brazilian theme. For this slot, it was really important for us to work closely with our art team, which is mostly comprised of Brazilian artists. We wanted to make sure that the game was authentic instead of becoming a cliché.
One of the ways we did that was by including Brazilian lore that others might not have known about. For example, our inclusion of the Lost City of Z, a real Lost City in the Amazonian forest that was proven to be real recently. We thought that adding it in the Pick-A-Win bonus was a fun way of adding the excitement of becoming a modern-day Indiana Jones, or in this case, a modern-day Percy Fawcett!
Additionally, we added the mythical Amazonian mermaid Iara, known to live in the river. She appears in the bonus symbol and can both give the bonus to the player or tease them with it.
We think that including both elements, alongside some iconic Brazilian animals, made the game feel fun and enjoyable for our players and new players alike.
Jamie: What kind of progression can players expect in Amazon Adventure, and how does it affect gameplay across sessions?
Henry: Unfortunately, 4 Fantastic Fish Amazon Adventure does not feature a progression-style mechanic. Instead, players can unlock reels that were previously locked in the bonus. To make this happen, players will have to land scatters on the reels; the more scatters land, the more reels are unlocked.
However, if players would like to try some of our slots that have progression, then they can try 3 Secret Cities or 4 Secret Pyramids, both of which incorporate progression-style mechanics in their gameplay!
Jamie: Another anticipated title is 4 Fantastic Fish Gold, which includes a spinning fortunes wheel for jackpot prizes. What inspired this addition, and how does it change the gameplay dynamic?
Henry: 4 Fantastic Fish Gold brings back the player-favourite mechanic, Boosting Fortunes™, where coins can land on any symbol and randomly increase 1 of the 4 Fortunes Prizes available. These include the Big, Super, Mega, and Ultra prizes – each with a bigger value than the previous. When the coins boost the prizes, players can see them land on the wheel sitting on the left of the screen, which creates eagerness to see the bonus. After the coins land on the wheel, they can then randomly trigger it in any spin. When it hits, the players get to spin the Fortune Wheel and win one of the four fortune prizes.
We decided to add this element to the slot after we saw how much fun our players had with it in some of our previous titles, such as 5 Wild Buffalo.
Furthermore, Boosting Fortunes™ adds an exciting element to the player’s gameplay as it helps create anticipation and enthusiasm for both when the wheel will be triggered and which Fortune Prize they will win.
Jamie: In a crowded fishing slot market, how does 4ThePlayer ensure the 4 Fantastic Fish series stays fresh and distinctive?
Henry: One of the things we do to make sure our 4 Fantastic Fish series stays fresh in an overcrowded market is to think about what we would like to see next, what would be fun. We are all players at 4ThePlayer, so we firmly believe that the best strategy is to keep making games that we would want to play ourselves.
Oftentimes, this involves coming up with clever themes and designs that make us look forward to playing the new game. And this can take many forms, for example, one of our favourite design features in 4 Fantastic Fish Amazon Adventure is the way our art team substituted the famous Giant Squid with Anacondas. This was the brilliant idea from our Co-Founder and Creative Director, Thomas Scalzilli. Another example is how we managed to incorporate the Pick-A-Win feature into the game in order to give it more depth and further explore the Lost City’s narrative.
All of these design choices and mechanical innovations are what ensure that the 4 Fantastic Fish series remains relevant and distinguishable amongst the other fishing slots in the market. We love that players are able to look at one of our slots in the vast sea of slots, and be able to tell that it is one of our games.
We’re excited to announce that these two new releases won’t be the only ones you’ll see from the 4 Fantastic Fish series this year. There might be a new release coming at the end of this year that features our favourite Vikings, so definitely keep an eye out for it!
Jamie: Finally, are there any new mechanics or surprises in Amazon Adventure or Gold that long-time fans of the series should look forward to?
Henry: Absolutely, although we’ve kept some of the player-favourite features, we’ve also added plenty more to keep the releases fresh and exciting! I think it is safe to say that players have a lot to look forward to.
Starting with 4 Fantastic Fish Amazon Adventure, players can count on reeling in one of four big game prizes by catching the following fish: Big, Super, Mega, and Ultra. The latest can offer up to 10,000x the player’s bet!
Moreover, players can expect to watch piranhas swim onto the reels in the Piranha Frenzy feature, where they will deliver fresh cash prizes to boost their winnings.
Or, if the players are feeling more adventurous, they can head to the Lost City of Z with the new Pick-A-Win bonus and choose up to three sweet treasures to take home.
They might also be lucky enough to spot the legendary mermaid Iara along the way!
Next, in 4 Fantastic Fish Gold, players will return to the sea setting but this time with a bright summery theme, where all the fish, and even our fisherman, are coloured in gold!
Alongside the sunny theme, players will get to enjoy our Boosting Fortunes™ mechanic, where coins land on any symbol on the reels and increase one of the four Fortune Prizes, providing many chances for a Big Win in the Fortune Wheel.
Lastly, they will still be able to enjoy the Respin bonus, where they will get numerous chances to reel in an Ultra fish and will even see our famous Shark make an appearance.
We hope that our players have as much fun playing these slots as we had making them, and we cannot wait to see them take them for a spin!
