Boss Bear Slot Review 2024

Boss Bear from Push Gaming has arrived to continue the legacy of Big Bamboo, but we’re in no serene bamboo forest this time. In their latest instalment, Push Gaming throws us straight into the harsh underworld, ruled by the influential and powerful Boss Bear.

Big Bamboo was a Push Gaming instalment that was released early in 2022, and it quickly rose to prominence as perhaps one of their most popular slots. Hints of past instalments and tweaks to make it unique made a huge difference, and the popularity of the game was probably better than Push could have hoped.

The arrival of a sequel was an inevitability, but we didn’t think it’d be as lawless as this. Boss Bear and his harsh syndicate may be a far cry from the original game thematically, but make no mistake, there are striking similarities and ample improvements.

Will Boss Bear muscle his way to the top of the Push Gaming Hall of Fame? Let’s check it out.

Boss Bear Slot – The Base Game and Features

Boss Bear is a 5 reel slot with 50 win lines. Wins are formed by connecting at least 2 of the top symbol, or 3 of any other symbol along any of the win lines.

Boss Bear feels extremely similar to Big Bamboo straight away with features that have persisted into the sequel, but there are some notable differences too.

Boss Bear Base Game

Reveal Symbol

During the Base Game and Free Spins, Reveal symbols may land in stacks anywhere on the reels. After landing, the Reveal Symbols will reveal the same type of symbol. These can be either Wild Symbols, or Paying symbols. The Wild symbol substitutes for all other paying symbols, except for the Scatter Symbol, Reveal Symbols and Golden Reveal Symbols.

Golden Reveal Symbol

When Reveal Symbols land on at least three consecutive reels regardless of their position, all of the reveal symbols will turn into Golden Reveal Symbols, triggering the Coin Feature. Each position containing a Golden Reveal Symbol will turn into a coin and spin through various prizes.

The following symbols can land

  • Instant Prize Symbols – 1x, 2x,5x, 10x, 25x, 50x, 100x, 500x and 1,000x
  • Multiplier Symbols – When the multiplier symbol lands, it will multiply the value of all Instant Prize Symbols and Collector Symbols on the reels by the Multiplier Symbol’s value. This is then removed from the reels, and the empty position will spin to reveal any of the possible prizes.
  • Collector Symbols – When the Collector Symbol lands, it will collect the value of all other instant prize and Collector Symbols. All Instant Prize Symbols are then removed from the reels, and empty positions will spin to reveal any of the possible prizes
  • Nudge Symbols – When the Nudge Symbol lands, the stack of Golden Reveal Symbols will expand to cover the whole reel. The Nudge Symbol is then removed from the Reels. Newly added empty positions will turn into coins and spin through all possible prizes except for the Nudge Symbol
  • Scatter Symbols – The bonus symbol is a scatter symbol. This may land on any reels in the normal game, or during the coin feature.

Boss Bear Slot – Free Spins

The Free Spins feature is triggered by landing at least 3 Scatters anywhere on the reels.

  • 3 Scatters – 7 Free Spins with no Low Symbols converted to Reveal Symbols
  • 4 Scatters – 8 Free Spins with two Low Symbols Converted to Reveal Symbols
  • 5 Scatters – 9 Free Spins with four Low Symbols converted to Reveal Symbols

During Free Spins, any Scatter Symbols that land will be collected on the Low Symbol Meter next to the reels. When 4 Scatter Symbols are collected, the low Symbol on the reels will be converted to Reveal Symbols.

Each Low Symbol removal also awards additional Free Spins and Multiplier Upgrades

  • 1st Low Symbol converted to Reveal Symbols – 4 additional spins and a 2x multiplier
  • 2nd Low Symbol converted to Reveal Symbols – 3 additional spins and a 3x multiplier
  • 3rd Low Symbol converted to Reveal Symbols – 3 additional spins and a 5x multiplier
  • 4th Low Symbol converted to Reveal Symbols – 2 additional spins and a 10x multiplier

Boss Bear Free Spins

Gamble Feature

Like Big Bamboo, Boss Bear has a gamble feature, allowing players to gamble for a better starting configuration.

The Gamble Feature is triggered by landing 3 or 4 Scatter symbols in the Base game or during the Coin Feature.

The Free Spins Gamble Prizes are as follows:

3 Scatter Symbols

  • 8 Free Spins with two Low Symbols converted to Reveal Symbols
  • 9 Free Spins with four Low Symbols converted to Reveal Symbols

4 Scatter Symbols 

  • 9 Free Spins with four Low Symbols converted to Reveal Symbols

If players choose the gamble and the wheel lands on a No Prize segment, then the game will return to the Base Game. Use this feature with caution, it’s proven to be brutal in the past! This may not be available to UK players.

Boss Bear Gamble Feature

Boss Bear Slot – Bonus Buy

Those outside of the UK have the option to utilise a bonus buy option.

  • Random Free Spins – 100x the bet
  • Full Screen Golden Reveal Feature – 300x the bet
  • 5 Bonus Symbol Free Spins – 600x the bet

Push Gaming have also included their Push Bet option, which increases the stake by 20%, increasing the chance to win the feature. This option is available to UK players.

Boss Bear Slot – Our Verdict

Boss Bear seems better than Big Bamboo in every way. We love the theme, and we’re a fan of the little tweaks that make it seemingly more efficient than its predecessor. However, statistically, Boss Bear is only half as capable as its older brother. The maximum potential in Boss Bear is 25,000x, which is half of Big Bamboo’s mammoth 50,000x win cap. It’s still a significant figure, but a disappointing cut nonetheless.

Despite the cut, there are some changes here that may make it the preferable choice. The decision to guarantee the coin symbol with Reveal Symbols on 3 adjacent reels will feel like a welcome change to some, and the newly added Nudge Symbol adds a significant layer of excitement. It certainly feels as if the coin feature triggers much more frequently than it did in Big Bamboo, which could perhaps be a reason to explain the lower potential.

One thing that we love is the guaranteed bonus for 3 scatters. We still maintain that Big Bamboo was a dirty rascal for not guaranteeing a bonus when you landed 3 scatters. He was more vicious than an underworld boss because of this alone.

It’s good news if you’re in bonus buy territory, with the option to buy into a full-screen Golden Reveal Feature – a feature borrowed not from Big Bamboo, but Razor Returns

Overall, Boss Bear feels like a significant offering from Push Gaming. It doesn’t reinvent or overhaul the blueprints penned by Big Bamboo, but a couple of significant changes and an enthralling yakuza theme make it extremely interesting.