Christmas Big Bass Bonanza

Christmas Big Bass Bonanza Slot Review

Reel Kingdom presents Christmas Big Bass Bonanza, a festive variant of the beloved Big Bass Bonanza series that brings holiday cheer to the fishing-themed slot landscape. Released in December 2021, this seasonal release maintains the core gameplay mechanics of the original whilst wrapping everything in Christmas spirit. The theme features Santa Claus replacing the regular fisherman, holiday-hatted fish characters, snow-laden underwater scenery, and festive audio that captures the season perfectly. For players already familiar with Big Bass Bonanza, this is a straightforward choice—though if you were hoping for mechanical innovation, Reel Kingdom has kept gameplay pretty much identical to the original.

Base Game & Features

Christmas Big Bass Bonanza operates on a 5×3 grid with 10 paylines, delivering a familiar layout for anyone who has encountered the Big Bass Bonanza original. The game’s mechanics are straightforward and accessible—players spin across 5 reels and 3 rows, with winning combinations forming left to right across active paylines. Bet flexibility ranges from £0.10 to £250.00 per spin, accommodating both cautious players testing the waters and high-stakes enthusiasts. The hit frequency sits at 23.9%, meaning you’ll see winning spins reasonably often during base gameplay, though the medium-high volatility means wins vary significantly in size.

The symbol set revolves around the fishing theme, with standard playing card symbols alongside thematic icons. The Wild symbol (Santa Claus himself) substitutes for all symbols except scatters, helping form winning combinations on active paylines. Wild symbols play a crucial role beyond basic substitution—they’re central to the bonus round mechanics and the special collection features that give this game its depth.

Bonus Features & Free Spins

The bonus round is where Christmas Big Bass Bonanza truly comes alive. Landing 3, 4, or 5 scatter symbols triggers the Free Spins round, awarding 10, 15, or 20 free spins respectively. During the free spins feature, the game transforms significantly with the introduction of wild collection mechanics and money symbols that form the heart of the experience.

Money symbols and Fish symbols land on the reels during free spins, each carrying random cash values. Here’s where the Santa Claus wild symbols become essential: every wild that lands in the free spins round collects all visible money and fish symbol values on screen, accumulating them into your spin win. This collection mechanic means each wild appearance can represent substantial value, especially as multipliers increase through retriggers.

The Wild Collection Retrigger system is the standout feature. Every fourth wild symbol collected during free spins automatically retriggers the feature with 10 additional free spins plus a multiplier bonus. The multiplier progression is generous: your first retrigger applies a 2x multiplier, the second retrigger adds a 3x multiplier, and the third retrigger jumps to an impressive 10x multiplier. This escalation means successful retrigger sequences can deliver genuinely lucrative outcomes, with money values being multiplied alongside each new wild collection.

Bonus Buy Option

Players outside the UK have access to a Bonus Buy feature at a cost of 100x your total bet. This feature allows you to purchase direct entry into the Free Spins round, bypassing the need to land scatters naturally. The bonus buy option is useful for players impatient for the feature or those seeking to quickly experience the game’s most exciting moments, though it should be used cautiously as it represents a significant stake addition.

Our Honest Verdict

Overall Verdict: 7/10

Christmas Big Bass Bonanza delivers what it promises: a festive reskin of a proven, well-liked slot. The game excels where it matters—the 96.71% default RTP sits well above industry average, providing solid mathematical value for players. The free spins mechanic with escalating multipliers (2x, 3x, 10x) genuinely engages players, and the money collection system offers enough variety to maintain interest through the bonus round. Mobile play is smooth, the betting range accommodates all bankrolls from £0.10 upward, and the festive presentation is genuinely charming for the December season.

However, limitations do exist. The maximum win of 2,100x stake is reasonable for medium-high volatility but underwhelming compared to newer Big Bass variants like Big Bass Bonanza 1000 (25,000x) or Keeping It Reel (10,000x). The medium-high volatility (4 out of 5 rating) means dry spells between features are common—this isn’t a game for players seeking consistent base game wins. Gameplay-wise, Reel Kingdom hasn’t innovated; the mechanics are identical to the original Big Bass Bonanza from 2019, with only the Christmas theme and audio differentiating it.

Christmas Big Bass Bonanza positions itself perfectly for existing Big Bass Bonanza fans seeking a seasonal variant during the December period. The combination of mid-to-high variance, verified 96.71% RTP, a solid 2,100x maximum win, and the low 0.10 minimum bet makes this a good option for anyone enjoying the franchise who doesn’t mind the lack of mechanical novelty. However, if you’re seeking innovation, exploring the series for the first time, or chasing the highest possible multipliers, you’ll likely find more exciting prospects elsewhere in the developer’s catalogue.

Christmas Big Bass Bonanza FAQs

• What is the RTP of Christmas Big Bass Bonanza?

  Christmas Big Bass Bonanza offers an RTP of 96.71%, which sits above the typical industry average of 94-96%. The game also includes variable RTP settings of 95.67% and 94.62% available at certain online casinos, giving operators flexibility in player offerings.
• What is the maximum win on Christmas Big Bass Bonanza?

  The maximum win for Christmas Big Bass Bonanza is 2,100x your stake. This maximum matches the original Big Bass Bonanza and is competitive for the medium-high volatility class, though newer variants in the series (Big Bass Bonanza 1000, Keeping It Reel) offer higher potential wins.
• How do the free spins work in Christmas Big Bass Bonanza?

  Landing 3, 4, or 5 scatter symbols triggers 10, 15, or 20 free spins respectively. During free spins, money and fish symbols appear with random values, and Santa Claus wild symbols collect these values. Every fourth collected wild retriggers the feature with 10 additional spins plus a multiplier (2x, then 3x, then 10x on successive retriggers).
• What is the volatility of Christmas Big Bass Bonanza?

  Christmas Big Bass Bonanza features medium-high volatility, scoring 4 out of 5 on the Reel Kingdom volatility scale. This classification means wins arrive less frequently than in low-volatility games, but when they occur, they tend to be more substantial—particularly during the free spins round with multiplier progression.
• What are the bet limits for Christmas Big Bass Bonanza?

  Players can bet between £0.10 and £250.00 per spin, providing flexibility for both cautious players making small wagers and high-stakes enthusiasts. This wide betting range ensures the game accommodates various bankroll sizes and playing styles.
• Does Christmas Big Bass Bonanza have a bonus buy feature?

  Yes, Christmas Big Bass Bonanza includes a bonus buy feature available to players outside the UK at a cost of 100x your total bet. This feature allows you to purchase direct access to the Free Spins round without waiting for scatter triggers, though the cost should be weighed against potential returns.
• Is Christmas Big Bass Bonanza from the same developer as the original Big Bass Bonanza?

  Christmas Big Bass Bonanza is created by Reel Kingdom in partnership with Pragmatic Play and is a themed holiday variant of the original Big Bass Bonanza. It maintains the same core gameplay mechanics, RTP structure, and 2,100x maximum win as the original, with the primary difference being the festive Christmas theme and holiday audio.
• Can I play Christmas Big Bass Bonanza on mobile devices?

  Yes, Christmas Big Bass Bonanza plays smoothly across mobile devices including smartphones and tablets. The responsive design accommodates the full betting range (£0.10 to £250.00) and maintains the complete feature set on smaller screens, making it accessible for players on the move during the holiday season.