Kraken’s Sky Bounty Slot Review
Pragmatic Play has long understood how to craft visually compelling adventures that draw players in from the first spin. Kraken’s Sky Bounty, released in July 2023, represents the developer’s commitment to delivering engaging grid-based gameplay with meaningful mechanical depth. The pirate-themed setting features a constant battle between flying ships in the background, immediately establishing the game’s sense of scale and spectacle.
What makes this 6×6 grid slot particularly intriguing is the Random Expanding Wild Feature that forms the backbone of both base game and bonus play. Rather than relying on traditional bonus mechanics alone, Pragmatic Play has designed a system where square frames can appear during any spin—growing from 2×2 up to 6×6 in size—with wild symbols inside those frames expanding and creating multiplier opportunities. This mechanic carries through into free spins as well, where it becomes central to chase sequences.
Base Game & Features
Kraken’s Sky Bounty operates on a 6×6 grid with 50 paylines, creating a layout that feels more spacious than traditional five-reel slots. The bet range spans from 0.25 to 250, accommodating both cautious players and those hunting for significant volatility exposure. The symbol set includes colourful gems for the lower-paying symbols, with higher-value icons featuring cutlasses, cannons, ship wheels, and bottles of rum—all tied to the pirate adventure narrative.
Random Expanding Wild Feature
This is the signature mechanic during base game play. Without warning, a square frame (ranging from 2×2 to 6×6 in size) can appear on the reels. When wild symbols land within that frame, they expand to match the frame’s dimensions. The real magic happens when multiple wilds appear in the same frame—the game applies a multiplier equal to the number of wilds present. A 2×2 frame with two wilds delivers a 2x multiplier; a 6×6 frame with multiple wilds scales accordingly. This randomness creates genuine excitement during standard spins, elevating the base game beyond mere symbol combination.
The challenge lies in landing wild symbols within the frame itself. Landing the frame is relatively straightforward; landing wilds inside it is considerably harder. This creates a genuine skill-like quality to pursuing the feature, where players must witness the frame appear and hope the reels cooperate with wild placements. Landing two wilds in the frame represents an attractive outcome—when it happens, the 2x multiplier noticeably impacts the spin result.
Ante Bet Feature
Pragmatic Play offers this optional enhancement, available globally including to UK players. Activating Ante Bet increases your current stake by 20%, which in turn increases the frequency of scatter symbol appearances. For players seeking more accessible free spins triggers, this feature provides legitimate value without regulatory restrictions. The RTP with Ante Bet engaged increases marginally to 96.06% from the standard 96.05%.
Bonus Features & Free Spins
The free spins round represents where Kraken’s Sky Bounty truly distinguishes itself. Landing 3 or more scatter symbols simultaneously triggers the bonus feature, awarding players an initial 6 free spins. The experience begins with a 2×2 square frame already in play, immediately differentiating this from the base game’s random frame appearances.
Free Spins Mechanics & Progression
Triggering scatter payouts depends on the scatter count: 3 scatters deliver 3x your bet plus 6 spins, 4 scatters award 10x your bet plus 6 spins plus 1 collected scatter, 5 scatters provide 30x your bet plus 6 spins plus 2 collected scatters, and landing all 6 scatters awards 100x your bet plus 6 spins plus 3 collected scatters. The core mechanic revolves around scatter collection during free spins. Every 3 scatters collected grants 2 additional spins and expands the square frame. The frame grows progressively—from 2×2 through to the maximum 6×6—meaning extended bonus rounds exponentially increase win potential as the frame reaches its largest size. However, there’s a retrigger limit: after 4 retrigs (or collecting enough scatters for the fourth expansion), the game stops collecting scatters entirely, capping the maximum free spins at roughly 18-20 spins for most sessions.
The design creates a challenging dynamic. Players begin with just 6 spins to collect 3 scatters for the first frame expansion. Succeeding requires genuine luck—the game does make accessing free spins challenging due to its high volatility rating. Once spins trigger, the gameplay becomes genuinely engaging. Retriggers often appear, and watching the frame grow larger while wilds expand promises substantial payouts. Yet the bonus round is never a guaranteed money-maker; many free spins sequences end with disappointing returns, especially when the frame fails to grow significantly or wild placement within that frame remains elusive.
Bonus Buy Feature (Regulatory Note)
Pragmatic Play offers a Bonus Buy feature that costs 100x your current bet to access the free spins round directly. This feature is not available to UK players due to gambling regulations—a regulatory restriction that prevents UK casinos from offering direct bonus purchase mechanisms. Players in other regions can utilise this shortcut, but UK-based players must trigger free spins organically through scatter symbols.
Our Honest Verdict
- Overall Rating: 7.2/10
- Pragmatic Play delivers a mechanically sound experience with the Random Expanding Wild Feature serving as a genuinely interesting hook. The pirate theme with flying ship visuals and thematically consistent symbol design creates atmosphere. The RTP of 96.05% sits comfortably within industry standards, and the 5000x maximum win potential provides headline appeal. For players specifically drawn to high-volatility grid-based slots with unique expanding mechanics, this game offers meaningful differentiation from more conventional releases.
- The game’s primary limitation is pacing. The base game requires patience—players frequently encounter 100+ spins without triggering the bonus feature, particularly noticeable given the game’s 5/5 volatility rating. This extended drought between feature opportunities creates a somewhat stop-start experience. Once free spins trigger, engagement heightens, but the initial grind remains tedious for casual players. The 5000x max win, whilst impressive on paper, requires perfect alignment of frame size growth and wild placement during bonus sequences—a scenario many extended play sessions fail to deliver. Most big wins fall considerably below the headline potential.
- Kraken’s Sky Bounty appeals specifically to players who embrace high-volatility gameplay and the mechanical intricacy of expanding frame systems. The Ante Bet feature, available to UK players, does improve scatter frequency, making free spins somewhat more accessible without regulatory penalty. However, this game demands significant bankroll and patience. Casual players or those seeking consistent base game excitement should look elsewhere—this is purpose-built for experienced high-volatility enthusiasts willing to weather dry spells for explosive potential.
Frequently Asked Questions
-
What is the RTP of Kraken’s Sky Bounty?
The standard RTP for Kraken’s Sky Bounty is 96.05%. With Ante Bet activated, the RTP increases to 96.06%. With Bonus Buy feature (available outside UK only), the RTP reaches 96.07%. All three variants sit within industry-standard range for mid-to-high volatility slots. -
What is the maximum win in Kraken’s Sky Bounty?
The maximum win available in Kraken’s Sky Bounty is 5,000x your bet. Achieving this top prize requires perfect alignment during free spins—a 6×6 expanding frame at maximum size combined with multiple wilds landing within that frame, all multiplied together. This theoretical maximum is elusive in practice, with most significant wins falling well below the headline figure. -
How volatile is Kraken’s Sky Bounty?
Kraken’s Sky Bounty is a high-volatility slot game, scoring 5 out of 5 on Pragmatic Play’s in-game volatility scale. This means the game features infrequent but potentially substantial payouts, with long periods between big wins. Hit frequency can require 100+ base game spins for some players, making this game best suited for experienced players with adequate bankroll. -
How do you trigger free spins in Kraken’s Sky Bounty?
Landing 3 or more scatter symbols simultaneously triggers the free spins bonus, awarding an initial 6 free spins. The square frame mechanics activate, beginning at 2×2 in size. For every 3 scatters collected during free spins, players receive 2 additional spins and the frame expands. Frame growth continues through retrigs until reaching the 6×6 maximum or hitting the retrigger limit. -
What are the wild frame mechanics in Kraken’s Sky Bounty?
During any spin (base game or free spins), a random square frame (2×2 to 6×6) can appear. When wild symbols land inside the frame, they expand to match the frame’s size. Multiple wilds in the same frame create a multiplier equal to the number of wilds present. During free spins, the frame persists and grows larger as scatters are collected. -
What is the Bonus Buy cost in Kraken’s Sky Bounty?
The Bonus Buy feature costs 100x your bet to directly access the free spins round. This feature is not available to UK players due to gambling regulations, but is available to players in other regions where Pragmatic Play operates. -
How many reels and paylines does Kraken’s Sky Bounty have?
Kraken’s Sky Bounty is a 6-reel, 6-row slot game with 50 paylines. The 6×6 grid creates more space than traditional five-reel formats, allowing for greater symbol variety and mechanical complexity. -
What theme and symbols are used in Kraken’s Sky Bounty?
The game features a pirate and flying ship adventure theme centred on the Kraken character. Lower-paying symbols include colourful gems, whilst higher-paying icons feature cutlasses, cannons, ship wheels, and bottles of rum. The background showcases a constant battle between flying ships, creating an engaging atmospheric backdrop throughout gameplay.
