Big Catch Bonanza

Big Catch Bonanza Overview

Big Catch Bonanza is an underwater fishing slot from NetGame, released on 30 September 2023. It uses a 5x3 grid with 12 paylines, and NetGame's official game data gives a 96.23% RTP, high volatility and a maximum win of 12,000x the bet. The same data lists a hit frequency of 11.8%, a feature hit rate of 1 in 128 spins and a big win roughly every 185 spins. SlotCatalog gives slightly different figures (96.05%, 21 August 2023); we follow the studio.

The game also has several follow-ups in the same series: Big Catch Bonanza: Bonus Buy, Big Catch Bonanza: Perfect Haul and Big Catch Bonanza: Christmas Catch. All of them are available at the casinos we checked. This review covers the original.

The Symbols

The reels float in deep blue water with jellyfish and bubbles drifting past. The regular symbols are split into two groups:

• fishing gear: a trawler, a lifebuoy, a rowing boat and a string of net floats,
• royals: A, K, Q, J and 10.

On top of these come the special symbols: a tuna marked "Scatter", red fish on sandy tiles that carry a cash value, and the fisherman, who collects the fish. NetGame's data lists one wild and one scatter among the symbols.

The Money Fish

The red fish carry cash prizes written underneath them. At a $20.00 total bet, our screenshots show values of $40.00, $100.00 and $500.00 – that is 2x, 5x and 25x the stake. They also appear in the base game, but on their own they pay nothing: the value is only collected when a fisherman lands at the same time, and in the base game that is the job of the free spins.

The free spins intro shows the top value: "Look out for the x1000" fish, which would be worth 1,000 times the bet on its own.

Free Spins

Three tuna scatters anywhere on the reels start the bonus. In our round the three scatters paid $20.00 – 1x the bet – and the game announced 10 Free Spins, with the rule written on the intro screen: the fisherman catches the fish.

During the free spins, every fisherman that lands collects the cash values of all the money fish on screen. The collected amount is shown on his tile, and the win counter adds it up.

The Fisherman Meter

A row of boxes runs across the top of the reels during the free spins. Each fisherman who lands fills one box. At certain points the meter pays out extra spins with a multiplier: the boxes are marked +10 Free Spins x2, +10 Free Spins x3 and +10 Free Spins x10. As the labels show, the round can be extended several times, and each extension comes with a higher multiplier.

In our round only two fishermen landed, so the meter stayed on its first stage.

What Our Round Showed

With two free spins left, the fisherman landed in the middle of the grid while four money fish were on the reels: $500 + $40 + $100 + $40. He collected $680.00 in one go, and the game showed a Big Win of $680.00 – 34x the $20 bet.

On the final spin a second fisherman landed next to a single $40.00 fish, bringing the total for the round to $700.00, or 35x the stake.

The Base Game

Between features the game plays like a standard 12-line slot. Our base-game screenshots show a $10.00 line win on a $20 bet, with money fish sitting on the reels waiting for a fisherman that only comes in the bonus. With a hit frequency of 11.8%, most spins pay nothing, and the game relies on the free spins for its value.

Graphics and Interface

The underwater backdrop is calm and dark blue, with glowing jellyfish and rising bubbles, so the bright red money fish and the orange sandy tiles stand out clearly. The free spin counter sits in a round badge on the left of the reels, and the multiplier meter runs along the top. The spin, autoplay and turbo buttons are stacked on the right, and the bar at the bottom shows the balance, the total bet and the current win in dollars.

Who It Is For

Big Catch Bonanza is for players who like the collect-the-fish mechanic and do not mind long quiet stretches between features. The 12,000x ceiling, the x1000 fish and the multiplier meter give the free spins real upside, and the official data makes the risk clear: high volatility and a low hit frequency. If you enjoy the theme, the sequels offer the same idea with different twists.

You can try this game on MrJones Online Casino. There’s a unique casino bonus offer of 300% up to £1200 for a limited time.