The Ice Fishing Game is a unique online slot machine developed by Microgaming, one of the leading providers of casino games worldwide. Released in 2019, this game has been attracting players with its intriguing theme and exciting gameplay mechanics. In this review, we will delve into every aspect of the Ice Fishing Game, from its design to its payouts, volatility, and betting range.
Theme
The Ice Fishing Game is set on a frozen lake, where you’ll find yourself amidst a serene winter wonderland. The game’s background features a this site picturesque landscape with snow-covered trees, while the reels are positioned in front of an icy ice hut. The overall atmosphere is peaceful, making it an enjoyable experience for players who appreciate relaxation as much as excitement.
Design
The Ice Fishing Game features 5×3 reel setup, which is quite common among modern slot machines. However, what sets this game apart from others is its creative use of symbols and bonus features. The reels are populated with a variety of fishing-related icons, including fish, lures, and even an ice hut or two.
Symbols
The standard symbols in the Ice Fishing Game include:
- Low-paying symbols: Aces (A), Kings (K), Queens (Q), Jacks (J)
- Mid-paying symbols: Fish Lure, Fishing Rod, and a pair of Polar Bear Gloves
- High-paying symbols:
- Trout, Pike, Perch, Bass
- Ice Hut with a fish on the roof
Each symbol has its unique value, ranging from 0.5x to 200x your bet per line.
Payouts
The payouts in the Ice Fishing Game are calculated based on the standard slot machine formula: (Payline multiplier) x (Symbol value). The maximum payout is capped at 1,000,000 coins for a single spin.
Here’s an example of how to calculate a payout:
- Line win with Trout (200x): You bet $5.00 per line and hit three Trouts on the same payline.
- Payline multiplier: x3
- Symbol value: 200x
- Total payout: ($5.00) x (200x) = $1,000
Wilds
The Polar Bear Gloves symbol serves as a wild substitute in the Ice Fishing Game. This means that it can replace any standard symbol to form winning combinations.
However, there’s an interesting twist – the Polar Bear Gloves have two functions: as a multiplier and as a free spin trigger. When landing multiple Polar Bears on an active payline with at least one fish icon, they will multiply your wins up to 5x.
Scatters
The Ice Hut symbol is designated as the scatter in this game. Landing three or more ice huts anywhere on the reels triggers the Bonus Game feature.
Here’s a step-by-step breakdown of how it works:
- When you land three or more scatters, you’ll be taken to a bonus screen featuring a winter wonderland map.
- Click and drag your mouse to select up to 20 spots for each fishing location (ice hut).
- Each selected spot will increase the number of free spins by +5 with each consecutive pick-up fish.
- The game calculates the total number of free spins based on your picks, which can go from as little as five and reach a maximum of twenty-five.
Bonus Features
The Ice Fishing Game boasts two distinct bonus features: Free Spins Bonus and Reel Wild feature:
- Free Spins Bonus : This bonus is triggered by landing three or more scatter symbols. As mentioned earlier, you’ll get the opportunity to select up to 20 spots for each fishing location on a winter wonderland map. Each selected spot increases your total free spins.
- Reel Wild Feature : When two wild symbols appear in any position, they merge with the first reel and freeze it until the end of the game session or bonus rounds.
Free Spins
Free Spins are activated by landing three or more ice huts on an active payline. Players can win up to 25 free spins per spin based on how many scatters are hit. During this round, each selected spot in the winter wonderland map will increase your total number of free spins.
RTP
The theoretical return-to-player (RTP) percentage for the Ice Fishing Game is 96% – above average compared to other slots available online. This suggests that this game has a relatively good payout structure and offers players a more favorable house edge.
Volatility
Given its high RTP, it’s safe to say that the Ice Fishing Game features moderate volatility – higher than many modern slot machines but not extremely so.
Betting Range & Max Win
The minimum bet for each spin is $0.10 with 40 fixed paylines and the highest value of a single coin per line being $2.00, which brings us to a total maximum bet of $80.00 on any given spin.
For winning combinations, it’s possible to reach up to a staggering 1,000,000 coins or an equivalent win value (depending on your chosen currency).
Gameplay
Overall gameplay is quite engaging and requires minimal strategy since most of the action comes from randomly generated outcomes – so there isn’t anything specific that stands out in terms of game design.
However, it’s worth noting that Microgaming made sure to integrate a user-friendly interface which makes navigation easy even for novice players:
- All buttons are easily accessible (Bet Buttons and spin controls on top), as is any necessary information such as Payout Table or Bonus Round Instructions.
- Additionally, there isn’t a lot of movement or extra visual details other than animations upon win that keep it visually simple.
Mobile Play
Since the Ice Fishing Game was developed with mobile compatibility in mind, you can enjoy playing this slot machine on your smartphone or tablet without any issues. It’s fully optimized to provide seamless gameplay across devices running both iOS and Android operating systems.
Player Experience
One thing that sets apart Microgaming slots from other providers is their focus on player comfort through excellent audiovisual presentation – the Ice Fishing Game maintains this standard by ensuring there aren’t many distractions while providing a great win-frequency rate, thanks largely due to its high RTP value. Players can easily immerse themselves in this slot machine and forget about time spent playing.
Conclusion
Overall, Microgaming has done an impressive job with the Ice Fishing Game. Its creative design, rich theme, exciting bonus features, combined with its relatively good payouts make it a worthwhile experience for players looking to catch some big wins online.
From high-quality visuals and seamless gameplay on various mobile devices to generous returns through RTP rates over 96%, this is one slot machine that meets or exceeds expectations from both casual gamblers to seasoned veterans.