Big Bass Return to the Races
Get ready for a fishing trip like no other—Big Bass Return to the Races is Pragmatic Play’s turbo-charged twist on their iconic fishing slot series, and this time, it’s reeling in fast-paced horse racing energy. A follow-up to the wildly successful Big Bass series, this edition fuses two adrenaline-fueled themes: big fish and big bets. Whether you're a seasoned angler or just here for the bonuses, this pokie promises heart-racing action from the first cast.
And if you're eager to explore even more exciting online pokies, SpinBit is your go-to hub. Don’t forget to check out the full range of Pragmatic Play titles while you’re at it.
Let’s dive in and see what’s waiting beneath the surface.
Theme and Graphics
Big Bass Return to the Races turns the classic fishing theme into a high-stakes event. This time, your trusty fisherman has traded his laid-back boat for the fast lane. The game blends colourful aquatic visuals with racetrack excitement—expect fish wearing racing goggles, horseshoes in the water, and background elements nodding to both derby day and deep-sea hunting.
Animations are crisp and full of playful charm. The reels are surrounded by buoys and starting gates, while the soundtrack cleverly merges upbeat fishing tunes with crowd-cheering effects from a racing event. It's quirky, original, and completely on-brand for the Big Bass series—just with a cheeky twist.
Gameplay Mechanics
This is a 5-reel, 3-row slot with 10 fixed paylines—staying consistent with other Big Bass titles, which keeps things familiar but far from boring.
Symbols
- Low-paying symbols: 10, J, Q, K, A – all styled to match the hybrid race/fish theme.
- High-paying symbols: Tackle boxes, dragonflies, fishing rods, and race-ready fish.
- Wild Symbol: The Fisherman himself, which only appears during Free Spins and helps collect cash symbols.
- Scatter Symbol: The racing Float acts as the Scatter and is the key to triggering Free Spins.
- Money Symbol: Fish symbols with cash values attached—these are the core of the game’s bonus wins.
Betting Range
Bets start from a modest $0.10 and can go up to $250 per spin, giving players in NZ plenty of room to tailor their stakes, whether you’re just fishing for fun or aiming for massive wins.
Free Spins & Bonus Rounds
This is where Big Bass Return to the Races shows its true power. The Free Spins round is familiar if you've played any Big Bass game—but this time, the features go even further.
Triggering Free Spins
Land 3, 4, or 5 Scatter symbols and you’ll trigger 10, 15, or 20 Free Spins, respectively.
Once inside, the game shifts gears with new mechanics:
Fisherman Wilds & Cash Collection
During Free Spins, the Fisherman Wild comes into play. When he lands alongside Money Fish symbols, he collects the total value of all cash symbols on the screen.
But it gets better.
Progressive Feature
Every time you collect 4 Fisherman Wilds, you retrigger the Free Spins and level up the multiplier:
- 1st retrigger: 10 more spins with 2x multiplier
- 2nd retrigger: 10 more spins with 3x multiplier
- 3rd retrigger: 10 more spins with 10x multiplier
Yes, the dream of a 10x multiplier on all collected fish is alive—and it’s what makes this series such a cult favourite among players.
Bazooka & Dynamite Features
At random, two exciting modifiers can occur during Free Spins:
- Dynamite Feature: If no fish symbols land but the Fisherman does, he may blow up the reels and randomly generate Money Fish symbols.
- Bazooka Feature: If only the Fisherman lands, he might clear the entire reel set and reload it with new symbols—possibly triggering massive wins.
These features add a surprising layer of unpredictability and often come when you least expect them.
RTP & Volatility
Big Bass Return to the Races boasts an RTP of 96.5%, keeping it in line with other top-tier Pragmatic Play pokies. It’s a high volatility game, meaning wins may not come every spin, but when they hit, they tend to hit hard—especially in the later retrigger levels of Free Spins.
For NZ players who enjoy the suspense and payoff of riskier gameplay, this is a brilliant choice.
Does Big Bass Return to the Races Have a Jackpot?
There’s no progressive or fixed jackpot in this game, but don’t worry—the max win is capped at 10,000x your bet, and that’s nothing to scoff at.
To put it into perspective: on a $2 spin, that’s a potential $20,000 win. The best shot at hitting this kind of payout comes during Free Spins, particularly at the 10x multiplier level, when the fish values start stacking up in your favour.
Related Games
Loved this one? Here are some other bangers from SpinBit’s library that you'll probably enjoy next:
- Big Bass Amazon Xtreme – A wild jungle version of the Big Bass format, with even crazier bonus modifiers.
- The Dog House Multihold – A wacky pokie with sticky Wilds and multi-grid Free Spins.
- Big Bass Bonanza Keeping it Reel – A slick update to the classic with slicker visuals and enhanced volatility.
- Power of Thor Megaways – For players who want the same level of chaos and excitement, but with Norse gods and hammer-wielding action.
Each of these games offers unique mechanics or familiar thrills, making them perfect follow-ups to Big Bass Return to the Races.
Conclusion
Big Bass Return to the Races is a bold and brilliant evolution of the Big Bass series, combining iconic fish-collecting action with new modifiers and even bigger win potential. The blend of cheeky racing theme and rewarding Free Spins feature makes it feel fresh without losing what fans love.
With its vibrant graphics, high volatility, and max win potential of 10,000x, this game is perfect for NZ pokie players who like their spins with a bit of edge—and a lot of excitement.
So, grab your rod, saddle up, and hit that spin button. This fishing derby is about to get wild.