Over the years, the iGaming industry has undergone significant evolution, driven by creativity and innovation. Slot developers are the backbone of the industry and are credited with the creation of hundreds of slot games each year. As the UK online casino industry expands, more studios enter the market, making it more competitive than ever. Amidst this incredibly competitive market, notable developers such as Reel Kingdom remain among the most popular development studios.
During their time in the business, they have placed a large focus on the dominance of fishing-themed slots, which is evident today. Known for their interesting designs, Reel Kingdom releases numerous fishing slots each year, accounting for a large share of its portfolio. They have found incredible success with fishing-themed slots, largely thanks to the Big Bass series, which continues to be played by the masses today.
Reel Kingdoms Story
Given its 2020 founding, Reel Kingdom is considered a newcomer in the iGaming industry by many. In their short time operating in the sector, they have released over 100 slot games, quickly becoming a well-regarded name. Reel Kingdom immediately earned respect from many as a partner of the notable Pragmatic Play, a popular slot developer in its own right.
Despite optimising for fishing-themed slots, their debut title was quite the opposite: Hot to Burn, released in 2020. The Hot to Burn slot features a classic theme, though shortly after this release, they launched their first title in the fishing-themed series. After the first entry in the fishing-theme, Reel Kingdom would go on to release numerous following titles, many in the Big Bass series, as well as alternate-titled slots.
Why The Fishing Theme?
Developers in the iGaming industry often use a wide variety of slot themes in their releases; however, the majority of Reel Kingdom’s slot releases implement a fishing theme. The fishing theme is among the most popular genres in the iGaming industry, with hundreds of entrants each year. Each slot genre in the modern online casino industry provides distinct gameplay experiences, and this is no different with fishing-themed slots. In the Reel Kingdoms slot portfolio, they have effectively showcased the fishing theme, with many titles featuring fitting designs across the symbols and backdrop, as well as the bonus features.
The overall success of the Big Bass series is one of the few reasons Reel Kingdom has returned to the fishing theme in its releases. Despite this, in a few releases in the series, the developers have placed unique twists on the theme, creating some unique thematic mixes.
The Pioneering Title
Big Bass Bonanza was one of Reel Kingdom’s first fishing-themed releases, launched in 2020. The title had a notable impact following its release, gaining rapid popularity and, to this day, remains a widely played game. Looking back at the title today, it has spawned multiple follow-up titles, making the Big Bass name a brand in its own right. To date, there are over 25 Big Bass titles in the iGaming industry, each featuring either a thematic mix or a nuanced game feature embedded. The original Big Bass slot game not only laid the foundations for the Big Bass series, but it also prompted many other developers to release fishing-themed variations.
The gameplay in the Big Bass Bonanza slot takes place on a 5×3 playgrid with 10 paylines, where matching symbol combinations can land. The 5-reel playgrid is translucent, allowing gamers to view the aquatic elements located behind the reels. In the backdrop of the Big Bass Bonanza slot is a range of coral reefs and rock formations at either side of the reels setup. To further convey the fishing theme, Reel Kingdom has separated each reel with vertical streams of bubbles.
The Big Bass Bonanza slot game was the first edition of the notable fisherman Wild, which can appear on the reels in the Free Spins feature. The fisherman Wild can land on the reels to substitute for any base game symbol, as well as collect the value of any of the Cash symbols landed on the reels in the bonus rounds.
The Fish Eye Release
Following the success of the Big Bass series, Reel Kingdom attempted to replicate its success with a fresh fishing-theme title. The Fish Eye slot game was released in 2023, and, like other slots in its portfolio, it features a well-crafted design that showcases the theme. Although this is a fishing-themed release, it offers a unique spin on gameplay by introducing Ancient Egyptian imagery.
The developers have opted for the same straightforward 5×3 reels setup to the Big Bass Bonanza slot, also maintaining the same paylline count of 10. The gameplay in the Fish Eye slot is also fully submerged in an underwater atmosphere, although in this slot, there is a range of unique visual elements. As we mentioned, Reel Kingdom has introduced some Ancient Egyptian visuals in this slot game, which appear in the backdrop behind the reels, including pharaohs, ankhs, and other thematic references.
The Fish Eye slot game features a similar bonus mechanic to the Big Bass Bonanza title, with the Free Spins feature. If players land 3 or more Scatters, the feature will be triggered, where landing Collect symbols may accumulate the values of all Cash symbols, and award them to the player.
