Wild Fishin Wild Ways Review

How times change, huh? It wasn’t long ago when it seemed like every other game hitting the shelves was Irish, Egyptian-themed, or ‘book’-mechanized. Now, it feels like we’re in the era of fishing-themed slots. Whether you’re a fan of this trend or not, here comes another option from Jelly in association with Yggdrasil, called Wild Fishin’ Wild Ways. This game incorporates a money symbol collect feature, but Jelly has spiced things up by tweaking the collection method and adding expanded ways and reels.

Wild Fishin’ Wild Ways is full of little (and larger) elements that bend the usual rules of fishing slots. The base game takes place above water, near a quaint seaside town as the sun rises on a pleasant day. A seaweed-coated 5-reel, 3-row game grid is at the center, with a counter on top indicating a starting value of 243 ways to win, which grows when the panel expands. Jelly has created an inviting scene for the fishing action, giving the game a vaguely Pixar, Finding Nemo quality—especially when free spins trigger and the gameplay moves beneath the waves.

The angling antics begin by selecting a stake ranging from 25 p/c to $/€100 per spin and casting off on any device. Be aware that Wild Fishin’ Wild Ways has multiple RTP versions, with the highest being 95.1%. The game features high volatility, though the max win isn’t particularly high, and the hit frequency is around 1 in 4 or 5 spins, depending on the RTP model.

Hooking fish might be more exciting, but standard wins are achieved by landing three to five matching symbols. The lower portion of the paytable consists of four wooden J-A card ranks, while the higher pays include fishing rods, worms, boats, and birds. A five-of-a-kind winning combination pays 0.5-1x the bet for the lower-paying symbols and 2.5-10x the bet for the higher-paying symbols. Wild symbols, displaying a fisherman, can substitute for any symbol except the Bonus symbol.

Wild Fishin' Wild Ways

Wild Fishin’ Wild Ways: Slot Features

Another feature of the wild symbol is that it can trigger the Wild Fishin’ feature. This occurs when 2 wild symbols land on reels 1 and 2. During the Wild Fishin’ feature, any fish on reel 3 are caught, and if a fish is caught on reel 3, reel 4 also becomes eligible to catch fish. If fish land on reels 3 and 4, they can then be caught on reel 5. This left-to-right reel activation is called Wild Ways. Fish on reel 3 have prizes worth 0.5-4x the bet, those on reel 4 have values of 4-15x, and fish on reel 5 have cash prizes of 15-250x.

Free Spins There are two ways to win free spins. One way is by landing a bonus symbol on reels 3, 4, or 5 while the Wild Fishin’ feature is active. The other way is by landing 3 bonus symbols on reels 3, 4, and 5. In both scenarios, 10 free spins are awarded. During free spins, when the Wild Fishin’ feature is activated, reels 3, 4, and 5 can expand up to 6 rows high, creating up to 1,944 ways to win. Expanded reels reset for the next free spin. Additionally, if the feature is retriggered by landing a bonus symbol during a Wild Fishin’ sequence, 5 additional free spins are awarded.

Wild Fishin’ Wild Ways: Slot Verdict

Jelly is an intriguing developer. Since their debut with Savanna Roar, they have often blended conventional elements with unique touches in their games. Wild Fishin’ Wild Ways is another example of this approach. As a fishing-themed slot, it features a fish symbol/money collection mechanic, but the way it integrates the Wild Ways element and the expanding grid sets it apart. While not entirely unique—similar mechanics were used in Gold Coin Studios’ slot Cairo Link & Win with its expanding reels—Wild Fishin’ Wild Ways still offers a fresh take on the concept.

Returning to the fishing theme, Wild Fishin’ Wild Ways largely meets or exceeds expectations for an angling slot. The sea-going atmosphere, the fisherman character, and the opportunities to reel in prize-bearing fish all contribute to the experience. Players accustomed to collect symbols pulling in money symbols might need a few spins to acclimate to the Wild Fishin’ method. This is partly because the Wild Fishin’/Wild Ways feature doesn’t trigger frequently in the base game, though it theoretically occurs more often in free spins. Some fishing slots only offer a collect feature during free spins, which can create a snowball effect when consecutively collecting prizes off reels 3-5. This approach likely contributes to Wild Fishin’ Wild Ways’ high volatility. However, its maximum potential isn’t particularly high, topping out at 2,000x the bet. While this relatively low figure might not have been an issue in the past, fishing slot potential has been increasing lately, and one wonders if Wild Fishin’ Wild Ways would have benefited from a more enticing top prize.

For fishing-minded players who are okay with that number, Wild Fishin’ Wild Ways is worth a spin. It offers the essential fish/money collect activity, an engaging maritime setting, and a unique gameplay approach.