When you really think about it, the oceans are the last unexplored frontier on our planet. Who knows what strange creatures, artifacts, and treasures are waiting to be discovered in the unknown depths? Aquanauts, a release by Alchemy Gaming, takes you on an exciting deep-diving adventure to find out. The game features four brave characters, each in their own unique diving outfits. The backdrop is a dark blue, giving the feeling of being on a very deep dive, although it’s not exactly teeming with life.
The base game of Aquanauts offers a Rolling Reels progressive multiplier, which means that each consecutive win increases the multiplier. This game also introduces the innovative Echo Roll feature, which guarantees wins at random times to keep your winning streak going. The pre-bonus round wheel provides various upgrades for the feature, and you have the option to pay for more via the Upsizer menu. The maximum advertised win is an impressive 50,000 times your stake.
In terms of symbols, the premium character symbols can reward you with wins between 1.5 and 6.67 times your stake for landing five of a kind. The Wild symbols pay 10 times your stake for the same combination and can also substitute for other pay symbols to help complete wins.
The Rolling Reels mechanic removes winning symbols, allowing new symbols to drop down and fill the gaps. With each rolling win, the win multiplier increases by 1, but it resets between paid spins. The Echo Roll feature can trigger randomly after any win, replacing random symbols with a batch of matching symbols chosen randomly in the sonar screen to the left. This guarantees a win with the chosen Echo symbol.
To trigger the Bonus Round, you need to land three or more scatter symbols anywhere on the reels. This awards you eight free spins, and you receive an additional two free spins for each additional triggering scatter above the minimum of three. Before the free spins begin, a Bonus Wheel spins to award extra spins, win multiplier increments, and either only wilds or premium symbols in the Echo meter. If you didn’t get all the desired extras from the Bonus Wheel spin, you have the option to purchase them using the Upsizer feature. The price of these extras is automatically calculated, and you also receive an additional spin for each scatter you land in the bonus round.
In a 4-minute and 12-second highlights video, you can see a rolling wins sequence that results in a decent payout and triggers the bonus round. The player receives eight free spins with a +2 multiplier increment and no low paying symbols from the wheel. The video showcases the gameplay and allows you to see how the player fares during the bonus round.
Alchemy Gaming has done a commendable job with Aquanauts, as they continue to experiment and create unique games. While the visuals may not be stunning, the presentation is crisp and snappy. The theme is somewhat original, and there is potential for more exploration in future releases. The Echo Roll modifier and rolling reels multiplier can lead to significant base game payouts on a lucky day. The bonus wheel may feel slightly out of place with the subsea explorer theme, but the extras it offers are enjoyable. The 50,000x potential win is definitely a highlight.
Overall, Aquanauts is a solid release that is definitely worth checking out.
