Big Bass Christmas Bash slot review
Released in late 2025, Big Bass Christmas Bash is the latest installment in a long line of Big Bass slots developed by Reel Kingdom and released by Pragmatic Play. This time, the popular slot franchise takes on a festive theme, featuring a classic 5×3 grid layout with the same trademark colors and cartoon-like graphics that players have come to love.
With high volatility and an RTP rating of 96.71%, the game comes with 10 paylines and a maximum win potential of 5,000x. The slot also features a Free Spins round, as well as Money symbols that combine with Wilds to create more lucrative payout opportunities.
Highlights
Big Bass Christmas Bash slot summary review
Big Bass slots like Big Bass Christmas Bash give a whole new meaning to the term, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”. This festive incarnation delivers the same chaos and humor that people love, with clever bonus features. This includes the iconic bearded man who looks happy no matter what he’s doing.
The 5×3 slot borrows the same payout structure seen in Big Bass Bonanza, while also copying the popular bonus features in Bigger Bass Splash, including a Bonus Buy and Ante Bet option that give it an edge over other titles.
However, at the end of the day, you have to take the game for what it is, a re-skinned festive slot that simply borrows all the best features seen in other Big Bass titles. I guess it’s true what they say, “imitation is the sincerest form of flattery”.
Pros
Above-average RTP of 96.71%
Modifiers add depth to Free Spins
Progression meter adds multipliers
Cons
Only 10 paylines
Heavy reliance on re-skinned mechanics
Modest 5,000x max win potential
Big Bass Christmas Bash comprehensive review
In this Big Bass Christmas Bash slot review, I’ll be taking a closer look at how the game fits into the wider Big Bass franchise and whether it holds up as a Christmas release. In doing so, I’ll be breaking down the game’s theme, RTP, volatility, payouts, symbols, and bonus mechanics.
RTP and volatility
The Big Bass Christmas Bash RTP rate stays fixed at 96.71%. Meanwhile, the slot also maintains high volatility throughout gameplay.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| RTP | 96.71% |
| Maximum win | 5,000x |
| Number of paylines | 10 |
| Volatility | High |
Featuring 10 fixed paylines, the game plays out on a standard 5×3 grid, with all wins paid from left to right. Wins across multiple paylines are added to your total payout at the end of the round or spin. Meanwhile, the slot’s maximum win potential is capped at 5,000x your wager.
Unless you’re playing a Megaways variant, Big Bass slots are generally known for keeping paylines super low. So, it came as no surprise to me when I saw that Big Bass Christmas Bash only has 10.
While you can’t fault it on consistency, this severely hampers your chances of landing winning combinations. In an age where many new slots come with innovative features and mechanics to increase payout potential, even 20 paylines feels modest, so 10 is very restrictive.
However, you can’t just look at things in isolation, and the slot’s above-average RTP rate does a good job of balancing things out. Plus, Pragmatic Play’s trademark high volatility means that those dry spells may eventually lead to handsome returns. Well, that’s the idea anyway and to be fair, this was pretty consistent with my own experience.
Bonus features
Before diving into the Free Spins round and how to trigger it, you need to know that the bonus mechanics on Big Bass Christmas Bash are built around two special symbols. The first of these symbols is the Fisherman Wild, which only appears during the bonus round. This bearded fisherman substitutes for all symbols except Scatters.
The other special icons are the Money symbols, which generally consist of different-sized fish displaying cash values underneath. During the base game, these fish icons behave like regular high-paying symbols and their displayed values have no effect.
However, during the Free Spins round, any Money symbols that alongside Fisherman Wilds will have their cash values collected and added to your total win. Bear in mind that Fisherman Wilds still need to form part of a payline for your win to count.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Bonus features | Wilds, Scatters, Money Symbols, Free spins, Respins, Multipliers, Modifiers and Progression Meter |
| Top features | Free Spins |
| Jackpot | N/A |
Triggering the Free Spins round
Unlocking the Free Spins game requires you to land a minimum of three Scatter symbols, which will in turn reward you with 10 free spins. Depicted as a giant green fish leaping out of the water with the word ‘SCATTER’ written underneath, landing four of these symbols earns you 15 free spins, while five Scatters will reward you the maximum of 20 free spins.
Landing two Scatters in the top or middle row triggers a respin. When this happens, the reels containing Scatters nudge down one position while the remaining reels will spin again to potentially reveal a third Scatter. Alternatively, a fishing hook can also appear to pull up a reel to reveal a Scatter. The respins continue until a third Scatter lands or until one of the Scatters reaches the bottom row.
The game also comes with a Bonus Buy option that allows you to trigger the Free Spins round at a cost of 100x your stake. There’s also an Ante Bet option which raises the total cost of your bet for a better chance to trigger the Free Spins feature.
Free Spins round: Modifiers
Before the Free Spins round starts, the game features an automated mechanic where a lasso will randomly select one of the five modifiers below that can enhance payout opportunities. Keep in mind there is also a possibility of the lasso picking up zero modifiers. These modifiers are as follows:
- More Fish: Increases the appearance of Money symbols on the reels.
- More Fisherman Wilds: Increases your chances of landing Wild symbols.
- Start from Level 2: Fisherman Wilds come equipped with a 2x multiplier.
- +2 Spins: The round kicks off with two additional free spins, with two more spins added after every retrigger.
- Dynamites, Hooks, and Bazookas: When a Fisherman Wild appears on its own with no cash value icons, one of three random cutaway events takes place to add more Money symbols.
Free Spins round: Progression Meter
Aside from these modifiers, the Free Spins round also includes a progression meter that keeps track on the amount of Fisherman Wilds that land. After every fourth Wild, the feature awards you 10 additional free spins while also applying multipliers to Fisherman Wilds.
Triggering the feature for the first time will see a 2x multiplier attached to your Fisherman Wilds, in turn upgrading all Money symbol values by that amount. This is level 2, but if you manage to land four more Wilds after that, the multiplier increases to x3.
The third and final upgrade will boost the multiplier to 10x. After that, you can theoretically trigger the feature again and again by landing four Wilds. These retriggered spins only come into effect once your initial free spins have been used up.
The bonus mechanics in Big Bass Christmas Bash are identical to those seen in Bigger Bass Splash. The animations in between mechanics are also very similar and have just been re-skinned to better fit the festive theme. It’s something that’s almost impossible to overlook and shows a severe lack of originality.
It’s a real shame to be honest because the bonus features on their own are great. The modifiers can be real game changes and I was lucky enough to land four at once. Landing the ‘More Fisherman Wilds’ modifier alone is enough to potentially retrigger the feature multiple times, which can result in some seriously substantial returns.
However, at the end of the day, you could just play the Bigger Bass Splash. Not only does it provide the same bonus experience, but it also comes with an additional Bonus Buy option that activates all modifiers at the same time.
Symbols and payouts
Big Bass Christmas Bash is home to 10 pay symbols split evenly between five low-paying card icons (A, K, Q, J, and 10) and five high-paying picture symbols. The latter symbols mainly consist of things you would find on a fishing trip, plus Santa on a construction vehicle.
Three of the lowest-paying icons (Q, J, and, 10) share the same payout values, offering 0.20x your stake for three matches, 1x for four and x5 for five-of-a-kind. The A and K icons also share identical payouts, with both of them rewarding 10x for five matches.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Theme | Christmas |
| Reel layout | 5×3 |
| Highest paying symbol | Santa on construction vehicle |
| Adjustable paylines | No |
| Visuals | Lively and crisp |
| Sound | Very good |
| Mobile quality | Very good |
Santa and his construction vehicle is the slot’s highest paying symbol and actually consists of four payout tiers instead of the usual three. Five matches on valid paylines will see you earn 200x your stake, 20x for four, 5x for three, and 0.50x for two.
The dragonfly and crate of fishing gear are the only pair of high paying symbols that share identical payouts (2x for three matches, 10x for four, and 50x for five).
Bear in mind that the game’s lowest high-paying symbols consist of fish icons with cash values attached. The cash values hold no value in the base game and payouts for this symbol consist of 1x for three matches, 5x for four, and 20x for five.
The payouts in Big Bass Christmas Bash are a carbon copy of those found in the original game, Big Bass Bonanza. This is actually typical of the franchise, with many other titles in the series, including Big Bass Splash, using the same payout structure.
Aside from Santa on his construction vehicle, the symbols in Big Bass Christmas Bash are also identical to those found in other Big Bass games. In fact, Santa is the only Christmas-related symbol in the game.
Is this lazy? Yes. Is it a cheap attempt at a Christmas slot? Absolutely! But does it work? Strangely enough, it does. It’s something that Big Bass has done time and time again, and while there is nothing really new here, the payouts are still solid.
How to play Big Bass Christmas Bash
Before spinning the reels, use the plus or minus buttons in the bottom right-hand corner of your screen to adjust your stake. This opens up a small betting menu where you can cycle through Bet Levels, Coin Values, or Total Bet.
With 47 preset betting options, the minimum available bet is set at $0.10 per spin. Selecting the Max Bet button instantly sets your stake to $250 per spin. To the left of the reels, activating the Ante Bet option will raise the cost of your stake to $375 when using Max Bet.
Once satisfied, press the big spin button identified by a Gorilla with a crown enclosed by two circular arrows. Beneath it, the Autoplay button allows you to use a slider to set the number of auto-spins. For faster gameplay, you can also select either Turbo Spin or Quick Spin, and Skip Screens.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Min bet | $0.10 |
| Max bet | $250 |
| Autoplay | Available |
| Turbo mode | Available |
| Game history | Available |
If you wish to manually trigger the Free Spins round, the Buy Free Spins button to the left of the reels displays the cost at 100x your stake.
The hamburger icon opens up additional settings. From here, you can view Game History, set your bet, adjust sound effects and music independently, enable Quick Spin, toggle the intro screen, and activate Battery Saver mode.
Finally, the ‘i’ button gives you a detailed breakdown on game rules, bonus mechanics, as well as access to paytables and symbol values.
Casinos where to play Big Bass Christmas Bash
Pragmatic Play’s Big Bass series, including Big Bass Christmas Bash, are widely available across many top-rated gambling platforms. Below are some trusted and well-respected online casinos where you can find it, along with many other Pragmatic Play titles:
| Casino Logo | Rating | Bonus | Go-to-casino button | Show more | T&C |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1
|
89/100
Expert rating
by Paul P.
91%
Playscore
based on
|
100% up to $1,000 + $25 On The House
|
Play now players accepted |
|
Visit BetMGM.com for Terms and Conditions. 21+ years of age or older to wager. MI, NJ, PA or WV only. Excludes Michigan Disassociated Persons. All promotions are subject to qualification and eligibility requirements. Rewards issued as non-withdrawable site credit, unless otherwise provided in the applicable Terms. Please Gamble Responsibly. Gambling Problem? 1-800-270-7117 for confidential help (MI), 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ, PA & WV). |
2
|
85/100
Expert rating
by Dasha G.
86%
Playscore
based on
|
100% up to $1,000 and 2,500 Reward Credits on a $25+ wager
|
Play now players accepted |
|
|
3
|
88/100
Expert rating
by Paul P.
92%
Playscore
based on
|
$20 Bonus Dollars + 100% up to $1,000
|
Play now players accepted |
|
Visit Borgata.com for Terms and Conditions. 21+ years of age or older to wager. NJ only. All promotions are subject to qualification and eligibility requirements. Rewards issued as non-withdrawable site credit, unless otherwise provided in the applicable Terms. Please Gamble Responsibly. Gambling Problem? 1-800-GAMBLER. |
1
|
94/100
Expert rating
by Sophie P.
81%
Playscore
based on
|
50,000 Gold Coins + 1 Sweeps Coin
|
Play now players accepted |
|
|
2
|
94/100
Expert rating
by Paul P.
91%
Playscore
based on
|
1.5 million WOW Coins + 35 free Sweepstakes Coins
|
Play now players accepted |
|
|
3
|
93/100
Expert rating
by Sophie P.
79%
Playscore
based on
|
50,000 Gold Coins + 1 Sweeps Coin
|
Play now players accepted |
|
|
4
|
89/100
Expert rating
by Sophie P.
77%
Playscore
based on
|
50,000 Gold Coins + 1 Sweeps Coin
|
Play now players accepted |
|
|
5
|
89/100
Expert rating
by Paul P.
81%
Playscore
based on
|
10,000 Gold Coins + 2 Sweeps Coins
|
Play now players accepted |
|
|
6
|
89/100
Expert rating
by Paul P.
79%
Playscore
based on
|
25,000 Gold Coins + 2.5 Spree Coins
|
Play now players accepted |
|
|
7
|
89/100
Expert rating
by Paul P.
87%
Playscore
based on
|
Up to 120,000 Gold Coins + 10 Sweeps Coins
|
Play now players accepted |
|
|
8
|
89/100
Expert rating
by Vule P.
79%
Playscore
based on
|
500 Gold Coins + 3 FREE Sweeps Coins
|
Play now players accepted |
|
|
9
|
89/100
Expert rating
by Paul P.
89%
Playscore
based on
|
Up to 650,000 Gold Coins + 1,400 Fortune Coins
|
Play now players accepted |
|
|
10
|
88/100
Expert rating
by Paul P.
96%
Playscore
based on
|
250,000 Gold Coins + $25 Stake Cash
|
Play now players accepted |
|
Expert verdict
To address the elephant in the room, Big Bass Christmas Bash is essentially a re-skinned festive version of Bigger Bass Splash, which itself is an enhanced version of Big Bass Splash. All of these are re-skins of the original game, Big Bass Bonanza, with the same payout tiers and near-identical symbols.
You get my point, it’s a Big Bass inception. I’m saying this because it’s impossible to ignore when reviewing Big Bass games. That said, I still had fun playing it. While it’s not the most traditionally festive slot, the Santa animations add a fun break from the usual gameplay.
In terms of value though, there isn’t much this game offers that you won’t already find on Bigger Bass Splash. In fact, the latter comes with two extra paylines and two Bonus Buy options, including one that activates all five modifiers at a cost of 350x your stake.
The only area where Big Bass Christmas Bash surpasses Bigger Bass Splash is in its RTP, which stands at 96.71% compared to 96.50%. However, it’s a marginal difference and not something players would necessarily feel.
Overall, it’s a fun yet ultimately quick festive release designed to attract attention over the Christmas period, with not much staying power beyond that.
FAQs
What is the RTP of Big Bass Christmas Bash?
Big Bass Christmas Bash has an RTP rate of 96.71%, therefore sitting comfortably above the industry average of 96%.
What is the maximum win potential of the Big Bass Christmas Bash slot?
Big Bass Christmas Bash has a maximum win potential of 5,000x your stake, which is identical to Bigger Bass Splash, the slot it was re-skinned after.
What bonus features does Big Bass Christmas Bash have?
Big Bass Christmas Bash features a Free Spins round built around Fisherman Wilds and Money symbols. Before the bonus starts, between zero and five modifiers are randomly chosen, while a progression meter during the round unlocks additional spins and multipliers.
How do I trigger free spins?
Landing a minimum of three Scatter symbols during the base game will reward you with 10 free spins. Landing four Scatters earns you 15 free spins, while five Scatters reward you the maximum of 20 free spins.
What is the volatility of Big Bass Christmas Bash?
Big Bass Christmas Bash comes with high volatility which is very typical of slots by Pragmatic Play. This means wins will be few and far between but when they do land, they can be substantial.
