Free Spin Frenzy: Slot With Open-Ended Free Game Bonus

Regular readers of the site know I’m fond of some of the older WMS games that are still around in some casinos (although that “some” amount is slowly shrinking as machines are replaced), so when I get a chance to play one I take up the option.

One of those is Free Spin Frenzy, which has a few aspects to it that’s unusual and not really seen today, a shame as it’s a well put together game.

One is the free games bonus. The triggering of the bonus is not particularly unusual – get two shark fins on reels 1-4 and the Frenzy on reel 5, and you trigger the bonus.

All of the shark fins become frenzy symbols, which is important for two reasons:

• Frenzy symbols are now wild, so you have a better chance of getting bigger line hits with more wilds on the board.
• Getting one or more Frenzy symbols on a spin earns you another spin. You keep spinning until you get a spin without the Frenzy symbol.

The most I recall ever getting on this game was around 20 spins, but the record on the one I played this fall at Mandalay Bay touted a 50 spin bonus – I expect that’s quite rare, but clearly it can happen. But the game can pay well even on lower spin counts, thanks to those additional wilds.

The second thing that’s a bit unusual is the pearl symbols, which can open to reveal white or black pearls. The latter indicates a multiplier, which can boost the line pays for that symbol.

Like a lot of older games, there are some places where the pays come out nicely, such as five of a kind line hits that come out with enough frequency that you’ll see them and get some additional mileage on your play.

But ultimately, the idea of an open-ended bonus that has some strong potential is a lot of fun, and I wish the concept would make its way into more games periodically, especially for a format like free games that can be pretty cut and dry – x games, y terms, spin and done.

The game’s been around nearly two decades, but I still gravitate towards it when I see it in a casino.