Mermaid’s Treasure Trove: Slot Overview
Editor’s note: This review is based on an early access version of the game. We may update the review after the full release if necessary.
How long can you hold your breath for players? Hopefully, a long time because we are plunging beneath the water’s surface in Pragmatic Play’s online slot Mermaid’s Treasure Trove. Down here, we’re hoping to bump into mythical creatures, clusters pays, and some wild multiplier mayhem. If we’re lucky. To focus those expectations even further, picture something closer to Pragmatic Play’s Fire Portals slot, only this time reimagined in an aquatic realm where clusters combine, multipliers rise, and the ocean floor lights up with energy. With that in mind, let’s take that deep breath and head under.
Underwater Theme and Atmosphere
In the slot world, the sea is absolutely bursting with ancient structures, like subterranean Greco-Roman temples, and powerful entities brandishing staffs or tridents. And krakens, there are a lot of them in slots, too. There are none in Mermaid’s Treasure Trove, but there is a mermaid, floating next to the reels, all bare midriff and scaly tail. The rest of the locale is pretty ordinary underwater slot stuff; impressive buildings, clear water, and a general feeling of azure mystique. cc6
Grid Layout and Cascading Wins
The action unfolds on a shimmering, gold-rimmed 7×7 grid, where wins form whenever clusters of 5 or more matching symbols connect. Each winning cluster bursts away in a splash, making room for fresh symbols cc6 to tumble into place. This cascade can chain together for as long as new wins appear, creating the potential for continuous action.
Volatility and RTP
Hidden in the depths of the underwater grotto is a highly volatile math model, offering a max RTP of 96.54%. Bets range from 20c to $/€240 per spin, and players can opt for the ante bet, which boosts the chance of triggering free spins – though it comes at the cost of a 50% higher stake.
Pay Symbols and Values
As for pay symbols, from lowest value to highest, there are shells, starfish, fish, horns, harps, treasure chests, and crowns. Clusters of 5 OAK of these symbols pay 0.2x to 0.75x the bet, and the biggest 15+ OAK clusters are worth 20x to 150x when they hit.
Multiplier Wilds Mechanic
One of Mermaid’s Treasure Trove’s standout features is its multiplier wilds. The multiplier wild substitutes for all symbols except scatters. When a win without one is cleared, a multiplier wild drops into an empty space, starting at x1. Each time it contributes to a win, its value increases by +1, then it shifts one step in a random direction. If multiple wilds connect in the same win, they merge into a single wild, combining their multipliers.
Regular pay symbols can also land with multipliers of x5 to x100. If they’re part of a win with wilds, their values are added to the wild multiplier. If no wild is present, a new one is created with the combined value. Multiplier wilds persist through tumbles until the spin ends. cc6
Free Spins and Super Spins
Landing 3 to 7 scatters awards 10 to 18 free spins. During free spins, multiplier wilds remain on the screen until the round ends. If multiplier wilds are present on the triggering spin, the feature begins with them already in place. Each landed scatter in the feature grants +1 additional free spin, prolonging the excitement.
Feature Buy Options
Players who don’t want to wait can use the bonus buy options:
- 100x the bet for regular free spins.
- 400x the bet for super free spins, where wild symbols start with a x10 multiplier instead of x1. cc6
Design and Audio Impressions
Visually, the slot is polished with gleaming underwater scenery, but it does lean toward the familiar. The background music, combined with the doop-doop sound effect of reels settling, creates a hypnotic rhythm. This can cc6 lull players into a trance-like state as they wait for the bigger multipliers and wild merges to materialize.
Comparisons with Fire Portals
For seasoned players, the mechanics will feel very close to Fire Portals, another Pragmatic Play release. While the marine theme provides a fresh coat of paint, the overall structure and gameplay don’t stray too far. This can be good for players who enjoyed Fire Portals, but may feel a little too recycled for those looking for innovation.
Mermaid’s Treasure Trove Verdict
It was hard to know where to begin, as Mermaid’s Treasure Trove wasn’t a slot that evoked strong emotions in any direction. It’s all nicely presented, ensuring the mermaid’s domain is a cheerful place to be, but almost to the point of being bland. There isn’t a lot to see down here that’s especially distinctive. However, the multiplier wild mechanic is cc6 engaging, and when big clusters merge with stacked multipliers, the slot can produce exciting bursts of energy.
Ultimately, Mermaid’s Treasure Trove is best suited for players who enjoy steady cluster-pay gameplay with volatile surprises, and who don’t mind a theme that feels more familiar than groundbreaking.