Boss Bear: Slot Overview
After a day of typical panda activities like foraging and bamboo munching, what does a panda do next? If Boss Bear, the protagonist of Push Gaming‘s slot game, has anything to say about it, the answer involves heading to the city to become the boss of a notorious syndicate. Boss Bear serves as a sequel to the 2022 hit slot Big Bamboo and introduces players to a new side of panda bears—one that’s cute and cuddly on the outside but harbors a tougher, more urban demeanor.
In contrast to the zen-like serenity of Big Bamboo, Boss Bear immerses players in the urban mystery of downtown. The city streets, shrouded in mystery, serve as the domain of Mr. Panda and his crew. Given the panda’s native origins in China, it’s likely that the backdrop is one of the country’s bustling towns or cities, perhaps the populous Shanghai. The game world created by Push Gaming is rich and open, inviting players to explore the urban environment alongside the panda and engage in some underworld fantasies, complete with pistols, katanas, and ninja stars. While Boss Bear doesn’t explicitly reveal the nature of the panda’s business, the presence of weaponry suggests it’s not the typical export of cheap t-shirts or sneakers.
Set within an elegant Asian-inspired frame, Boss Bear’s gaming grid comprises 5 reels, each holding 6 symbols, and features 50 paylines for assessing regular line wins. In line with Push Gaming’s typical style, Boss Bear is a highly volatile slot game, offering different RTP values based on the market and player choices. The default RTP stands at 96.47% when wagering between 10 cents to $/€100 per spin. However, opting for the Push Bet, which increases the stake by 20% and enhances the chances of triggering free spins, raises the RTP to 96.53%. Various RTP values are available, as detailed below in the buy feature section.
Boss Bear includes nine pay symbols, all awarding payouts for landing 3 to 5-of-a-kind, except for the panda symbol, which pays for 2 or more of a kind. The low-paying symbols include diamonds, clubs, hearts, and spades. The mid-paying symbols consist of a ninja star and a pistol, while the high-paying symbols are represented by a wolf, monkey, and panda characters. Achieving a 5-of-a-kind winning line with low-paying symbols is worth 0.8x the bet, mid-paying symbols range from 2 to 4 times the bet, and high-paying symbols offer payouts from 10 to 100 times the bet. Wild symbols, present on all reels, share the same payout value as the panda and can substitute for any regular pay symbol.
Boss Bear: Slot Features
Boss Bear introduces several key symbols essential to the gaming experience, including the Reveal symbol, the Golden Reveal symbol, and those linked to the Coin feature. Additionally, players should keep an eye out for symbols related to free spins, a free spins gamble, and the option to buy bonuses.
Reveal & Golden Reveal Symbols
During both the base game and free spins, the appearance of Reveal symbols, which can land in stacks on any reels, adds an intriguing layer to the gameplay. These symbols, when landing on 3 or more consecutive reels, transform into Golden Reveal symbols, activating the Coin Feature. This feature introduces an exciting twist to the game.
Coin Feature
In the Coin Feature, each position occupied by a Golden Reveal symbol transforms into a Coin, offering the potential for various prizes. The following symbols may land during this feature:
- Instant Prize Symbol – These symbols represent bet multipliers ranging from 1x to 1,000x.
- Multiplier Symbol – This symbol carries values of x2, x3, x5, or x10. It multiplies the values of all Instant Prize symbols and Collector symbols on the reels. Once activated, the Multiplier symbol is removed, and the empty position spins through all possible prizes.
- Collector Symbol – This symbol accumulates the values of all other Instant Prize symbols and Collector symbols. Instant Prize symbols are removed upon collection, and the Collector symbol persists on the reels throughout the Coin Feature.
- Nudge Symbol – When this symbol appears, the stack of Golden Reveal symbols expands to cover the entire reel where the Nudge symbol landed. The Nudge symbol is then removed, and the newly added empty positions transform into Coins, spinning through all possible prizes except the Nudge symbol.
Scatter Symbol
The scatter symbol in Boss Bear can land on any reel and is active during the Coin Feature. The number of scatter symbols determines the number of free spins and the conversion of low-pay symbols to Reveal symbols:
- 3 scatters award 7 free spins with no low-pay symbols converted to Reveal symbols.
- 4 scatters award 8 free spins with 2 low-pay symbols converted to Reveal symbols.
- 5 scatters award 9 free spins with 4 low-pay symbols converted to Reveal symbols.
Gamble Feature
When 3 or 4 scatters land, the Gamble feature is triggered in Boss Bear. Players can choose to gamble the free spins they have won for the chance of upgrading to better free spin outcomes. It’s important to note that unsuccessful gambles result in the loss of all the free spins.
Free Spins
During free spins in Boss Bear, any scatters that land are collected on the Low Symbols Meter located by the reels. When 4 scatters are collected for a low symbol, that specific low symbol on the reels is then converted to Reveal symbols. It’s important to note that scatters do not land when all low symbols have been removed.
Each low symbol conversion awards additional free spins and multiplier upgrades. The first low symbol conversion grants +4 free spins with an x2 multiplier, the second low symbol conversion awards +3 free spins with an x3 multiplier, the third low symbol conversion provides +3 free spins with an x5 multiplier, and the fourth low symbol conversion awards +2 free spins with an x10 multiplier. The multiplier applies to Instant Prizes and Collector symbols landing in the Coin feature during free spins.
When free spins are triggered by 4 or 5 scatter symbols, the Low Symbols Meter is filled accordingly before the first free spin takes place, and the respective low-pay symbols are converted to Reveal symbols.
Bonus Buy
In the bonus buy menu, players have access to three options:
- For 300 times the bet, players can acquire a full-screen Golden Reveal feature, offering an RTP of 96.71%.
- For 600 times the bet, players can purchase free spins triggered by 5 scatter symbols, with an RTP of 96.81%.
- The third option allows a random free spins trigger for 100 times the bet, providing an RTP of 96.4%.
Boss Bear: Slot Verdict
In summary, if you enjoyed Big Bamboo, Boss Bear should be high on your list of slots to try. While it doesn’t undergo a revolutionary mechanical shift from part 1 to part 2, it provides players who liked Big Bamboo with a chance to explore its world more deeply and experience a few new tricks along the way. The game world is entirely different this time, featuring a gritty urban environment and a syndicate of animals ready for business. Boss Bear delivers a finely tuned gambling experience with multiple ways to provide thrills.
What has changed in Boss Bear? The Reveal symbols now have an entertaining dimension when landing on the reel one by one. If at least 3 reels contain Reveal symbols, they are guaranteed to become Golden Reveal symbols, triggering the Coin feature. The Coin feature introduces new elements, such as the Nudge symbol, helping create more space on the board. However, Coin values have a maximum of 1,000x compared to 5,000x in Big Bamboo. Despite this, the maximum win remains substantial at 25,000x the bet, providing exciting methods to potentially reach it. Boss Bear maintains the excellent presentation of its predecessor, offering a rerun with new looks, feels, and features.