Mermaid's Bay - Review, Demo Play, Payout, Free Spins & Bonuses

Introduction

Search for treasure on the sea bed in this underwater-themed game from Mascot Games slots. Look out for the mermaid wilds that award respins and multipliers, while the pearl scatter free spins with a one-off pay out up to 20x your stake.

There are 15 symbols in total, including royals 9 through A and 6 special symbols. Your objective is to land identical symbols on one of the 25 paylines on the 5x3 game grid.

Despite the plethora of special symbols, Mermaid’s Bay is a breeze to play, with gameplay that will be familiar to most players.

There’s just enough complexity to make demo mode spins a smart option, if only to assess the stated hit rate.

On-the-go players will enjoy this browser-based game on mobile and tablet.

Theme, Graphics & Soundtrack

There’s something incredibly calming and zen-like about this slot, with its weightless underwater feel and ambient soundtrack.

You can detect a slight ripple in the waves as they wash over the magical underwater world. An ancient Greek temple lies undisturbed, waiting to reveal its treasures to those who are courageous enough to unearth them.

Helping you on your way are the two mermaids, beautifully drawn symbols that fill an entire reel. Other jewelled trinkets include a crab and a pair of fish, but the reels are dominated by the royals.

The atmosphere conjured by this slot can be quite magical, especially when a random wild changes into a mermaid.

RTP & Volatility

Mascot Games have rated this slot as medium volatility with a 46.3% hit rate, which should appeal to most players. A theoretical RTP of 96% will also persuade players that this slot offers a decent payback.

How to play Mermaid's Bay

Before you play any slot, set a session budget that lets you enjoy your spins responsibly.

The pared-back player interface makes setup quick and easy, with straightforward game controls that are clearly marked.

1. The Menu icon is at the far left of the interface. Click or tap to access these settings:
- Quickspin
- Full screen
- Sound

2. This is also where the paytable and game info can be found, so check out the paylines and payouts that are dynamically calculated as you choose your bet.

3. Autoplay will start an indefinite number of autospin games. Click again to stop.

4. If you’re ready to play, select a bet by using the Plus and Minus buttons or click Bet Max, then hit the pearl-like spin button to enter the world of Mermaid’s Bay

Min & Max Bets + Top Wins

The bet mechanism in this slot is player-friendly, with options to suit most budgets. Total bet is dependent on the number of active paylines and the bet level, and these parameters are easy to adjust with all 25 paylines fixed.

The minimum bet is 0.25 per spin. The Max Bet option is an easy, one-click option for players who want to play the highest stake of 25.00 coins per spin. The biggest wins land in the free spins, which are highly volatile. The maximum payout from five of a kind scatter symbols is 500 coins.

Taking a deep dive into the paytable symbols, we find five-of-a-kind payouts as follows:

- Scatter pays 20x
- Fish pay 16x
- Crab pays 12x
- Seahorse pays 10x
- A & K pays 4x
- J & Q pay 3x
- 9 & 10 pay 2x

Bonus Features

Wild Symbols with Mermaid Wilds

The wild symbol is shaped like a gold coin and lands on reels 2, 3 and 4 during the base game and the free spins.

Wild symbols then randomly transform into one of the following features:

- Classic wild symbols with 2x multiplier appear in the base game only and replace all symbols except the scatter

- Classic wild symbols with +1 free spin appear in the free spins feature only and replace all symbols except the scatter

- Blonde mermaid is a classic wild reel with 1x multiplier in the base game and 2x in the free spins feature.

- Brunette mermaid is a classic wild reel with 1x multiplier in the base game and 2x in the free spins feature. It also triggers the streak respin feature with sticky mermaid symbols.

Free spins feature

Two or more pearl scatter symbols award the player 2x, 5x, 10x or 20x their stake. Three, four or five scatter symbols award 5, 7 or 10 free spins.

Overall Review: Our Verdict

Atmospheric and alluring, Mermaid’s Bay could be one of the best underwater-themed games out there, but the design means it falls short. There’s not much treasure to be found among the hulking royals despite the decent hit rate.

It’s a shame because there’s a lot to enjoy in this slot. The random wilds feature adds an extra layer of excitement as they can transform in different ways, and the free spins with mermaid wilds have plenty of potential.

There are plenty of mermaid and undersea slots around; Microgaming’s Mermaid Millions slot is a classic, with a maximum payout of 120,000 coins.

Disclaimer: Mermaid's Bay trademark / license is owned by Mascot Gaming. This site is not endorsed by Mascot Gaming.