Ocean Hunter Pokie Review

 

If you’re a fan of Jaws or Discovery’s Shark Week, then you’ll want to check out the latest online pokie from iSoftBet. It’s called Ocean Hunter, and it pits courageous divers against a man-eating great white. The game has five reels and 20 paylines, as well as an outstanding blend of music and graphics.

Finding the Game

In order to play this pokie, you’ll need to locate an online casino that offers games from iSoftBet. If you happen to live in Australia, one of the best options is Casino Chan. They’ve been operating since 2015, and they offer an excellent sign-up package and thousands of games.

Potential Bets

Under normal circumstances, the available wagers range from $0.20 to $20 per spin. However, that changes when the player enables the Extra Bait Bet, raising it to $0.30 and $30.

No matter which option you choose, this game is best-suited for players with low to medium bankrolls. Since Jaws was the first true summer blockbuster for the masses, that seems kind of appropriate.

RTP

The RTP is a percentage that expresses the average payback of a pokie. In other words, it gives you an idea of how much money you can expect to win back over the long term.

In the case of Ocean Hunter, the RTP takes three different forms:

  • Normal – 95.99%
  • Side Bet – 96.14%
  • Bonus Buy – 96.48%

These are all within an acceptable range, especially the one tied to the Bonus Buy option. I’d like to see a slightly higher RTP for the base game, but it’s only .01% from being 96%.

Ocean Hunter Paytable

Below, I’ve included the available reel symbols, as well as possible payouts. Keep in mind that your wager can be raised or lowered at will, but this will also impact the overall prize money.

In the following examples, I’m using a wager of $20 per spin.

  • Ten – Pays $5 for three matches, $10 for four and $20 for five.
  • Jack – Pays $5 for three matches, $10 for four and $30 for five.
  • Queen – Pays $10 for three matches, $20 for four and $40 for five.
  • King – Pays $15 for three matches, $30 for four and $60 for five.
  • Ace – Pays $20 for three matches, $40 for four and $80 for five.
  • Golden Goblet – Pays $30 for three matches, $60 for four and $100 for five.
  • Treasure Chest – Pays $40 for three matches, $80 for four and $150 for five.
  • Female Diver – Pays $50 for three matches, $100 for four and $200 for five.
  • Male Diver – Pays $100 for three matches, $150 for four and $300 for five.
  • Ocean Hunter Logo – Pays $150 for three matches, $250 for four and $500 for five.
  • Scatter – Three or more trigger the Free Spins bonus.
  • Wild – Substitutes for any symbol except oxygen tank and scatter.

Bonus reels on the Ocean Hunter poker machine.

Free Spins

The bonus round triggers when scatter symbols land on reels one, three and five. This awards 15 free spins, and the screen transforms into four, 20-payline reels.

However, only one screen is active in the beginning. To activate the second screen, you’ll need to collect 10 oxygen tank symbols. Then, you’ll need to get another 10 tanks to unlock each additional reel set.

Unlocking a reel set results in two bonus spins, as well as a reel turning wild for the rest of the bonus round. If a scatter icon shows up during the bonus, the player gets an additional three spins.

Wild Frenzy

This feature can trigger on any paid spin. When it activates, sharks will swarm over the reels, adding up to four wilds. Even better, these wilds contain a multiplier worth up to 4x each.

Extra Bait Bet

This side wager increases the chances of getting a Wild Frenzy or Free Spins bonus. However, the cost of each spin is raised by 50%. Once activated, this option stays operational until the player turns it off.

Bonus Buy

If you want to trigger the Free Spin bonus, just select this option. The price for doing so is 100x the player’s current wager.

Final Thoughts

The basic gameplay of Ocean Hunter isn’t anything special, but it manages to be adequate in all aspects. The biggest selling point is the music and sound effects, as they effectively transport the player to an underwater realm filled with sudden death and massive teeth. If the theme from Jaws still sends shivers up your spine, then move this title to the top of your list.