Release The Kraken Pros & Cons
Release the Kraken delivers classic Aristocrat action with a proven track record. The choice-based free spins and stacked symbols create a good variety, but the RTP and max win won't impress everyone.
- 10,000x max win — double the sequel's ceiling
- Pick bonus mini-game adds real decision-making before free spins
- Three random base features mean dead spins are rare
- Roaming sticky wilds that move positions each spin — dynamic coverage
- Progressive multiplier on top of pick bonus starting multiplier
- 96.50% RTP — one of Pragmatic's better base rates for 2020
- No bonus buy — Ante Bet is the only shortcut
- Scatter trigger requires specific reels (1, 3, 5) — can frustrate
- Two RTP tiers — check your casino's version before playing
- 2020 visuals — sequel and later Pragmatic titles look sharper
Release the Kraken Slot Review
Release the Kraken launched from Pragmatic Play in January 2020 as an underwater mythology slot built around the legendary Norse sea monster. The game sits on a 5×4 grid with 20 fixed paylines (doubled to 40 during free spins) and earned its following through a feature set that punches above its weight for the format. Three random base game features keep sessions active, a pick-your-prize pre-bonus game lets you choose your starting conditions, and the free spins feature uses roaming sticky wilds combined with a progressive multiplier — a combination that can escalate significantly when the wilds accumulate well.
The specs are solid: 96.50% RTP, medium-high volatility, and a 10,000x maximum win — double what the sequel offers. The original's 10,000x ceiling was one of the reasons players stayed loyal to it even after Release the Kraken 2 arrived. The feature architecture is more interactive than most 2020 Pragmatic releases, with the pick bonus mini-game adding a layer of decision-making before each free spins session that keeps players engaged beyond just watching the reels.
| PROVIDER Pragmatic Play | RELEASE DATE January 28, 2020 |
|---|---|
| GRID 5 Reels X 4 Rows | PAYLINES 20 base / 40 in Free Spins |
| RTP 96.50% (also 95.50%) | MAX WIN 10,000x bet |
| VOLATILITY Medium-High | MIN / MAX BET $0.20 - - $100 |
| RANDOM FEATURES > 3 types - Sticky Wilds, Mega Wild, Guaranteed Win | FREE SPINS > 3 scatters on reels 1, 3, 5 - pick bonus pre-game |
| BONUS BUY Not available (use Ante Bet for higher trigger rate) | MOBILE > HTML5, all platforms |
Key Features & Mechanics
🎲 Three Random Base Features Fire on Any Spin
Any non-winning spin in the base game can randomly trigger one of three Kraken-driven features. The Sticky Wild Respin feature plants wild symbols on the reels and awards a respin — if the respin wins, another respin follows. The Mega Symbol Wild creates an oversized 3×3 wild block that covers nine symbol positions at once across multiple reels, creating winning combinations across most active paylines simultaneously. The Guaranteed Win feature rearranges symbols until a winning combination is formed, paying between 20x and 50x your bet. These three random features mean no spin in Release the Kraken is a guaranteed dead spin — even non-winning spins can turn into significant wins without any feature trigger.
🎁 Pick Bonus Mini-Game Choose Your Free Spins Conditions
When three Bonus Scatter symbols land on reels 1, 3, and 5 simultaneously, the pick bonus mini-game begins before free spins start. Multiple treasure chests are presented and you select one to reveal your starting conditions: a combination of free spins count and starting win multiplier. Options range from conservative (more spins, lower multiplier) to aggressive (fewer spins, higher multiplier). You can accept your first reveal or continue picking to gamble for better conditions — but continuing risks lower outcomes too. The strategic decision this creates — safe or aggressive starting conditions — is what makes Release the Kraken's free spins feel more personal than a standard auto-assigned bonus round.
🐙 Roaming Sticky Wilds with Progressive Multiplier Every Wild = +1x Multiplier
Free spins play on a doubled 40-payline grid. Every Kraken Wild symbol that lands during the feature becomes sticky — it stays on the grid for all remaining free spins. Between each spin, sticky wilds roam to a new random position on the grid, maintaining coverage across different payline combinations with each spin rather than staying fixed in one location. Critically, each new Wild that lands adds +1x to the win multiplier for the remainder of the feature. If you start with a 3x multiplier from the pick game and accumulate 4 more Wilds during free spins, you're spinning at 7x for all remaining spins. The progressive multiplier does not reset — it only grows as more Wilds accumulate.
📌 Ante Bet Option +25% Cost = Higher Trigger Rate
Release the Kraken doesn't offer a bonus buy, but it does include an Ante Bet option. Activating Ante Bet increases your total bet per spin by 25% in exchange for a higher probability of landing the scatter combination that triggers the pick bonus and free spins. No bonus buy means you can't directly purchase access to the feature — the Ante Bet is the closest equivalent available. For players who specifically want to increase the frequency of free spins sessions without the full cost of a bonus buy, the Ante Bet is a useful middle ground. Note that activating Ante Bet slightly adjusts the effective RTP for that bet mode.
What Makes the Original Better Than the Sequel?
- When Release the Kraken 2 launched in November 2022, many players went back to the original and stayed there. The main reason is straightforward: 10,000x versus 5,000x maximum win. The sequel halved the ceiling while adding features that weren't necessarily improvements. The pick bonus mini-game in the original is also more engaging than the sequel's approach — giving players an actual decision point with meaningful trade-offs (more spins vs. higher multiplier) rather than a more automated experience.
- The original's medium-high volatility also feels more appropriate for the pick bonus format. You're not grinding through extreme-volatility sessions hoping for rare triggers — the Guaranteed Win random feature ensures no spin is completely dead, the sticky wild respin fires regularly in the base game, and the trigger frequency for the free spins is manageable. For players who want the full 10,000x potential in the Kraken franchise, the original remains the correct choice in the series.
Symbol Values & Paytable
| SYMBOL | 3 ON A PAYLINE | 4 ON A PAYLINE | 5 ON A PAYLINE |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Shark (Top Payer)
|
3x bet | 10x bet | |
|
Pufferfish
|
2x bet | 7x bet | |
|
Anglerfish
|
1.5x bet | 5x bet | |
|
Sea Snake / Eel
|
1.2x bet | 4x bet | |
|
A/K/Q/J/10
|
0.4-0.8x | 1-2x | |
|
Kraken Wild
|
Substitutes all except | scatter - 5 on a line = 20x | |
|
Bonus Scatter
|
Reels 1, 3, 5 simultaneously = | = Pick Bonus + Free Spins |
Play Responsibly - 18+ Only
Gambling should be entertaining and fun. Remember that slots are games of chance, and there's no guaranteed way to win. Never gamble more than you can afford to lose, and always set limits for yourself. If you feel gambling is becoming a problem, please seek help immediately.
FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions
How does the pick bonus mini-game work before free spins?
When Bonus Scatter symbols land on reels 1, 3, and 5 simultaneously, the pick bonus mini-game starts. Multiple treasure chests are presented on screen and you click to reveal starting conditions for the free spins: a specific number of spins combined with a starting win multiplier. Lower spin counts pair with higher starting multipliers; higher spin counts come with lower starting multipliers. You can accept the first reveal immediately, or you can continue selecting chests to try for better conditions — though continuing always carries the risk of landing worse outcomes. The starting multiplier from the pick game applies to every win during free spins and then grows further as new Wilds accumulate, so the pick game decision meaningfully affects the maximum outcome of the entire feature.
What do "roaming" sticky wilds mean?
During free spins, every Kraken Wild that lands becomes sticky — it stays on the grid for all remaining spins. But unlike true sticky wilds that stay in the same position throughout, Release the Kraken's wilds "roam" — they move to a new random position between each spin. This means a wild that covered reel 3, row 2 on spin 4 will appear somewhere different on spin 5. The movement creates different payline coverage with each spin rather than the same combinations repeating. Multiple roaming sticky wilds moving simultaneously create a constantly shifting wild coverage pattern across the 40-payline grid throughout the feature, which is why some free spins sessions produce wins on every remaining spin once enough wilds have accumulated.
Why is there no bonus buy in the original game?
Release the Kraken was developed in early 2020 before Pragmatic Play standardized bonus buy features across their portfolio. Many early Pragmatic titles from 2019-2020 launched without bonus buy options — it was added to subsequent games and retroactively to some older titles, but the original Release the Kraken never received the feature update. The Ante Bet option (available in the game settings) is the substitute: paying 25% extra per spin increases the probability of the scatter combination triggering on reel 1, 3, and 5. It's not equivalent to a direct bonus buy but provides a meaningful frequency boost for players running extended sessions.
How does the progressive multiplier work in free spins?
The win multiplier in free spins starts at whatever value you selected or revealed in the pick bonus mini-game before the feature began. Every new Kraken Wild symbol that lands during free spins adds +1x to that running multiplier for all remaining spins. The multiplier never resets during the feature — it only increases. If you started at 3x from the pick game and land three Wilds during spins 2, 4, and 7, you're spinning at 6x from spin 7 onwards. All wins for the rest of the feature are multiplied by the accumulated total. The combination of the pick game starting multiplier plus the in-feature accumulation is how the game reaches its 10,000x ceiling in the best-case scenarios.
Is Release the Kraken available at Canadian casinos?
Yes — Pragmatic Play's back catalogue including Release the Kraken is widely available at Canadian casinos. It's accessible at Ontario-regulated platforms and offshore casinos serving Canadian players that carry Pragmatic Play's library. The game has two RTP settings (96.50% and 95.50%) — the 96.50% is standard at most quality operators. Check the in-game information panel to confirm which RTP version is active at your specific casino. The Ante Bet option is generally available across most jurisdictions, providing the frequency boost for players who want more free spins sessions per hour.
Should I play the original or Release the Kraken 2?
For maximum win potential, the original — 10,000x versus 5,000x in the sequel. For a more modern feature set with more random base game variety and VIP bonus buy access, Release the Kraken 2. The original's pick bonus mini-game is more engaging than the sequel's automated pre-bonus and gives players a genuine decision point. The sequel has the advantage of a bonus buy (100x standard, 250x VIP) and a slightly more refined base game with three distinct random features. If the 10,000x ceiling and the interactive pick bonus experience matter to you, the original is the better game. If you specifically need bonus buy access and a slightly more polished 2022-era presentation, the sequel works well too.