Big Five Slot Review: Free Games and Animal Respins

Big Five™ ties its bonus to the middle of a fixed five-reel grid, then uses a different condition to launch its Respin feature. Four or more Scatters on reels two, three or four award up to 20 Free Games; inside that feature, a first reel filled with one animal can start respins that lock matching animals and any Wilds. The Wild substitutes for non-Scatter symbols, while a full screen of one animal triggers its corresponding jackpot. These are related but distinct rules: one determines entry, one drives the respin sequence, and one defines a jackpot condition.

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Big Five at a glance

Provider	NOVOMATIC
Genre / theme	Animals
Game type	Video slot
Reels / grid	5 x 3
Reference RTP	95%
Payout mechanic	25 fixed win lines
Maximum win	300x the bet
Release date	20 October 2020
Main features	Four or more Scatters on reels 2–4 trigger up to 20 Free Games. A first-reel animal stack can start Respins; matching animals and Wilds lock, and respins continue while new eligible symbols appear. Identical full-screen animals trigger their jackpot.

RTP and stake limits can vary by version and market. Check the information screen in the game you open. Maximum win is a ceiling, not an expected result.

Twenty-five lines and centre-reel Scatters

The rules describe five reels, three rows and 25 fixed win lines. Regular combinations run from left to right, with Scatters treated separately. The Wild substitutes for all symbols except Scatters. Four or more Scatter symbols anywhere on reels two, three or four trigger Free Games; the rules do not require the symbols to occupy a line. The game says the feature awards up to 20 games, but it does not provide a count-to-spin schedule, so the exact number for each Scatter total is not stated.

The same page says a full screen of identical animal symbols triggers the corresponding Jackpot. It identifies five progressive jackpots, but does not state their individual values or give a cap in the published rules. The listed configuration describes the five-by-three, 25-line structure and lists 95% RTP, Low-Medium variance, a 300x maximum and 20 October 2020 release date. Those catalogue values are listed figures and may not represent every operator configuration; the jackpot names alone do not establish how the listed maximum relates to progressive awards.

Free Games can develop into locked respins

The Respin feature can occur at any point during Free Games if the first reel is filled with one kind of animal symbol. Those symbols lock, then the other reels respin. Any additional matching animal symbols and all Wilds that land are also locked. The process continues while new matching animals or Wilds appear; it stops when no qualifying new symbols arrive, or when all positions are filled by one animal type or Wilds. This gives the feature a clear conditional loop: a filled first reel begins it, and each new lock can sustain it.

That loop changes the board state across respins rather than awarding a fixed number of independent spins. A new matching animal or Wild is valuable because it remains in place and gives the sequence another continuation condition; a spin that adds neither ends the loop. The all-symbol endpoint is also distinct from the jackpot rule. The rules say a full screen of identical animal symbols triggers the corresponding Jackpot, whereas the Respin stopping rule allows positions filled by one animal or Wilds. The rules do not say that a board containing Wilds satisfies the identical-animal jackpot condition, so those outcomes should not be conflated.

There are consequently three separate checks for a reader to follow: centre-reel Scatters start Free Games, a first-reel animal stack can activate Respins during them, and a full screen of identical animals triggers a jackpot. The available page does not supply the initial-spin schedule by Scatter count, the jackpot amounts, or the probability of completing a respin board. The feature sequence can be described without turning its progressive-jackpot framing into a likelihood claim.

Configuration and what remains uncertain

Big Five uses five reels, three rows and 25 fixed lines. The rules state up to 20 Free Games, five jackpots and the Respin conditions, but do not give a Scatter-to-spin schedule, jackpot values or a payout ceiling for the progressive awards. The stated mechanics explain the board state without making those outcomes predictable.

Strengths and weak points

Strengths

The rules distinguish three events cleanly: middle-reel Scatters start Free Games, an animal-filled first reel can start Respins, and identical full-screen animals trigger the corresponding jackpot.

Weaknesses

The initial Free Game count by Scatter total and jackpot values are absent. The game description’s numeric volatility label conflicts with the game’s category, so no exact volatility is assigned.

Our Editor’s View

Big Five combines two animal-based goals. Free Games can lead into Respins when the first reel shows one animal, and new matching animals or Wilds keep the sequence alive. A full screen of one animal has a separate jackpot condition. The feature has a stop rule, but its schedule and jackpot values are not stated.