Big Bang Boom: Slot Overview

If you’re into on-screen mayhem and things going boom (purely virtually), this could be right up your street. The game is called Big Bang Boom, and it’s created by seasoned slot developer NetEnt. It absolutely lives up to its name, throwing plenty of explosive action onto a seriously expandable grid via Bomb symbols. These keep the base game volatile and unpredictable, while also powering an unusual, blast-heavy hold ’n win-style bonus round.

My first reaction to Big Bang Boom was that it faintly echoes Hacksaw Gaming’s Chaos Crew. That feeling comes from the neon palette, the crisp symbol style, and the general energy. And speaking of energy, the vibe here is loud and lively. The music is strong throughout, delivering a rebellious, punky, EDM-leaning, night-out club atmosphere that fits the theme perfectly.

Another standout is the highly expandable grid, which begins every base-game spin with 4 reels showing 4 symbols each. Using a ways-to-win system, Big Bang Boom offers between 256 to 10,000 ways once the grid has fully expanded. It’s Highly volatile and comes with multiple RTP settings, topping out at 96.07%. Bets range from 25 p/c to $/€100 per spin, and there are two bonus buy options available.

One of Big Bang Boom’s oddities is that, in the base game, the grid expands only vertically. As a result, you can only hit winning combinations of 3 or 4 of a kind. On the low end are stencil-styled J to A card ranks, paying 0.16 to 0.2 times the bet for 4 OAK. The premium set includes a blue smiley face, a green butterfly, a purple heart, and a yellow crown, with a four-of-a-kind premium win paying 0.4 to 1 times the bet. To wrap this part up, Big Bang Boom does not have wild symbols, but it does feature plenty of Bomb symbols.

Big Bang Boom: Slot Features

On the feature front, you’ll find Expanding Reels, Avalanches, Super Bombs, free spins, Treasure Prizes, and the bonus buys to cover as well.

Expanding Reels

The grid includes 3 hidden rows above and 3 hidden rows below. A position becomes uncovered when a winning symbol sits vertically next to a covered spot, or when a bomb explodes and the blast directly impacts a covered position.

Avalanche Feature

Any winning way or bomb detonation triggers the Avalanche feature. Winning symbols, or symbols removed by the blast, disappear from the reels, creating gaps that new symbols Avalanche into. Avalanches keep going until there are no fresh wins or no bombs left on the reels. If winning symbols and bombs appear at the same time, the Avalanche happens after the winning symbols vanish and the bombs explode.

Super Bombs Feature

There are 7 types of bombs in the game. Bombs explode after wins are evaluated and cause Avalanches.

• Vertical Bomb – detonates vertically, removing adjacent symbols above and below its position.
• Horizontal Bomb – detonates horizontally, removing adjacent symbols to the left and right of its position.
• Diagonal Bomb – detonates diagonally, removing adjacent symbols on the corner positions around it.
• Plus-pattern Bomb – detonates in a cross shape, removing symbols directly above, below, left, and right of its position.
• Omni-directional Bomb – detonates and removes all symbols adjacent to its position.
• Cluster Bomb – in the main game, it randomly uncovers 3-5 covered positions. In free spins, it explodes 3-5 random positions that are not occupied by other bombs.
• Persistent Bomb – only appears in free spins. It explodes along with all adjacent symbols to its position and persists till the feature ends, exploding on each spin.

The Vertical Bomb, Horizontal Bomb, Diagonal Bomb, and Plus-pattern Bomb appear in the base game or free spins. The Persistent Bomb only shows up in free spins. The Omni-directional Bomb and Cluster Bomb can appear in the Treasure Prize feature, base game, or in free spins.

Free Spins

You receive a total of 6 free spins once all reels reach 10 positions high in the base game. Free spins run on a 4×10 grid that can be expanded up to 8×10 – adding 2 reels on the left and 2 reels on the right. During the feature, only Prizes with a value of x1, Vertical Bombs, Horizontal Bombs, Diagonal Bombs, Plus-pattern Bombs, and Persistent Bombs can land. When Prizes appear, they lock to the reels till the round ends. If a bomb blast covers a Prize, its value is multiplied by x2 up to a maximum of 2,048x. When the round finishes, all Prize values are totalled and paid out.

Treasure Prize Feature

Treasure Prizes can be discovered when new positions are uncovered in the base game or during free spins. Vertical Bombs, Horizontal Bombs, Diagonal Bombs, Plus-pattern Bombs, Omni-directional Bombs, and Cluster Bombs are Treasure Prizes that may be uncovered in the base game or in free spins. In free spins, you can also uncover a prize of 16x, 32x, or 64x, or +1 additional free spin.

Buy Feature

Using the feature buy, you can purchase 6 free spins for 75 times the bet, or buy 6 free spins with a Persistent Bomb already placed on the reels from the first free spin for 150 times the bet. When purchased, free spins start immediately without needing a base game spin.

Big Bang Boom: Slot Verdict

Big Bang Boom ended up being one of NetEnt’s more compelling titles. It comes across as modern, has plenty of swagger, and brings some genuinely fun ideas to the table. In terms of feel, it borrows a little from Nitropolis and Chaos Crew, yet still takes the gameplay in its own direction. Imagine the lead character from a slightly old-school cyberpunk film stepping into a near-future club where everyone’s dressed outrageously, rocking wild hair, and leaning hard into individuality, while futuristic beats thump in the background. And yes, that’s meant sincerely as a compliment. Put simply, Big Bang Boom has serious attitude.

The mechanics are enjoyable as well. The grid starts compact, but much like a PopWins slot it can grow significantly—though in the base game it only expands upward or downward, which is a refreshing twist for a 4-reel setup. It’s also a plus that NetEnt chose a ways-to-win model instead of paylines. The bonus round stands out too, partly because of the expanding grid and partly thanks to the broad selection of bomb types appearing throughout. The way explosions double covered Prize values also brings to mind the Doubler from Quickspin’s heavy hitter Cash Truck. In terms of potential, since Prize values can climb to 2,048x, some players may find the max win of 4,300x the bet a touch underwhelming.

Still, it’s probably not underwhelming enough to put most people off, because Big Bang Boom is genuinely distinctive and was a welcome surprise after a couple of weaker NetEnt reviews like 101 Candies and Crab Trap. It blends straightforward ideas with more intricate touches, nods to other slots, and yet remains its own entertaining experience.