Nice Catch 2 DoubleMax: Slot Overview

If you’re on the lookout for another fishing slot, here’s one to consider from software provider Yggdrasil Gaming. It follows on from Nice Catch DoubleMax, which launched roughly 6 months earlier, and it goes by Nice Catch 2 DoubleMax. The gap between releases isn’t huge, yet Nice Catch 2 DoubleMax changes things up quite a lot compared to the first game. For starters, it adds a hold ‘n win bonus round, increases the size of the grid, and brings a new Diverwoman character into the action.

The backdrop has been switched as well. Rather than fishing from the shoreline like before, Nice Catch 2 DoubleMax is set out on the water, in a pale blue underwater world filled with vivid plant life. Another immediate difference is the added sixth reel, while the multiplier values still sit across the top of the grid like they did previously. That extra reel can be a very welcome upgrade, depending on how the spins fall. You’ll see why shortly.

Before you begin, make sure you choose a suitable stake, with options ranging from 10 c to a high of $/€40 per spin. There are also two bonus buys available, though the Golden Bet feature has been removed. The max win has been reduced significantly, and the return to player has dipped slightly to a default of 96%. The action plays out on a 6-reel, 3-row layout, offering 729 ways to win and using a highly volatile math model.

In a slot like this, standard ways wins aren’t especially exciting unless they connect with a strong DoubleMax multiplier. Leafy card suit symbols – clubs, diamonds, spades, and hearts make up the low pays, followed by an oxygen tank, flippers, a camera, and goggles as the higher-paying icons. A 6-symbol low-pay combination returns 1-1.2x the stake, while landing 6 premium symbols pays 2 to 16 times the bet. Fish money symbols can also form regular ways wins when they line up, paying 2 times the bet for a 6 OAK result.

Nice Catch 2 DoubleMax: Slot Features

Now for the main mechanics, which cover Catching Fish, DoubleMax, free spins, free spins gamble, Hold & Spin, and free spins buys.

Catching Fish

Fish symbols can land on any reels and may appear stacked, showing values from 1x to 100x the bet. When a Fisherman symbol lands on reel 5 (only 1 may land per spin), the cash values on any fish symbols currently visible are awarded.

DoubleMax

Placing fish symbols on consecutive reels from left to right starting at the first reel unlocks the DoubleMax Multiplier. That multiplier affects every win on the same spin. DoubleMax multipliers have no limit.

Free Spins

Landing 3, 4, 5, or 6 scatter symbols triggers 8, 11, 14, or 20 free spins, respectively. During the feature, whenever a Fisherman or Diverwoman appears, players receive +1 free spin, and the DoubleMax multipliers above the reels are doubled for the full free spins round. Scatters don’t show up during the feature, though Hold & Spin can still be activated from free spins.

Free Spins Gamble

On entry to free spins, players may gamble to upgrade the total from 8 to 11, 11 to 14, or 14 to 20. If the gamble fails, the free spins round is forfeited.

Hold & Spin

The Hold & Spin feature starts when a Chest symbol lands together with a Diverwoman. The Diverwoman appears only on reel 6. In this mode, players get 3 spins, and landing an additional Chest (which locks in place) or a Diverwoman resets the spin count. The Diverwoman also doubles the multiplier. Any reel that becomes filled with symbols activates the DoubleMax multiplier for that reel.

Buy Free Spins

By paying 100x the bet, players can access free spins with 3 or more scatter symbols. Alternatively, spending 500x the bet guarantees 20 free spins.

Nice Catch 2 DoubleMax: Slot Verdict

The first Nice Catch wasn’t a typical DoubleMax title, and Nice Catch 2 DoubleMax pushes even further away from the usual formula. After also looking at Legend of the Dragon Wins DoubleMax from Boomerang around the same period, it feels like studios are quickly stepping out of the Raptor DoubleMax comfort zone and experimenting more boldly with the mechanic. Some might debate whether “bold” really fits a fishing slot built around collecting money symbols, but to be fair, Nice Catch 2 DoubleMax isn’t trying to copy Big Bass Bonanza or Fishin’ Frenzy.

Instead, Nice Catch 2 DoubleMax packs in more moving parts than that, and even more than the previous entry, thanks to the larger play area and the new hold ‘n win round led by the Diverwoman. This also appears to be the first time a hold ‘n win feature has shown up in a DoubleMax game. Initially it can come across as a middling addition, since it often doesn’t deliver anything particularly memorable. Still, it could prove handy for boosting multipliers when the Diverwoman lands. And while the biggest Chest values aren’t enormous, the DoubleMax multiplier can be, at least in theory. Because that multiplier can apply to full stacks of Chests, there’s potential for things to turn out very nicely. The multiplier action in both the base game and free spins also creates plenty of upside for fortunate players. With an extra reel in play, there’s now room for a sizeable multiplier value on the far right that didn’t exist in the earlier game, adding extra suspense when fish symbols begin landing left to right and switching on the values as they go.

Put simply, Nice Catch 2 DoubleMax can deliver a very different kind of rush compared to most other DoubleMax slots. And it’s got fish, which we all know is a hugely popular theme on the reels. The main drawback is the reduced winning potential. The 10,000x the bet maximum prize is far lower than the original version offered and is outclassed by many, if not most, other DoubleMax releases. Even so, 10kx is still a respectable ceiling and stacks up well against fishing slots overall.