Pirate Bonanza 2: Slot Overview

Traditional ship cannons—the kind once blasted from galleon to galleon—were never complicated tools of war. Load a cannonball, spark the fuse, and bang. Straightforward, yet devastating, and that same description fits Hacksaw Gaming partner Backseat Gaming‘s slot Pirate Bonanza. Launched in 2024, it was a scatter pays title built around a simple but seriously impactful multiplier mechanic that could hit hard. Pirate Bonanza proved a strong result for Backseat Gaming, drawing enough player interest for the studio to return with a larger follow-up, Pirate Bonanza 2.

So it’s back to the briny deep with a no-nonsense pirate captain aboard a classic wooden ship filled with ropes, cannons, treasure chests, and a 6×5 gaming area. As with the first game, Pirate Bonanza 2 isn’t trying to reinvent pirate theming for online slots—so yes, it can feel a little familiar. Still, the real value is in how it plays, and on that front Pirate Bonanza 2 delivers just as strongly as the original, arguably with even more punch.

While Pirate Bonanza used a scatter pays format, Pirate Bonanza 2 awards wins when clusters of 5 or more matching symbols connect vertically and/or horizontally. Winning symbols are removed from the reels once their payout is added to the total win bar. Any gaps are then filled as symbols tumble down, and if another win forms, the tumble sequence repeats. When no further wins appear, the accumulated total win is paid out. With highly volatile gameplay, Pirate Bonanza 2 offers a maximum RTP of 96.32%, and players can wager from 10c to $/€100.

Five gemstones serve as the low-paying symbols, while the bottle, map, compass, and hat are the higher pays. Cluster wins starting at 5 OAK return 0.1x-1x the bet, increasing up to 50x-200x for combinations of 15 of a kind or more. Wild symbols help form or upgrade wins by substituting for any regular pay symbol.

Pirate Bonanza 2: Slot Features

In many respects, Pirate Bonanza 2 sticks closely to the original blueprint, featuring Cannon feature multipliers, two bonus rounds, and feature buys. The standout addition this time is the much-wanted R-Bomb symbol.

Cannon Feature

After a winning combination lands, the winning positions are highlighted. If a Cannon symbol is present on the grid, it activates the highlighted positions as long as there has been at least one win. Once activated, those winning positions reveal Multiplier Bomb symbols and potentially the special R-Bomb. Every Multiplier Bomb then explodes to show a multiplier, which is added to the total multiplier. Low value Bombs contribute x2-x5, medium value Bombs contribute x10-x25, and high value Bombs contribute x50-x100. Golden Multiplier Bombs carry multipliers from x2 to x10.

After all Multiplier Bombs have been revealed, if an R-Bomb appears, it collects all additive multipliers into the total win bar before replacing those positions with fresh Bombs. The new bombs can be any type. The R-Bomb itself is also replaced by a new Bomb, and only one R-Bomb may appear on the grid at any time. Golden Multiplier Bombs are not replaced. Once all Bombs are revealed, the Golden Multiplier Bombs reveal their multipliers, which multiply the total multiplier. When the Cannon sequence ends, the total multiplier is applied to multiply the value of the total tumble win.

Cannon Blast

10 Cannon Blast free spins start when 3 scatters land in the base game. During this bonus, there is a higher chance of landing Cannon symbols, and highlighted squares persist until they are activated by the Cannon feature. Neither bonus round can be retriggered.

Bombs Away

10 Bombs Away free spins are triggered by landing 4 scatters in the main game. This bonus also comes with a higher chance of landing Cannon symbols, and highlighted squares persist for the entire duration of the feature.

Feature Buy

Pirate Bonanza 2 includes a feature buy with BonusHunt FeatureSpins, priced at 2x to make each spin 3 times more likely to trigger a bonus. Bombard FeatureSpins cost 50x and ensure at least one winning combination plus one Cannon symbol. Additionally, Cannon Blast or Bombs Away can be purchased for 100x or 250x the bet, respectively.

Pirate Bonanza 2: Slot Verdict

Collaborating with a name as big as Hacksaw Gaming can make smaller studios’ releases seem minor—or it can push them to raise their game in pursuit of recognition. For Backseat Gaming, it’s largely been the second outcome: while it may not have overtaken the heavyweight yet, it regularly delivers polished, enjoyable slots that connect with plenty of players. Pirate Bonanza, combining scatter pays with a multiplier-building Cannon feature, was a clear example. With the sequel, Pirate Bonanza 2 shifts to a cluster pays win system, but the core identity remains intact, now boosted by a powerful new addition and significantly more upside.

Most notably, the win potential now reaches 20,000x the bet, which is twice the previous ceiling. To help players get closer to that number—or even reach it—Pirate Bonanza 2 introduces the R-Bomb, which conveniently removes additive Bombs, banks their value, and then refills the cleared spaces with even more Bombs. Even without the R-Bomb, the original setup could already build hefty multipliers, so imagining an R-Bomb sequence running at full speed—stacking values and feeding additional Bombs—can be pretty mind-bending. The tweaks Backseat Gaming has made might look modest on paper, but in play they meaningfully ramp up the intensity and give fans of the first game a strong reason to return.

Put simply, unless scatter pays is a deal-breaker for you, everything that made Pirate Bonanza such a blast is present again in Pirate Bonanza 2. On top of that, Backseat Gaming has packed in extra firepower through much bigger win potential and the new R-Bomb, leaving the sequel just as explosive—if not more so—than the original.