Release the Kraken

Release the Kraken Slot Review

How many high-volatility Pragmatic Play slots can genuinely justify their own difficulty level? Release the Kraken, released in January 2020, makes a strong case. The 10,000x max win is backed by a feature set that earns it: three random base-game mechanics that drop unexpectedly, a pick-bonus treasure round, and a free spins mode where every wild you land stays on the reels, moves each spin, and builds a multiplier up to 10x. The RTP is 96.50%, the volatility is high, and the session structure is genuinely different from most slots in the Pragmatic catalogue. Betfuryans who have already played the Release the Kraken 2 slot may prefer the original — the mechanic here is arguably cleaner.

Theme, Graphics & Sound

The art style sits somewhere between a children's animated feature and a maritime concept painting. The Kraken himself is colourful and expressive, rendered with rounded edges and exaggerated features that give the game visual character without leaning into horror. The underwater setting uses layered blues and greens, treasure chests, sharks, turtles, and the game's signature air-bubble wild symbol. Pragmatic Play put real effort into the animation sequences: the random features each have their own tentacle intro, and the free spins screen transforms the reels into a full underwater field. The audio builds through the session, with standard reel sounds in the base and a more immersive score in the bonus.

RTP, Volatility & Hit Frequency

At 96.50% with high volatility rated 4.5 out of 5, Release the Kraken is designed for bonus hunting. The base game is deliberately lean — expect grinding toward either a random feature activation or the full bonus trigger. Operators can reduce the RTP to 95.50% or 94.50%, so configuration matters. During free spins, payline count doubles from 20 to 40, which is where the math really shifts.

Symbols & Payouts

Top symbol is the game logo at 500x for five of a kind. The Shark (250x) and Turtle (200x) follow, with a Yellow Fish and Blue Fish in the middle tier, then standard card ranks at the base. The air-bubble Wild substitutes for all regular symbols and pays at the logo rate. Card symbols pay as low as 40x for five of a kind. The game is structured for bonus-round payouts rather than base-game accumulation.

Release the Kraken Bonus Features

Random Base Game Features

Three tentacles appear randomly during base spins; choose one and it activates one of three mechanics. Colossal Kraken Wilds drops a 3×4 wild block onto the reels, guaranteeing multiple wins. Infectious Wilds places one or more wilds on the grid, then spreads wildness to every adjacent symbol. Lockin' Wilds adds wilds sequentially, with each new placement preceded by a pick from three chests: More Wilds, Continue, All Wins ×2 & Collect, or More Wilds & Collect. The Lockin' variant can chain into substantial win amounts before you choose to collect. The Release the Kraken Megaways game expands on these core mechanics with a variable reel structure if you want more ways to win.

Sunken Treasure Bonus

Triggered by landing Sail symbols on reels 1 and 3 plus a Treasure Chest on reel 5. The Kraken holds three chests; pick in sequence for mounting cash prizes ranging from 2x to 10x per chest until drawing the Collect chest. It's a clean pick-bonus that rewards patience.

Roaming Kraken Free Spins

The main event. Triggered by Sail symbols on reels 1 and 3 with a Free Spins symbol on reel 5. Pre-spin, you pick chests to accumulate up to 12 free spins. During the bonus, paylines expand to 40, and every Kraken wild that lands stays on screen as a roaming wild, shifting to a random position on every subsequent spin. Each wild also adds +1 to the multiplier, up to a maximum of 10x. No retrigger is available. The combination of 40 paylines, multiple roaming wilds, and a 10x multiplier produces the conditions for the 10,000x ceiling. The Gates of Olympus demo is the other high-ceiling Pragmatic title worth comparing if this kind of max-win chase appeals.

How to Play the Release the Kraken Slot

Bets run from $0.20 to $100 on 20 fixed paylines. Bonus Buy is available if you want direct access to the free spins. In the base game, watch for the three-tentacle animation signalling a random feature. In free spins, track the wild meter and multiplier position closely.

Pros

• Three distinct random features add genuine variety to the base game
• Roaming wilds mechanic in free spins is original and well-designed
• 10,000x max win is credible given the multiplier structure
• 96.50% RTP is competitive for high volatility

Cons

• High volatility demands patience and bankroll management
• Free spins can end quickly if wilds don't accumulate
• No retrigger in free spins limits extended bonus runs
• Base game is fairly static between feature activations

Final Verdict

Release the Kraken deserves its reputation as one of the better high-volatility Pragmatic Play releases. The three-mechanic random feature system keeps the base game from feeling like pure dead time, and the roaming wild free spins are a mechanic worth experiencing. The 10,000x ceiling is genuine, not theoretical. At BetFury you can also try Kraken's Hunger by BGaming for a different take on the creature theme, or stay in Pragmatic's roster and see if Release the Kraken's free spins deliver what the math promises. The demo is available without registration on our platform.