Mermaid's Pearl: treasures from the sea floor

Back under the sea

Novomatic clearly likes the ocean. After Dolphin's Pearl, Mermaid's Pearl returns to the deep with a softer, more fairy-tale look: a mermaid with flowing hair, sea creatures, treasure chests and gleaming jewels, all in turquoise and gold. The reels are the usual five by three, and the game keeps the clean, readable style of the studio's classics.

It would be a mistake to treat it as a copy of Dolphin's Pearl, though. The theme overlaps, but the symbols, sounds and details of the features are its own.

Wild, scatter and the bonus round

Mermaid's Pearl uses a wild to help complete paylines and a scatter that opens a round of free games when enough appear anywhere on the reels. The help screen sets out exactly which symbols play which role, how many free games are awarded and any multiplier that applies. If you are coming from Dolphin's Pearl, read it carefully rather than assuming the rules are the same.

There is also a Deluxe edition with refreshed graphics for players who prefer a sharper look.

Using the Mermaid's Pearl demo well

The demo opens with 1,000 virtual credits, with no sign-up and no download. Plan a session of 250 spins at a stake equal to £0.20. Write down the spin number each time the free games arrive and what the round paid. By the end you will have a rough picture of how long the waits are and how generous the bonus tends to be.

Then, if you want a useful comparison, run the same session on Dolphin's Pearl. Two sea-themed slots from the same studio can still feel very different over a few hundred spins.

Gamble and real play

Wins can be put on the classic card gamble. Use the free demo to see how quickly it can swallow a balance before deciding whether you like it. The same game is available for real money at the casinos listed below.