Great Blue: the killer whale and the shell picks

A Playtech classic

Great Blue has been around for years and keeps its place in lobbies because the formula works. Five reels, three rows, 25 paylines and a cast of sea creatures: the orca at the top, then a turtle, a seahorse, a starfish and a few fish, with card ranks underneath. The underwater artwork is simple and bright, more aquarium than documentary.

The orca wild

The killer whale is the wild. It substitutes for the other symbols except the scatter and doubles any win it helps make. A couple of orcas on one line can turn a modest win into something worth noticing, even in the base game.

Free spins and the shell picks

The pearl shell is the scatter. Three or more on screen start the bonus with eight free spins and a starting multiplier. Before the spins begin, you are shown a row of shells and pick some of them. Each one reveals either extra free spins or a higher multiplier for the round. That pick stage is what makes Great Blue memorable: one bonus can turn into a long round with a small multiplier, another into a short round with a big one. The orca's doubling still applies on top, and the round can be retriggered.

Playing Great Blue free

The demo gives you 1,000 virtual credits with no download and no sign-up. A practical plan for the session:

• Play 300 spins at a stake equivalent to £0.25, which covers all 25 lines at a small coin size.
• Each time the bonus starts, write down the spins and multiplier you picked from the shells.
• Compare how much each bonus paid against those numbers. It shows how the shells shape the outcome.

Great Blue is a high-swing game: long quiet stretches, then a bonus that can be big or disappointing. Seeing several rounds in the demo will tell you whether that suits you. The same game is available for real money at the casinos below.