Great Reef free play: Pragmatic Play under the waves

Underwater slots are everywhere, but Great Reef, an early title from Pragmatic Play, keeps things bright and uncluttered. The background is a sunlit coral reef, and the symbols are the sea creatures you would expect: sharks, turtles, seahorses and shoals of colourful fish, with card values filling out the lower wins. The Great Reef demo gives you 1,000 virtual credits, no account and nothing to download.

How the game is laid out

It is a straightforward line slot rather than one of the studio's modern grid games. The marine animals carry the bigger payouts and appear more rarely, so most spins will be decided by the smaller symbols. A wild substitutes for regular symbols, and a scatter opens the bonus round. Exact details such as the number of lines and how the free spins are enhanced are in the game's rules screen, which is worth a quick read before your first spin.

Making the most of Great Reef free play

Treat the demo as a test drive. Set a constant stake, perhaps £0.25, and play around 150 spins. Observe:

• how often wins appear and whether they tend to be tiny or meaningful;
• how frequently scatters land in pairs without completing the trigger;
• how the free spins round compares with the base game when it arrives.

If the round takes a long while, carry on for another block; one session can be misleading in either direction.

A calm option

Great Reef suits players who want something soothing to look at with a classic rhythm. It will not overwhelm you with effects, which is precisely its appeal for some, and the clean artwork stays easy on the eye on a small phone screen. Play Great Reef free for as long as you like, and if you want to try it for real money later, it is available at the casinos below.