Two games, same DNA, four meaningful differences. This article is for the player wondering "do I need both?"
When Pragmatic Play released Bigger Bass Splash in April 2024, the inevitable question among AU pokie players was: do I keep playing the original Big Bass Splash, switch to the new variant, or play both? The two games share the same money-fish + fisherman-wild engine, the same 96.50% RTP, the same general feel. But there are four structural differences that change the math and the feel meaningfully — grid layout, paylines, the Ante Bet addition, and the theme. This is the side-by-side breakdown.
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The headline comparison
| Spec | Big Bass Splash (original) | Bigger Bass Splash (2024) |
|---|---|---|
| Released | February 2022 | April 2024 |
| Grid | 5 reels × 3 rows (15 positions) | 5 reels × 4 rows (20 positions) |
| Paylines | 10 fixed | 12 fixed |
| RTP | 96.71% | 96.50% |
| Volatility | High | High |
| Bet range (AUD) | A$0.10 – A$200 | A$0.10 – A$200 |
| Max win | 4,000× stake | 5,000× stake |
| Free spins triggers | 3/4/5 scatters → 10/15/20 | 3/4/5 scatters → 10/15/20 |
| Sticky wild multiplier cap | 10× (free spins) | 10× (free spins) |
| Ante Bet | No | Yes (+25%, doubles scatters) |
| Bonus Buy | Yes (~100×) | Yes (~100×) |
| Pre-bonus modifiers | None | 5 (Extra Fish, Fisherman, Dynamite, Hooks, Bazookas) |
| Theme | Wild West / saloon fisherman | Tropical island fishing party |
| Mechanic core | Money fish + sticky fisherman wilds | Same |
Difference 1 — Grid layout: 5×3 vs 5×4
The original Big Bass Splash uses a 5×3 grid (15 symbol positions per spin). Bigger Bass Splash uses a 5×4 grid (20 positions). That's 33% more grid space.
What this means in practice:
- More room for money fish to land per spin → marginally higher money-fish density.
- More room for fishermen wilds to land → marginally more sticky wilds per bonus round.
- Visual density is higher — the screen feels busier.
- The bonus round (where money fish actually pay) is meaningfully richer in Bigger Bass Splash because of the extra row.
The 5×4 grid is one of the reasons Bigger Bass Splash's max-win cap is 5,000× vs the original's 4,000× — the math model can support a higher ceiling with the extra collection density.
Difference 2 — Paylines: 10 vs 12
The original has 10 fixed paylines. Bigger Bass Splash has 12 fixed paylines.
What this means in practice:
- Slightly higher base-game hit frequency in Bigger Bass Splash (more lines for matches).
- Slightly more "small wins" in base game — the 12-line variant produces small payouts more often, which can soften the variance.
- The math hasn't been twisted to favour Bigger Bass Splash overall — the RTP is actually marginally lower (96.50% vs 96.71%) precisely because the extra paylines add some baseline payouts that the math then trims elsewhere.
Most AU players won't feel the 10-vs-12 paylines difference directly. It's a math-level adjustment.
Difference 3 — Ante Bet (the new feature)
This is the most impactful structural change. The original Big Bass Splash has no Ante Bet option. Bigger Bass Splash adds it.
Ante Bet = +25% per spin, doubles natural scatter frequency, same 96.50% RTP. We covered this in detail in the Bonus Buy & Ante Bet article. The short version: it lets you pay slightly more per spin to roughly halve the wait time between bonuses.
Why this matters:
- Players who liked the original but found it slow have a new option.
- The session shape with Ante Bet ON in Bigger Bass Splash is meaningfully different from the original — more bonus rounds, more action.
- For pure-original loyalists who liked the slow grind, the original is still available (and at 96.71% RTP, slightly better long-term math).
Difference 4 — Pre-bonus modifiers
The original Big Bass Splash has no pre-bonus modifiers. Bonus rounds run "vanilla" — same reel set, same rules every time.
Bigger Bass Splash adds the 5 modifiers we detailed in the modifiers article: Extra Fish, Extra Fisherman, Extra Dynamite, Hooks, Bazookas. One of them fires in roughly 15-25% of bonus rounds, adding randomised expected-value boosts.
Why this matters:
- Bigger Bass Splash bonus rounds are more varied — sometimes you get a vanilla 80× round, sometimes a Bazooka-boosted 600× round.
- The original is more predictable. Each bonus round runs the same way, paying out based purely on sticky wild stacking.
Difference 5 — Theme
The original Big Bass Splash uses a Wild West / saloon aesthetic: dusty backdrops, a fisherman in a Stetson hat, harmonica music. It's a quirky theme — "Wild West fisherman" isn't a normal pairing — but it works.
Bigger Bass Splash reskins everything into tropical island fishing party: blue oceans, palm trees, the fisherman now in a Hawaiian floral shirt with a cocktail. Calypso music in the bonus round.
Why this matters:
- Personal preference, but it's worth noting because both games are otherwise so similar that the theme is what most players use to choose between them.
- Bigger Bass Splash's tropical theme feels fresher in 2026 because the original is now four years old.
- AU players who like the franchise visual style of Big Bass Bonanza, Big Bass Halloween, etc. will find Bigger Bass Splash's tropical reskin a natural fit.
Which one to play?
Play the original Big Bass Splash if:
- You prefer slightly higher RTP (96.71% vs 96.50%).
- You like the saloon theme.
- You want a simpler bonus round (no modifier randomness).
- You play slow sessions and don't care about scatter frequency.
Play Bigger Bass Splash if:
- You want access to Ante Bet for more frequent bonuses.
- You enjoy the modifier-driven variance ("did I get a Bazooka round?").
- You like the tropical theme more than the Wild West.
- You want the higher max-win cap (5,000× vs 4,000×).
- You play AU sessions where the extra row of grid space adds meaningful collection density.
Play both if:
- You're a Big Bass franchise fan who wants the full Pragmatic Play catalogue.
- You're testing which feel suits you over a longer period.
- You're rotating games to keep the entertainment fresh.
All four featured casinos (Vegasnova, Joe Fortune, GreatSlots, CasinoRocket) carry both games. You can switch between them in the same session if you want.
Both games in the wider Big Bass franchise
The Big Bass franchise is one of Pragmatic Play's biggest. The franchise lineup includes:
| Game | Released | Grid | Max win |
|---|---|---|---|
| Big Bass Bonanza | Sep 2020 | 5×3, 10 lines | 2,100× |
| Bigger Bass Bonanza | Aug 2021 | 5×3-4 expanding, 10-12 lines | 4,000× |
| Big Bass Splash | Feb 2022 | 5×3, 10 lines | 4,000× |
| Big Bass Bonanza Megaways | Jul 2022 | Megaways | 5,000× |
| Big Bass Halloween | Oct 2022 | 5×3, 10 lines | 2,500× |
| Christmas Big Bass Bonanza | Dec 2022 | 5×3, 10 lines | 2,500× |
| Big Bass Floats My Boat | Aug 2023 | 5×3, 10 lines | 4,000× |
| Bigger Bass Splash | Apr 2024 | 5×4, 12 lines | 5,000× |
| Big Bass Hold & Spinner | Jun 2024 | 5×3-4 expanding | 5,000× |
Bigger Bass Splash sits among the newer, feature-rich branch of the franchise. It's not the highest-max-win Big Bass title (some newer Megaways variants reach higher), but it has the most-developed modifier system and the cleanest Ante Bet implementation.
Try both and pick▶ Play Bigger Bass Splash · 🎁 Welcome Bonus
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Comparison FAQ
Is Bigger Bass Splash a sequel or a remake? Neither exactly — it's a "bigger" variant with structural changes (grid, paylines, Ante Bet). The original remains in Pragmatic Play's active catalogue.
Will Pragmatic Play retire the original? Unlikely soon — it still has a player base. Pragmatic Play tends to add new variants rather than retire old ones.
Does Bigger Bass Splash have better graphics? Marginally — both run on the same engine but Bigger Bass Splash has updated animations. Visually it feels 2024-fresh; the original feels 2022-era.
Which one has higher max win? Bigger Bass Splash (5,000×) vs original (4,000×). The extra row of grid space and the modifier system support the higher ceiling.
Are the welcome bonuses different per game? No — the four featured casinos' welcome offers apply to all eligible Pragmatic Play slots, including both Splash variants.
Can I play both in the same session? Yes — they're separate titles in the casino lobby. Switch freely.
About this comparison
Both games tested across 200+ spins each at the four featured casinos in April-May 2026. Specs cross-referenced against Pragmatic Play's official documentation.
Gambling responsibly. Two pokies are not better than one — they're two ways to lose money if you don't set limits. AU support: gamblinghelponline.org.au · BetStop · 18+ only.
Further Reading
Related reading in this guide: