Pirate Bonanza 2

Pirate Bonanza 2 is a high-volatility cluster slot from Backseat Gaming, released on 22 July 2025 through the Hacksaw Gaming OpenRGS platform. It uses a 6x5 grid, cascading wins and a Cannon that converts previously winning positions into multiplier Bombs. The published maximum is 20,000x the stake, while the highest RTP configuration is 96.32%. My rating is 4.8. I think the sequel improves substantially on the original because its highlighted cells make every productive cascade relevant to what may happen next.

Pirate Bonanza 2 slot details

Backseat Gaming publishes two RTP configurations, so 96.32% should not be assumed at every casino. The help screen inside the loaded game is the decisive check. A 94.31% version gives the house a materially larger long-term margin even though the artwork and feature names look identical.

How clusters and cascades work

Five or more identical paying symbols must touch on a horizontal or vertical edge. Diagonal contact alone does not count. Symbols in a winning cluster disappear, the remaining icons fall into the gaps and new ones enter from above. Further clusters continue the same cascade without a new stake.

Every position involved in a win becomes highlighted. Those highlighted squares do not immediately carry multipliers; they are potential targets for the Cannon. If a Cannon symbol is visible when the cascade finishes, it fires at the marked positions and turns them into Bombs. This delay creates the central tension of the slot: a long chain of wins can prepare a valuable board, but it still needs the Cannon to convert that work into multiplier values.

Bombs, multipliers and the R-Bomb

Ordinary Bomb multipliers are added together and applied to the associated cascade win. Golden Bombs are different: they multiply the additive result, which gives them much greater leverage when several strong values are already present. The R-Bomb can collect additive Bombs and repopulate those cells, creating another chance to improve the total. Golden Bombs remain on the grid, and only one R-Bomb can be active at a time.

It is an engaging system, but it has several dependencies. The slot needs clusters to mark positions, a Cannon at the correct moment, useful Bomb values and another eligible win to make the multipliers matter. A crowded board can therefore look promising without guaranteeing a large payout.

Cannon Blast Free Spins

Three Scatter symbols trigger 10 Cannon Blast Free Spins. Winning positions remain highlighted between spins until a Cannon activates them, and Cannons appear more frequently than in the base game. Once the marked cells have been converted, the highlights are cleared and the process begins again.

This is the more straightforward bonus. Persistent highlights reduce the chance that a useful cascade is forgotten before the Cannon arrives, yet the feature still depends on random symbol positions and does not guarantee valuable Bombs. The round cannot be retriggered.

Bombs Away Free Spins

Four Scatter symbols award 10 Bombs Away Free Spins. Here the winning positions remain highlighted for the entire feature, including after a Cannon has activated them. That allows the same productive cells to be revisited and potentially converted into more Bombs later in the round.

I regard Bombs Away as the stronger design because its persistent map gives the bonus a visible sense of development. It is also harder to trigger naturally and still cannot be retriggered. Ten quiet spins can end the feature before the prepared grid turns into a meaningful multiplier sequence.

Feature Spins and Bonus Buy

These controls are available only where local rules and the operator allow them. A 250x purchase puts the cost of hundreds of ordinary minimum-unit bets into one volatile event; it does not buy a minimum return. I would never use it to chase a loss or assume the more expensive bonus must pay better in a particular round.

Graphics, sound and mobile play

The sequel keeps the comic pirate setting but gives the interface a clearer purpose. Highlighted tiles, Cannon fire and differently coloured Bomb tiers communicate the mechanics quickly, even when cascades accelerate. The 6x5 board remains readable in portrait mode, although a phone screen can become busy when several Bombs, Golden values and the R-Bomb appear together.

The soundtrack and effects lean into naval combat without delaying the result. Readers interested in the earlier game can see Pirate Bonanza, while the broader slot catalogue includes more cascade and cluster releases.

Strengths and weaknesses

• Pros: coherent highlight-to-Cannon mechanic, two genuinely different bonus modes, additive and multiplicative Bomb interaction, clear mobile presentation and a 20,000x published maximum.
• Cons: high volatility, non-retriggering bonuses, several random conditions between a cluster and a large multiplier, and a materially lower 94.31% RTP version.

Final assessment

Pirate Bonanza 2 earns 4.8 from me. The marked positions make cascades feel connected rather than disposable, and Bombs Away gives the best boards room to develop across the feature. My reservation is that the slot can build anticipation in several stages without completing the sequence. Check the RTP before playing and learn the Bomb hierarchy in demo mode before considering any enhanced stake option.

Online casino services are generally prohibited from being offered to people in Australia. Confirm the law and product availability that apply in your location. Gambling is paid entertainment with a risk of loss: set a firm limit, never borrow and do not chase previous results.

Pirate Bonanza 2 In Comparison Table