Rainbow Bonanza

Rainbow Bonanza is a 6x5 cascading slot in which positions on the grid can become multiplier frames. Those frames double when they participate in successive cascades, while Rainbow Bombs can increase every active frame at once. During free spins the frames persist between spins, creating a feature that grows through position-based multipliers rather than conventional bombs with one-off values.

This is one of Clawbuster's more original Bonanza designs. The studio still uses the familiar scatter-pay grid and bright fantasy artwork, but the core feature is structurally different from the claw collection in Sweet Dream Bonanza Claw. My main reservation is the 95.01% RTP combined with very high volatility.

Cascades and multiplier frames

Winning symbols disappear and new symbols fall into the cleared spaces. A random position can receive a Rainbow Frame with an initial multiplier. When a later win uses that framed position during the cascade sequence, its value can double through 2x, 4x, 8x, 16x and 32x, with further growth governed by the game rules.

Position-based multiplication changes how the screen should be read. A valuable frame does not enhance every win automatically; the winning group must use its cell. A large value stranded beneath an irrelevant symbol can finish the round unused. This makes the feature visually understandable without making it controllable.

What Rainbow Bombs change

A Rainbow Bomb can multiply all active frames and initiate another cascade. Its value comes from the existing board state: one weak frame offers limited leverage, while several established frames can make the same event much more important.

I find this interaction more interesting than a random multiplier simply being added to a total. The bomb changes a network of positions, so earlier frame creation matters. It also creates a pronounced dependency chain: frames must appear, survive into useful positions, grow and then connect with paying symbols before the maximum potential becomes relevant.

Persistent frames in free spins

Three or more Scatters award ten free spins. Rainbow Frames remain active across the feature instead of resetting after each spin, and additional Scatters can provide more spins. Persistence is the bonus's main advantage because a frame created early has repeated opportunities to participate and double.

The mechanism can also build too late. A powerful frame appearing near the final spin may have little time to contribute, while a long feature can repeatedly miss its strongest cells. Ten spins describe the number of random evaluations, not a guaranteed payout.

Side bets and Bonus Buy

Optional bets can alter the frequency of Scatters or Rainbow Frames, and purchase modes provide direct feature entry. The standard purchase supplies the regular free-spins setup; a premium Rainbow option begins with five active frames. Exact prices and mode-specific RTP should be verified in the loaded version.

Starting with five frames is mechanically stronger, but the higher purchase price funds that advantage. It does not remove the house edge or assure a profitable feature. I would compare the cost in stake multiples before considering the extra starting state.

Graphics, usability and verdict

Fairies, glowing fireflies and saturated rainbow effects make multiplier growth easy to spot. The grid can become visually dense once several frames are active, yet colour coding does useful work rather than serving as decoration. On a phone, normal-speed play is preferable until the player understands which cells are doubling.

The base game can feel uneventful when frames appear in unhelpful positions or a cascade stops before they grow. That is not a defect in the random number generator; it is how a high-variance model concentrates value. Conversely, a sequence with several active cells and a Rainbow Bomb can accelerate quickly. I would rather watch the actual balance and total stake than count frame upgrades, because impressive board development can still finish with a payout below the original wager.

For me, the ideal audience is a player who enjoys persistent board states and can follow several positional modifiers at once. Anyone wanting straightforward paylines or a simple global multiplier may find the screen unnecessarily busy. The original also offers a clearer identity than many “2000” sequels because the frame behaviour, rather than only a larger maximum number, carries the design.

Rainbow Bonanza deserves the Bonanza label because cascades and escalating multipliers drive the game, but it avoids copying the original Megaways structure. I rate it 4.0/5: the frame system creates meaningful visual progression, balanced against a below-average RTP and very high variance. Players wanting the amplified sequel can also examine Rainbow Bonanza 2000 through the Bonanza catalogue.

Rainbow Bonanza In Comparison Table