4 Fantastic Fish Gold Dream Drop (4ThePlayer) Slot Review

4 Fantastic Fish Gold Dream Drop: Slot Overview 

Joining the tidal wave of jackpot slots like Fishin’ Frenzy and Big Bass Bonanza, 4 Fantastic Fish Gold Dream Drop is the latest upgrade in 4ThePlayer’s acclaimed “4 Fantastic” fishing-themed franchise. Released on June 27, 2024, this version keeps the joyful tone and fish-catching mechanics of the original but swaps out big jackpot symbols in favor of the Dream Drop progressive jackpot system. With new tweaks and a shift toward jackpot-chasing, this release offers a fresh yet familiar underwater adventure. 

Played on a 6×4 grid with 4,096 ways to win, this game makes key adjustments to cater to fans of progressive wins. Most notably, it removes fixed-value jackpot fish and replaces them with the iconic Dream Drop Fortune Wheel, where prizes can reach into the millions. The game runs with high volatility, offers a 94% RTP, and has a maximum non-jackpot win of 2,298x—lower than previous titles but balanced by the Dream Drop’s massive potential.

Design and Graphics 

4 Fantastic Fish Gold Dream Drop is visually identical in charm to its predecessors. Set against a sunny ocean backdrop, the game brings cheerful aquatic vibes with bright blue waters, playful marine life, and animated sea creatures like crabs, squids, and fish bobbing in and out of view. The color palette is bold and inviting, perfect for creating a laid-back but engaging slot experience.The symbols include card royals 10 to A as lower pays, while high-paying symbols consist of a reel, crab, tackle box, and golden fisherman. There’s also a cheerful boat wild symbol, which substitutes for all base symbols (except scatters), blending seamlessly into the fishy theme. Of course, cash fish symbols are front and center during key bonus modes, with visual flourishes like shiny values and golden highlights to indicate bigger wins. 

The standout design element is the colorful Dream Drop jackpot wheel—a visual treat that spins with excitement when triggered, teasing players with slices labeled Rapid, Midi, Maxi, Major, and Mega.

Gameplay Mechanics 

At its core, 4 Fantastic Fish Gold Dream Drop uses the same beloved base mechanics as the original 4 Fantastic Fish. The game operates on 4,096 ways to win, meaning wins are achieved when matching symbols land on adjacent reels from left to right, starting from reel one. 

Fish cash prize symbols can land on any reel, and their value is determined by the reel on which they appear: 

Reel 1: up to 1.8x 

Reel 6: up to 50x 

These fish symbols don’t need a collector like a fisherman to be claimed. If a winning way includes a fish symbol, its cash value is automatically added to the win total. This simplicity—removing the dependency on specific collector symbols—streamlines gameplay and increases the likelihood of successful fish-based payouts. 

While the non-jackpot max win is lower than the original’s 15,000x, the focus here is clearly on Dream Drop jackpot potential, with the base game serving as a complement to the real attraction: progressive wins.

Sound and Music 

The soundtrack of 4 Fantastic Fish Gold Dream Drop is lively and bright—matching the game’s tone perfectly. A breezy, tropical instrumental plays in the background, making it feel like you’re casting lines from a beach resort rather than diving into deep-sea drama. 

When features activate—especially during respins, squid animations, or jackpot triggers—the audio ramps up with fun underwater sound effects and celebratory jingles. The spinning Fortune Wheel in particular gets a nice audio flourish, echoing game-show energy with rising pitch and anticipation. 

Together, the visuals and sound create a well-rounded, casual environment where players can enjoy light-hearted gaming with real jackpot stakes.

Bonus Features 

Fish for Cash Prizes 

Fish symbols land randomly across all reels and reward cash prizes when they appear in winning combinations. Their reel-dependent values allow for tiered potential:Lower reels (1–3): smaller multipliers 

Higher reels (4–6): up to 10x, 25x, or 50x 

This mechanic underpins the entire experience, with nearly all bonus features amplifying or interacting with these fish. 

Giant Squid Bonus 

Triggered randomly, the Giant Squid rearranges fish symbols on the grid: 

In the main game, symbols may be swapped to form a winning line. 

In Respin mode, the Squid may move fish from closed to open reels, locking them in place. 

This bonus brings helpful second-chance dynamics to stalled spins, often swinging a non-event into a winning opportunity. 

Respin Bonus 

Landing 3 or more Respin scatters activates this mode: 

Scatters open the reel they land on. 

All other reels start closed. 

Fish landing on open reels become locked. 

New fish lock on open reels; Respin scatters can unlock new reels. 

Starts with 3 respins, resetting with each new fish or opened reel. 

This sticky-style bonus keeps the pressure high as players aim to fill reels with valuable fish. If spins expire, locked fish prizes are totaled. 

Shark Feature 

If any reel is fully locked with fish during the Respin Bonus, a shark swims in and collects all cash values on that reel. The total is doubled, held in the top position, and the reel becomes open again for more fish. 

This is one of the most exciting aspects of the Respin Bonus. Shark collections often lead to the biggest wins outside of jackpot triggers. 

Dream Drop Jackpot System 

The star of the show, Dream Drop, can trigger randomly on any spin. When it does, you’re taken to the Fortune Wheel, which spins to award one of five progressive jackpots: 

Rapid – starts at €1 

Midi – starts at €5 

Maxi – starts at €100 

Major – starts at €25,000 

Mega – starts at €500,000 

Because the Dream Drop system is progressive, these prizes can climb significantly higher over time, giving players a shot at potentially life-changing payouts.

Betting Options and Payouts 

Players can enter the water with bets ranging from €0.20 to €100 per spin, giving broad flexibility to low-stakes and high-roller players alike. 

The game’s RTP sits at 94%, which is standard for Dream Drop titles but lower than non-jackpot counterparts. The tradeoff is clear: slightly reduced theoretical return, but access to Dream Drop’s massive prizes. 

The maximum base win is 2,298x the bet, a significant downgrade from the original’s 15,000x due to the removal of massive fixed jackpot fish. However, the possibility of hitting a Mega Jackpot more than compensates for this for many players. 

The volatility is rated 5/5, meaning players can expect long dry spells punctuated by explosive moments, especially during Respin Bonuses and jackpot triggers.

Conclusion 

4 Fantastic Fish Gold Dream Drop is a clever evolution of the original, trading static jackpots for the Dream Drop progressive system while preserving the spirit of the series. Although it sacrifices some non-jackpot win potential, it compensates with jackpot accessibility, high volatility, and excellent feature variety. 

It retains the core experience—winning fish prizes without needing a fisherman—while introducing new excitement through the Dream Drop Fortune Wheel, Shark multiplier collections, and the adorable yet powerful Giant Squid feature. 

For players looking for a fishing slot with serious jackpot potential and a friendly, engaging theme, 4 Fantastic Fish Gold Dream Drop is well worth the cast. Just don’t expect to reel in prizes on every spin—but when you do, it might just be the catch of a lifetime.