Review of Lucky Larry’s Lobstermania Slot
Lobstermania (or ‘Lucky Larry’s Lobstermania’ to use the full title) is one of the best known slots from IGT. This started life in the brick and mortar casinos in the US and around the world – and is now available online in many jurisdictions too.
If you are the type of person who gets tunes ‘stuck in your head’ easily – then this game could well have you humming the tune to ‘Rock Lobster’ (made famous by the band The B52’s) for hours after playing.
As with many IGT slots, the graphics have been upgraded for recent versions of the game. In this case there is not a ‘Lobstermania 2’, just a revamp of the overall look with the same game. While the pick a lobster pot bonus game feels a little basic compared to some more up to date games, you should keep in mind that the whole concept of break out bonuses was fresh and new when this slot was first released. Even after many years the fisherman commenting on lobsters as your wins accumulate is entertaining.
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Lobstermania Slot Game Play
Like most IGT video slots this game has 5 reels each with 3 rows of symbols. There are a maximum of 25 win line crossing from left to right in different patterns across the reels. Winning combinations start on the left and require 3 or more of the same symbol on a designated win-line.
There are themed symbols and playing card suits, Ace down to Jack in play. The themed symbols include a lighthouse, lobster pot buoy, boat and a lobster with a drink and sunglasses. There is also a Lobstermania logo on the reels, a lobster inside a pot and a lobster in a bright yellow fisherman’s mac and hat. The updated live version of this slot includes a seagull and a starfish on the reels.
The biggest possible win is 10,000 coins, which comes from landing 5 of the wild symbols (the cool lobster with the sunglasses) on a win-line. Keep in mind that 5 wilds on the reels will usually complete several other wins in the same spin. 5 of the scatter symbols (the lobster in the pot) will also get you a decent return, this is 200 times your total bet for that spin. Most of the other wins are on the smaller side. What these do is to keep your bankroll ticking over while you wait for the bigger wins or the bonus game.
To trigger the bonus game you will need to get 3 of the lobsters wearing yellow on a win line from the left hand side.
Lobstermania Bonus Game
There are 2 parts to this bonus game. First of all the yellow mac lobsters which trigger it will all show the words ‘Pick Me’ on them. You choose one of these by clicking on it, which reveals how many picks you get moving into the main part of the bonus game. This is between 2 and 4 picks. You will also get to see the scores under the lobsters you did not pick.
Next you go to a new screen. You see a fisherman (again in a yellow mac, though human this time) at the stern of a boat. In front of him in the sea are the buoys of 10 or so lobster pots. Depending on how many picks you won in the previous part of the game you select between 2 and 4 buoys.
The fisherman now becomes animated, winches up a pot and starts to remove lobsters from it, tossing each one into the boat. He makes comments on each one ‘that’s a big ‘un’ for example, and you will see the number of coins you won accumulate by each of your buoys. There can be quite a few lobsters picked out of the pots before the round ends, not just 1 for each pot which is what I expected the first time around.
The potential number of coins you can win in this bonus game is determined by how many picks you got to make. If you picked 2 pots you can win between 20 and 2000 times your line bet (coin), 3 is between 30 and 3000 times that line bet and 4 between 40 and 4000. When the trap is empty the bonus game ends and you get a separate screen showing your total win.
How Does Lucky Larry’s Lobstermania Compare?
If you compare this slot to the latest releases with break out movie clips and interactive bonus rounds then it does feel somewhat retro. I prefer to compare it to the early video slots, when having a break out bonus with animations was unusual. This is a light and entertaining game, with the hallmark IGT focus on game-play. If you are prepared to ‘risk’ getting the rock lobster tune stuck in your head, then I recommend that you check this game out for yourself soon!