Lobster Mania Slots: The Original
The original Lobstermania debuted along with IGT’s Texas Tea
Slots and Money Storm Slots. All three became famous for their
uses wild symbols and a bonus round to entertain players.
Because it has a good expected return, this game has become a
gambler’s favorite, despite not being tied to a famous licensed
product. The big jackpot is unlocked by 5 wild lobster systems.
This was one of the most popular games when it was released,
but online slots players are not likely to find it in many
casinos. The more popular version of the game in 2016 is its
sequel, which has a bigger jackpot, more bonuses, more paylines,
and better graphics. In fact, the sequel now has a sequel and
both of those games receive more buzz than “Lobstermania 1”.
Here in 2016, the games to research and compare against one
another are those games, which each start with the name “Lucky
Larry”.
Lucky Larry’s Lobstermania Review
Lobster Mania 2 is a 5-reel, 25-payline slot machine which
continues the story of our animated lobster. Lucky Larry’s was
released by IGT in October 2015 to a lot of fanfare. This game
has a bit of confusion. Some people seem to think the lobster is
named Larry and they call him “Larry the Lobster”. Others
believe the fisherman in the yellow raincoat is named “Lucky
Larry”. In either case, the lobster from the original game is
trying to help his buddies escape the fisherman. That fisherman
is trying to catch as many lobsters as he can. You’re caught
in-between, helping one or the other succeed.
For those who need a comparison in the way of animations and
game play, you should look to similar games like Frog Prince
Slots, Fortune Cookie Slots, or Wild Taxi Slots. Some gamblers
compare this EGM to WMS’s Wizard of Oz: Wicked Riches Slots or
Microgaming’s The Dark Knight Rises Slots in terms of fan
interest towards new releases. Those games combined world class
animations with a world famous licensed brand, so I put both of
those electronic gaming machines a step above in terms of
entertainment value. In terms of pure animated cartoon
renderings and payout schedule, Lucky Larry’s Lobstermania
absolutely measures up.
Here are some key details about the game you should know.
Coin Denominations
The Lobstermania gaming machine offers a 1-cent, 2-cent,
4-cent, 5-cent, $0.10, $0.20, $0.50, $1.00, $2.00, $5.00,
$10.00, and $20.00 bet denominations. High rollers therefore can
wager $500 per spin, making this a favorite for VIP players.
Larry’s Lobster Mania Slots has a 50-spin autospin feature,
meaning a high stakes gambler can set the machine to automatic
re-spin and wager $25,000 in a row without hitting a single
button.
Reel Symbols
Reel symbols on this machine include a sun tanning lobster, a
lighthouse, a small boat, a buoy, and a “Lobster Mania” wild
icon. Other icons include the 10, jack, queen, king, and ace.
Wild Symbols
The wild symbol substitutes for any other symbol on the game,
except the scatter symbol and the bonus symbol. If you receive 5
wilds at one time, this activates the fixed jackpot of 10,000
coins. This means the jackpot is 10000x your initial wager on
the triggering spin.
Main Game Payouts
In the main game, Larry has left clues amidst the rocks near
the lighthouse. Five clue symbols unlock a payout worth 200x the
initial stake. Five lighthouse icons are worth 300x the initial
stake. Five ships are worth 500x the stake. Five buoys are worth
500x the stake, too. If five Lobster Mania Wild symbols appear
at once, the payout is 1000x the original stake.
Collect enough bonus symbols on the main game and it
activates one of two bonus rounds: The Great Lobster Escape or
the Buoy Bonus.
The Great Lobster Escape Bonus Round
Obviously, a game about a crustacean can be a bit gruesome,
given the human love for eating high-priced dishes of shellfish.
“The Great Lobster Escape Bonus Round” gives a nod to the grim
subject matter by letting the player help lobsters escape their
fate. The premise is Larry the Lobster wants to help his fellow
shellfish escape. The animations on this game are excellent. If
you can call an animated character lifelike, then this game has
them.
The Buoy Bonus Round
On the other hand, the Buoy Bonus Round involves just the
opposite. A fisherman in his yellow raincoat is on his boat, The
Lobster Magnet, checking out his lobster traps. The player
chooses which traps to open. The fisherman talks in his thick
accent as he checks for lobsters. When he pulls out the sea
life, the bigger the lobster, the more money you win.
When you receive 3 bonus symbols, this game triggers. Players
are allowed to choose 1 to 4 buoys, depending on the bonus
symbols. Each buoy offers a minimum of 2 items to the trap.
Players receive between 20 and 2000 bonus coins, which are
multiplied by your initial bet. If you have 3 buoys, the
multiplier is between 30 and 3000. If you have 4 buoys, the
multiplier is between 40 and 4000 coins. This bonus game has a
low volatility, so it’s a good game for someone playing out a
casino bonus.
Lucky Larry’s Lobstermania 2 Review
The third game in this series is called “Lucky Larry’s
Lobster Mania 2”. It’s easy to get this game confused with the
second game in this series. The easiest way to tell the two
apart is the number of paylines offered. While the original
Lucky Larry’s Slots had 25 paylines, this version is a 5-reel,
40-payline slot machine. To make it easier to differentiate
these games, I’ll continue to compare and contrast the two in
this short review.
As you might imagine for a game which was released late in
2015, Lucky Larry’s Lobstermania has all the features you would
expect to find: wild symbol, scatter symbol, free spins, bonus
round, and an expanding wild. It also comes with the best
technical features, including instant play capability, autoplay
options, and advanced video slots elements. It is a
state-of-the-art interactive slot machine.
8,000x Fixed Jackpot
While Lucky Larry’s Lobstermania had a top jackpot of 10,000
coins, Lucky Larry’s Lobstermania 2 has a top fixed jackpot of
8,000 coins. That means the jackpot is the original stake
multiplied by 8,000.
Other Payouts
The payouts on the main game tend to be the same or lesser in
several instances. A comparison should suffice. The 5-coin
payouts on the second Lobstermania are as follows.
- 10000
- 1000
- 500
- 500
- 300
- 250
- 150
- 150
- 50
The 5-coin payouts on the third and latest Lobstermania are as follows.
- 8000
- 1000
- 400
- 400
- 300
- 300
- 150
- 150
- 100
- 100
- 100
- 100
That means 9 paying symbols for a total of 13,000 coins in
payouts, against 12 paying symbols for a total of 11,100 coins
in payouts.
Lucky Larry’s Lobstermania 2 is therefore going to be less
volatile and is going to have more payouts. The overall payout
rate is unlikely to be as good. Given the better graphics, the
confusing title, and the lesser payout schedule, I get the
notion that this “refreshing” of the Lobstermania series is
meant to offer a lesser product in a similar package. This is
much in keeping with other redone video slots of the last couple
of years.
Which version to play?
IGT was bought by the Italian lottery company GTECH in 2014.
People wondered at the time what the result of a lottery company
running the operation might be. Lotto companies are used to
offering a lower expected return to its customers. One wonders
whether the GTECH influence isn’t being felt. For our money, we
recommend playing Lobstermania 2, which is known as “Lucky
Larry’s Lobstermania”. If it has “2” in the title, avoid it.
