Release the Kraken

Grid structure and paylines

Release the Kraken uses a 5-reel, 4-row grid, larger than the standard 5x3 found in most Pragmatic titles of the same era. Base-game paylines are 20; the free-spins round expands these to 40, covering more of the grid area and increasing the win frequency on the same symbol landing. The sea-creature theme features a kraken, shark, turtle, and tropical fish as the higher-paying symbols, with card royals as the low-pays. The kraken logo is the most valuable regular symbol.

The Roaming Kraken free spins

The free-spins round is the game’s defining feature. It triggers when bonus symbols land on reels one and three with the Free Spins symbol on reel five. Before the round begins you pick from a set of treasure chests, and the chest you choose sets how many free spins you start with.

Once the spins begin, the grid runs on 40 paylines instead of the base 20. The key mechanic is the roaming wild: any wild that lands stays on screen for the rest of the round but moves to a new random position on every spin, so its payline coverage changes spin to spin. Each wild on the grid also adds 1x to a running win multiplier, so the more wilds in play, the higher every win is multiplied.

A round that keeps two or three wilds roaming for several spins builds a meaningful multiplier, and that is where the larger free-spins payouts come from. A round with few wilds and a low multiplier returns modestly. The variance is in how many wilds stay in play and how high the multiplier climbs before the spins run out.

RTP and payline expansion

The 96.50% figure is Pragmatic’s published default, consistent with its stronger-performing high-volatility titles, but the build most casinos run returns about 95.50%, with lower configurations beneath it. The payline doubling from 20 to 40 in free spins is a mechanical lever that increases win coverage without changing the reel layout: the 40-payline evaluation applies to the same 5x4 grid, simply counting more possible left-to-right combinations. Combined with the roaming wilds and the building multiplier, free-spins sessions can produce substantially more coverage than the base game.

These build differences apply here as they do across Pragmatic’s catalogue, and the info panel at your casino shows the active version. The gap between that reduced build and the 96.50% default compounds in a high-volatility game where the free-spins trigger is infrequent.

Volatility and the free-spins trigger rate

High volatility means the base game is not the primary source of returns. The 20 paylines on a 5x4 grid produce base-game wins, but they are modest relative to the stakes required to sustain a session long enough to trigger free spins. The trigger frequency determines how often the bonus arrives, and the roaming wilds and multiplier determine the payout. A session with a few short free-spins rounds at low multipliers looks very different from one where the wilds roam for many spins and the multiplier climbs high.

Sizing stakes to allow for a meaningful number of spins before expecting a bonus trigger is the practical approach to the game’s volatility profile.

Verdict: who Release the Kraken suits

Release the Kraken suits players who like a roaming-wild free-spins feature with a building multiplier and can sit through a quiet base game to reach it. At its 96.50% premium build it’s a strong high-volatility Pragmatic title, and the 10,000x ceiling is meaningful.

Skip it if you want frequent action or a steady session. The base game on 20 paylines is modest, the free-spins trigger is infrequent, and many casinos run the reduced 95.50% build rather than the 96.50% default, so confirm the version before you commit.

Where to play online

Release the Kraken is available at crypto casinos carrying Pragmatic Play’s library. For casinos where you can verify the active RTP configuration and deposit in Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies, see our crypto casinos page. For live table games alongside slots, see our live dealer page.

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