Bear Blast

Bear Blast Game Review

Croco Gaming has been making waves in the iGaming community since their 2023 launch, and we have a feeling Bear Blast is only going to amplify the buzz. It might not look like it, but this is actually a bust mechanic game, ditching the usual airplane or rocket for a colorful cluster-blasting adventure accompanied by the highly reactive polar bear Mr. Blast. He’s on a road trip through the desert, of all places, and this pit stop might be a lengthy one due to the fascinating gas pump he has discovered.

The gas pump in question frames the 8x8 game grid, which is filled to the brim with different-colored symbol blocks. You win by clicking or tapping clusters of at least 2 matching symbols anywhere on the grid, and the larger the cluster, the larger the bet multiplier you’ll reveal. You have the option of cashing out after any win, and each cluster blast may reveal the dreaded x0 bet multiplier, which nullifies your winnings and ends the round.

Bear Blast Reels Screen

However, the good news is that blasting clusters can also reveal 3 different power up modifiers. Use the hammer to get rid of otherwise unblastable single blocks, or utilize the lucky charm to go on a winning streak where hitting the x0 multiplier ends the feature but lets you keep the winnings. The disco ball removes 1-3 of the largest clusters, guaranteeing a win and no x0 multiplier. You can also use an initially free (then paid) TNT Bomb to clear the grid and get larger clusters ripe for blasting.

The bonus game is definitely the highlight of the Bear Blast game, giving you a generous 120 seconds of cluster blasting with no possibility of revealing the x0 multiplier. This is a win guarantee feature, in other words, but you cannot blast more than 30 clusters per bonus round. Eligible players can take advantage of the bonus buy menu, and Bear Blast is a high volatility game with an RTP of 97.5% and a max win of 5,000x your stake.

Bear Blast Features

While we have given you an overview already, the time has come to explore the mechanics of this game a bit further. Of course, you can do your own exploration by checking the Bear Blast free play demo at the top of this page. Head up there after reading the review to get started right away. Let’s go!

Power Ups

Random Power Up items may be revealed after any cluster is blasted, and this immediately triggers their feature. The Hammer blasts a single block of your choosing, awarding a guaranteed win. The Lucky Charm allows you to keep blasting until you hit an x0 multiplier, which ends the feature while you get to keep and cash out the winnings. The Disco Ball removes up to 3 of the largest clusters on the grid, awarding a guaranteed win.

The TNT Bomb

You’ll see the TNT Bomb at the top right corner of the game area, and you start with 3 TNT Bombs available for free to use whenever you want. The TNT Bomb clears the grid completely, awarding a bet multiplier while also delivering large clusters you can blast next. When you have used up your 3 initial TNT Bombs, you can purchase as many more as you want for 1x your stake. In other words, clearing the grid with TNT Bombs costs the same as blasting a single cluster.

Bonus Game

A Fireworks Scatter may be revealed after any given cluster is blasted, triggering the Bonus Game before being removed. This Bonus Game gives you exactly 120 seconds to blast as many clusters as you can, but you cannot blast more than 30 clusters per bonus round. The good news is that x0 multipliers do not appear during the bonus, meaning you are guaranteed to keep the total winnings from the round, as there is no way to go bust. Power Up symbols may appear to help you out also in the bonus game, but you cannot land new Firework Scatters.

Bear Blast Free Spins Screen

Feature & Bonus Buy (not UK)

The feature and bonus buy menu is available in certain regions, and you’ll open it by hitting the yellow ‘Buy Bonus’ button down to the left. It comes with the following options in Bear Blast:

• Power Up Boost (97.22% RTP) - pay 3x your stake to increase the hit rate of Power Ups by 85x.
• Bonus Boost (96.17% RTP) - pay 5x your stake to increase the hit rate of Firework Scatters by 125x.
• TNT Bomb (96.44% RTP) - pay 1x your stake to clear the grid for a guaranteed non-zero bet multiplier.
• Bonus Game (96.91% RTP) - pay 150x your stake to get 120 seconds to blast up to 30 clusters with a guarantee to keep the total win.

Theme & Graphics

Bear Blast plays out next to a moonlit roadside gas station and diner, where a polar bear called Mr. Blast stands by your side dressed in blue dungaree overalls. The game grid is housed within the frame of a massive gas pump, where the different-colored symbol blocks are engraved with crescent moons, stars, hearts, puzzle pieces, and leaves. The soundtrack adds to the cozy American diner vibe, and Mr. Blast has a solid repertoire of reactions and encouraging comments to keep you going.

Bear Blast Free Play

This is undeniably an unusual game, compared not only to regular video slots but also to most bust mechanic games we’ve ever seen. It’s therefore highly recommended that you test the free Bear Blast demo before playing for real. It can take a while to settle in to the gameplay and get familiar with the ebb and flow of the volatility. You can also take full advantage of the bonus buy menu to see all the features and the bonus game in action. After your Bear Blast free play session is over, you’ll find casinos carrying this title directly below the demo game.

Pros and Cons of Bear Blast

Our Verdict

It’s always enjoyable when providers dare to break new ground and do something totally different. Bear Blast distinguishes itself from the get-go with its colorful presentation, and I honestly thought it was a slot game at first sight. It’s definitely a breath of fresh air in the crowded crash game genre, trading the usual rising curve, rocket, or airplane for a cluster-blasting adventure that’s reminiscent of the popular puzzle mobile games that are all the rage these days.

Croco Gaming has clearly poured a lot of heart and soul into this creation, and the visuals are as charming as the quirky Mr. Blast himself. I don’t like the persistent and somewhat distracting thinking bubble over his head, though, as it feels like he’s pushing a bit too hard for the bonus boost ante bet. Anyway, this polar bear has plenty of fun reactions to what’s going on, and he even reacts when you click on him. The whole game comes alive when you win, complete with fireworks and banknotes raining down.

Blasting cluster blocks to increase the bet multiplier is good fun in and of itself, and not least when you can also reveal different power up modifiers. The lucky charm power up is my favorite, as it allows you to blast away without worrying too much about hitting the x0 multiplier. It does end the feature, sure, but you get to keep the winnings if you choose to cash out. I also like the TNT Bomb feature, as it clears the grid effectively while delivering neat and large clusters for bigger wins.

Most crash or bust mechanic games do not include any bonus round at all, so Bear Blast is setting an example in more than one way. Getting 120 seconds of pure cluster-blasting action with no possibility of going bust is not only “a blast,” but it can also deliver solid payouts. When taking into account the generous 97.5% RTP and the 5,000x potential, Bear Blast is definitely a game worth trying if you want a break from traditional slot games and are tired of the “same old” in the bust mechanic genre.