John Hunter and the Quest for Bermuda Riches

John Hunter and the Quest for Bermuda Riches Slot Review – What to Know Before You Spin

Overview of the Game

John Hunter and the Quest for Bermuda Riches is a 7x7 grid video slot from Pragmatic Play, part of the developer’s long-running adventure series starring its fedora-wearing explorer. Instead of classic paylines, it uses a cluster pays system with tumbling reels, collect symbols, and a layered free spins feature built around money values and multipliers.

The premise is straightforward: John Hunter heads into the Bermuda Triangle, chasing cursed treasure on a mysterious island. The gameplay, though, is more intricate than many of the earlier John Hunter titles. Cluster wins, several types of collect symbols, and a very feature-focused bonus round put it slightly on the “gamer’s slot” side rather than a pure casual spin.

Core hooks include:

• Cluster pays on a 7x7 grid
• Tumbles after every win
• Money symbols with instant cash values
• Several collect modifiers in the base game
• A free spins bonus with progressive multipliers on those money symbols

Because of the volatility and the way the big payouts are mostly locked behind bonus features, this slot suits players who are comfortable with some risk. Casual spinners can still have fun with the colourful theme and frequent small clusters, but anyone expecting steady, low-variance returns might find the dry stretches a bit long. Those who enjoy chasing occasional big hits, managing a session bankroll, and watching multipliers climb will likely feel more at home here.

Quick Snapshot for Impatient Players

For those who want the essentials of John Hunter and the Quest for Bermuda Riches without all the backstory:

• Game type: Video slot, 7x7 grid
• Win system: Cluster pays (groups of 5+ matching symbols horizontally and/or vertically)
• Mechanic: Tumble feature (winning clusters removed, new symbols drop)

Key numbers (as typically published by Pragmatic Play):

• RTP (Return to Player): Around 96.46% in the default setting
• RTP variants: Lower settings also exist, often around 95% or below, depending on casino choice
• Volatility: High
• Max win: Up to roughly 5,000x your bet (official cap is just under that)
• Hit rate: Not always listed precisely, but expect fairly frequent small clusters, with big hits rare

Feature highlights in one place:

• Money symbols with fixed cash values
• Several different collect symbols that gather those values and apply modifiers
• Free spins with progressive multipliers applied to money symbols
• Tumbles after every win, allowing chain reactions in a single paid spin

Platform and availability:

• Fully HTML5-based, works in browser on desktop, tablet, and smartphone
• Available at many Canadian online casinos that carry Pragmatic Play content
• No separate app required; runs in Chrome, Safari, Edge, or other modern browsers

If a Canadian casino offers Pragmatic Play, there is a decent chance John Hunter and the Quest for Bermuda Riches is in the lobby, though game selection can still vary between sites and provinces.

Theme, Story, and First Impressions

John Hunter’s Bermuda Adventure

The theme sticks closely to Pragmatic Play’s usual formula for this series: classic pulp-style adventure, exotic locations, and a treasure hunter who looks like he stepped out of a 1980s action movie. This time, the focus shifts to the Bermuda Triangle, with its myths of lost ships, strange disappearances, and cursed riches.

The slot’s opening screens set the tone quickly. The grid appears on what feels like an isolated island, with strange ruins and hints of shipwrecks in the background. The idea is that these riches have been sitting here for a long time, waiting for someone reckless enough to come looking. John Hunter fills that role, popping up in symbol form as the top-paying character.

There is a light narrative thread, but it never slows down the action. You get hints of mystery in the background art, the symbol design (ancient idols, maps, relics), and the general mood, rather than cutscenes or in-depth storytelling. Free spins and special features are framed as deeper dives into the island’s secrets rather than a separate chapter.

Compared with other John Hunter titles like Book of Tut or Aztec Treasure, this one feels a bit more playful and less like a straight “serious temple raid”. The Bermuda Triangle setting gives it a slightly more colourful, tropical twist, and the grid-based layout naturally feels more arcade-like than a standard 5-reel expedition. Anyone who enjoyed the theme in previous games but wanted a more modern mechanic will likely appreciate this shift.

Visual Style and Presentation

The 7x7 grid dominates the screen, framed by carved stone and subtle decorative elements. Behind it, a calm sea and a tropical coastline give a sense of isolation. You can spot fragments of shipwrecks, eerie rock formations, and stylized vegetation, all hinting at the Triangle’s reputation without turning the whole scene into outright horror.

The colour palette leans toward deep blues, emerald greens, and golden highlights. Low-paying symbols are usually gem-like or simple icons, with clean shapes and strong contrast so they stay easy to read even during fast tumbles. High-paying symbols include:

• John Hunter himself
• Maps or scrolls
• Various relics and artifacts
• Themed idols and treasure pieces

The user interface is typical for Pragmatic Play. On desktop, the spin button sits on the right side, with plus and minus buttons for adjusting the bet. Autoplay and turbo controls are nearby, along with access to the paytable and information pages. On mobile, the layout is condensed but remains intuitive, with a vertical orientation working particularly well for this tall grid.

Animation-wise, wins are highlighted with a soft glow and a brief pulse before the winning cluster dissolves and new symbols drop into place. Tumbles feel crisp, with a slight sense of weight as symbols fall, which helps sell the idea of a physical grid rather than a static board. Collect features and free spins triggers add extra visual effects: glowing frames, coin bursts, and subtle camera shakes that signal something more significant is happening.

On smaller phone displays, the symbols retain good readability thanks to simple shapes and high contrast. Some of the finer details in the background art are lost on a small screen, but the important game information (bet size, win totals, feature counters) remains clean and legible. The design feels purpose-built for mobile rather than simply shrunk down from a desktop-first layout.

Sound, Music, and Atmosphere

The soundtrack combines light adventure music with tropical undertones. Expect gentle drums, a touch of strings, and a slightly mysterious motif looping in the background. It sets a mood of exploration without becoming overly intense, which suits the longer sessions that a high-volatility slot can encourage.

Spin sounds are fairly understated: a soft whoosh as the symbols settle, a clicky confirmation when you start the round, and a subtle ringing tone when clusters land. Bigger wins get a bit more attention, with layered jingles and rising notes that follow the coin count on screen. Feature triggers and collect events bring in deeper chimes, short fanfares, and occasional vocal stingers, though nothing too intrusive.

Over time, the music can become repetitive if you are playing for an extended period, as often happens in grid slots where you chase that one big bonus round. Pragmatic Play includes simple options to mute the background music, sound effects, or both. These controls are usually accessible via a small speaker icon or in the game’s settings menu. Muting audio has no impact on gameplay; it simply makes the session quieter if you prefer to listen to your own music or play discreetly.

The overall audio profile suits players who like some ambience without constant loud effects. It enhances the atmosphere, but it is not so distinctive that it becomes a reason to play on its own.

Paytable, Symbols, and Payout Structure

Grid Layout and Pay Mechanic

John Hunter and the Quest for Bermuda Riches uses a 7x7 grid with a cluster pays system instead of classic paylines or ways-to-win. To score a win, you need a group of at least 5 matching symbols connected horizontally or vertically. Diagonal connections do not count.

When a winning cluster appears, the symbols in that cluster are removed from the grid. The remaining symbols fall down to fill the gaps, and new symbols drop in from above to occupy the empty spaces. This is the tumble (or avalanche) feature. If new clusters form after the drop, they also pay and disappear, allowing multiple successive wins from a single paid spin.

The process continues until no new cluster is formed. Only then is the total win for that spin calculated and displayed. This dynamic creates a sense of flow: small clusters often lead to secondary hits, especially near the centre of the grid, where fresh symbols can connect with others on multiple sides.

Money symbols and special collect symbols can land on any spin, appearing on top of the regular symbol set. They do not pay like ordinary symbols; instead, they interact with each other via special rules described below.

Regular Symbols and Their Values

The paytable is split into low-paying and high-paying symbols, with a clear difference in both visual style and payout potential.

Low-paying symbols are typically gemstone-style icons or simple shapes in different colours. While exact icons can vary slightly in description, the structure is similar:

• At 5-symbol clusters, they pay a small return, often barely more than a fraction of your stake.
• As the cluster grows (e.g., 10+, 15+, 25+ symbols), payouts increase, but they remain modest compared with high-paying symbols.

Premium symbols feature more detailed artwork:

• John Hunter as the top symbol
• Maps or scrolls
• Treasure idols and relics

These higher-value icons offer significantly better returns, especially in larger clusters. A big cluster of John Hunter symbols can create one of the strongest base game hits, particularly when combined with sequential tumbles.

As a general pattern:

• Minimum cluster size for any win: 5 symbols
• Medium clusters (10–14 symbols): meaningful wins, but not usually session-defining
• Large clusters (15+ symbols): can produce satisfying payouts, especially with premiums

The paytable shows the exact multiplier values for each symbol at various cluster sizes, such as 5, 7, 10, 12, 15, and so on. Payouts are listed as multiples of your total bet per spin.

Special Symbols and What They Do

Several special symbols drive the real excitement in John Hunter and the Quest for Bermuda Riches. Understanding what each does will help you judge when a spin has genuine potential.

Wild symbol

• Typically represented by a themed wild icon
• Substitutes for regular pay symbols in forming clusters
• Does not usually replace scatter symbols or special money/collect symbols
• Can land on any reel position, adding flexibility to cluster formation

Wilds are particularly impactful on large grids because a well-placed wild can bridge two almost-complete clusters, turning them into a single bigger group and boosting the payout tier.

Scatter symbol

• Often depicted as a bonus or free spins icon, with clear labeling
• Landing 3 or more scatters in view typically triggers the free spins feature
• Extra scatters beyond the minimum can add more free spins or other perks, depending on the version

Scatters do not care about clusters; they pay and/or trigger features based on quantity anywhere on the grid. In this game, the main role is to unlock the bonus round, where most of the slot’s full potential is concentrated.

Money symbols

• These symbols display a cash value directly on them, tied to your current bet
• They can appear in both the base game and free spins
• On their own, money symbols do nothing; they need a collect symbol to convert their values into a real win

Money symbols often land in small groups, occasionally spread widely around the grid. When a collect symbol hits on the same spin, it activates and gathers the visible money values.

Collect symbols
John Hunter and the Quest for Bermuda Riches includes several types of collect symbols, each with a distinct effect. Exact names may differ slightly in the info screen, but their roles follow a familiar pattern:

• Standard Collect: Gathers all money symbol values in view and pays them as a single total.
• Extra Collect or Add Collect: First increases the values of all money symbols by a certain amount, then collects them.
• Multiplier Collect: Applies a multiplier to the sum of all money symbols before paying.
• Respin or Re-Collect types (where applied): May trigger additional collections of money symbol values, either immediately or as part of the bonus.

When a collect symbol lands, it interacts with every money symbol visible on the grid at that moment. If multiple collect types land together, they can stack their effects in a specific order defined in the rules (usually explained in a separate section of the paytable).

Free spins feature symbols
In the free spins bonus, money and collect symbols become more frequent and often benefit from an increasing multiplier. Some versions of the game also introduce special frames or marked positions that can enhance money symbol values over time. These are clearly explained in the bonus section of the info pages.

Reading the Paytable Efficiently

The paytable and game rules are accessed via the menu icon, usually found at the lower left or right of the screen on desktop, and behind an “i” or hamburger icon on mobile. Once opened, you can swipe or click through several pages:

1. Symbol values and cluster sizes
2. Special symbols (wild, scatter, money, collect)
3. Free spins rules and any multipliers
4. General information (RTP, volatility, bet limits, etc.)

To quickly judge volatility from the paytable alone, look at how the top symbol clusters scale. In this slot, maximum cluster sizes (30+ symbols) pay very high multiples, while smaller clusters and low symbols are relatively modest. That steep curve between mid-sized and max clusters hints at high volatility: big hits are possible, but they rely on rare setups and often a feature.

It is also worth checking:

• Minimum cluster size: always 5 symbols
• The jump from 5-symbol to 10-symbol clusters for premiums
• Whether money symbol values look substantial compared with your base bet

If the biggest wins in the paytable are locked behind very large clusters, multipliers, or combined money-collect effects, expect swingy sessions.

Math Model: RTP, Volatility, and Hit Frequency

Return to Player (RTP) Details

The default RTP for John Hunter and the Quest for Bermuda Riches is usually advertised around 96.46%. That number reflects the theoretical long-term percentage of total wagers returned to players across many spins, not an individual session.

However, Pragmatic Play, like many modern providers, offers multiple RTP configurations for the same game. Canadian online casinos can choose which version to host. It is not uncommon to see lower settings, such as around 95% or slightly below, depending on operator preference and local policies.

In practical terms:

• At roughly 96.46%, the return is fairly standard for a modern online slot.
• A 1–1.5% difference in RTP is not usually noticeable in a quick session but may matter to players who grind long-term.

To check the active RTP at a given casino:

1. Open the game.
2. Look for an “i” icon, menu button, or help section.
3. Scroll or click through until you find the “Payout Information” or “Game Rules” page.
4. The current RTP should be listed there, sometimes with a note that different versions exist.

If you do not see it clearly in-game, some operators list RTP in their general help or game info pages on the website. It can be worth checking, especially if you prefer to play only the highest available setting.

Volatility and Game Rhythm

Pragmatic Play labels John Hunter and the Quest for Bermuda Riches as a high-volatility slot. In practice, that means:

• Base game spins can feel light, with many rounds returning less than the stake or nothing at all.
• Big wins tend to cluster around the free spins bonus or strong money-collect combinations.
• Bankroll swings can be sharp, so short sessions may be very up or very down.

During regular play, you will see a fair number of small cluster wins, especially from low-paying symbols. These help keep the balance ticking over but are rarely enough to offset long dry patches on their own. The real excitement comes when:

• Several money symbols land with a strong collect modifier, or
• The free spins round is triggered and multipliers start climbing.

For players with smaller bankrolls, it makes sense to:

• Choose modest bet sizes relative to your budget.
• Expect that bonus rounds may take time to arrive.
• Decide in advance what a “good hit” looks like and when to walk away.

Those who prefer steady, low-risk play may find the emotional swings a bit intense. On the other hand, anyone who enjoys chasing high multipliers and is comfortable with variance will likely appreciate the game rhythm.

Hit Frequency and Win Distribution

Exact hit frequency figures are not always clearly published, and they can vary slightly depending on RTP configuration. Qualitatively, though, the structure of a 7x7 cluster slot with tumbles tells you a few things:

• Small wins are fairly common. It is not unusual to see at least one low-value cluster every few spins.
• Tumbles often add one or two extra small clusters on top of an initial win, but long tumble chains are rarer.
• High-paying symbol clusters and strong money-collect hits are relatively infrequent.

Money symbols add another layer to this distribution. They can appear without a collect symbol, teasing potential but paying nothing on their own. When a collect symbol lands with multiple money values on screen, the spin can suddenly jump from unremarkable to impressive. This “all or nothing” feel is part of what makes hit frequency seem streaky: long periods of modest returns punctuated by occasional big conversions.

In the free spins bonus, hit frequency for meaningful wins increases, mostly due to:

• More frequent money symbols and collect symbols
• The presence of multipliers that boost the value of each collection

As a result, a single well-timed collect in free spins can outweigh dozens of base game spins. That skewed distribution is a hallmark of high-risk, high-reward design and something to bear in mind when deciding how long to play.

Final Thoughts on John Hunter and the Quest for Bermuda Riches

John Hunter and the Quest for Bermuda Riches combines a familiar adventure theme with a modern 7x7 cluster grid, tumbling reels, and a money-collect system that drives most of the serious payouts. The visuals are bright and readable, the audio sets a light exploratory mood, and the interface works cleanly on both desktop and mobile for Canadian players.

From a gameplay perspective, it leans into high volatility. Small clusters appear often enough to keep you engaged, but the real action sits inside the collect mechanics and the free spins bonus, where multipliers can turn a board full of money symbols into a dramatic win. That structure will appeal to players who enjoy some risk and are willing to ride out quieter stretches in search of a big moment.

For anyone curious about a more feature-rich entry in the John Hunter series, this is a solid, modern choice. Just treat the math model with respect, pick a stake that suits your bankroll, and explore the Bermuda riches with the same caution John Hunter probably should have shown when he first set foot on that mysterious island.