Aristocrat Leisure Limited knew that players are drawn to dolphins for their unique sounds, friendly nature, and willingness to swim with humans. Developers realized pairing those dolphins with undersea treasures would draw customers, and Dolphin Treasure slot has proven that for nearly a decade in the online casino game market.
The three-by-five-reel slot offers 20 paylines and a variety of betting options. Dolphin Treasure uses a selection of sea-related symbols, complete with wilds and scatters, free games, and even a gamble feature that allows players to double or quadruple their line wins. Players can skip this option, but there is something for everyone.
Game manufacturer: | Aristocrat |
Number of paylines: | 20 |
Game theme: | Oceanic |
RTP: | 94.88% |
Reels: | Five |
Min/Max bet: | $0.20/$200.00 |
Progressive jackpot: | No |
Regular jackpots: | No |
Coin denominations: | $0.01, $0.02, $0.05, $0.10 |
Maximum standard win: | $1,800,000 |
Maximum jackpot win: | N/A |
Free spins: | 15 |
Theme & visuals
The background of Dolphin Treasure is a deep blue ocean, which is where the dolphins of the game prefer to be. Most symbols feature other sea creatures and objects, but the wild is the sunset over the sea – a brilliant yellow and orange circle that contrasts with the blues featured in the rest of the game. When a sunset completes a payline, dolphins leap over the water.
The treasure chest symbol acts as both the scatter and the free spins trigger. Other symbols include sea turtles, seahorses, starfish, octopuses, and gold-colored saltwater fish. There are also the standard playing card symbols on the reels: nines, tens, jacks, Queens, Kings, and Aces.
No music is available for online players, which can make the game somewhat dull when paylines are not hitting. Any type of music – possibly some eerie, deep-sea mystery instrumental – would be a welcome change over silence. Generic slot music does play during the free spins, but it has little to do with the game’s theme.
Betting options & paying combos
There are 20 paylines on the three rows and five reels of Dolphin Treasure. This is a penny machine, so the lowest denomination is $0.01. This is also the lowest bet per line, offering an affordable minimum bet of $0.20.
Players can choose one, two, three, four, five, or ten bets per line. This puts the maximum bet at only $2.00 on the internet casino version.
However, the credit button can be used to change that amount. The lowest option is one credit at $0.01, but it can also be increased to $0.02, $0.05, or $0.10. This makes the maximum bet $200.00 per spin.
The treasure chests are the scatters, and they can appear on any reel. Only two scatters need to appear to pay. If five appear, it pays 400x.
When three, four, or five scatters appear, it triggers the free spins round, which automatically kicks in for 15 free games. All payline wins are tripled during the bonus round, and players can win more free games during the free spins.
The sunset wild symbol also appears on all reels and may substitute for any symbol except the treasure chest. If more than one wild substitutes on a single payline, it doubles the win for that line. Sunsets also pay the most, with five of them adding up to a 9,000x payout.
The highest paying symbols besides the sunset are the turtle or the seahorse, with each paying 750x for five. The starfish pays 400x for five (the same as the treasure chest), and the octopus and other fish each pay 250x for five.
When a player completes the free spins, they can choose to gamble their winnings by selecting a red or black suit for a mystery card. Choosing the correct color doubles their bet. When they select the exact suit, their bet is quadrupled. Winnings may be gambled up to five times, or not at all.
The return-to-player (RTP) for Dolphin Treasure is 94.88%.
Is there a jackpot?
No, Dolphin Treasure does not offer a jackpot.
Additional features & bonus rounds
There is no unique feature that sets Dolphin Treasure apart from other games and no magical other world that launches when players hit a particular payline.
However, the triple-pays feature during the bonus round is notable, as is the gamble feature that allows players to double down on their wins.
1. Wilds
The dolphin sunset serves as the perfect wild symbol, and dolphins leap above the sea when a payline is completed. The wild is available on every reel and can substitute for any symbol, except the treasure chest. The sunset is also the highest-paying symbol in the game.
2. Scatters
The treasure chest is the scatter, and players only need it to hit on two reels to set a win into motion. Landing three or more triggers the free spins bonus round.
3. Free spins
The total number of free spins available is 15, no matter if the player hits three, four, or five treasure chests on neighboring reels. The positive side of the free spins is that all free spin payouts are tripled. Players can trigger more free games during those free spins.
4. Gamble option
When a free spin round is over and a win is tallied, players can click on the “gamble” button to see what options appear for a double-or-nothing-style game. Players do not have to compete, but if they do, they can click on red or black; if correct, they double their winnings.
If they also choose the correct suit of the card that appears, they quadruple their winnings. A wrong choice voids all wins.
Who is the game ideal for?
This game appeals to older players who want familiar themes and simple game rules. While the gamble function can be confusing, players can skip it and stick to the regular gameplay and free spins.
Dolphin Treasure attracts low-limit players who want to access the bonus options without betting too high.
With a minimum bet of $0.20 per spin, customers can play for a long time without losing a lot of money. Higher-stakes players can also enjoy the game, especially at $200 per spin. The gamble function can increase their wins exponentially.
The lack of a special feature, music, or more animated symbols and graphics may send some players, especially younger ones, to newer games with more updated technology.
Similar Aristocrat games
Dolphin Treasure is an older title in the Aristocrat library, so it is difficult to find games that are very similar. Many from its time have not held up as well as Dolphin Treasure. There are other games with ocean themes, such as Whales of Cash and Pelican Pete.
What’s hot?
Triple bonus payouts: While it is disappointing that the highest number of free spins a player can win is 15 at one time, Dolphin Treasure makes up for this by offering triple payouts during those free spins. This increases the excitement level during the bonus round even more.
Gamble feature: Players who like to put more risk into their casino games can use the gamble feature after any free spins payout and put the money on red or black to double that payout. The risk of losing it all is there, but so is the opportunity to double or quadruple the winnings.
Low bet, simple options: For older players and those not wanting a complicated game, Dolphin Treasure offers a slot that can autoplay at $0.20 per spin. The gamble function can also be ignored for simple winnings collections.
What’s not?
No music: It is an older game without background music, which can make play a bit monotonous for some.
Gamble mistakes: If players are not paying close attention, they could choose to gamble all of their free spins winnings before they even realize they’ve done so. If they lose, the winnings are gone in a moment without any chance of recovering them. Players must watch the screen carefully.
No jackpot: There are some significant payouts available in Dolphin Treasure, but there is no specific jackpot or progressive option.
Final Ratings
- Graphics & design- 3/5: The colors of Dolphin Treasure are bright and bold, yet most of them seem outdated and standard. The exception is the beautiful dolphin sunset, which shows the dolphins leaping in and out of the sea, but it leaves the other symbols in the dust. Some updates would improve this game.
- Sound effects- 2/5: There is no sound during regular gameplay, and none of the sounds during any part of the game coincide with the oceanic theme or the sea animals featured on the reels. Online players will be disappointed and may become bored quickly.
- Jackpot value- 1/5: There is no jackpot, only several symbols that do offer significant payouts.
- Replay value- 4/5: Even with several features that could be improved or updated, Dolphin Treasure still ranks fairly high among those who return to the game. Players have long loved this game, whether it is the sea theme, a love for dolphins, or a fondness for a game with a low-bankroll requirement and simple rules. It is the reason it has survived for nearly a decade in this very competitive market.