Without a doubt, the biggest genre for these underwater games has to be adventure and exploration. But while that might sound like it could get stale after a while, there are numerous ways in which creators can craft their games and find different kind of sea-based adventures to base their machines on.

For instance, you might simply take a quick dip in the water for a slot that’s based on scuba diving: there’s not much danger there, but there’s still plenty of fun and excitement to be had while swimming through a reef or off a Caribbean island. Go a little deeper, and you can search for shipwrecks that might contain long lost treasures or be occupied by the spirits of those who sailed centuries ago. You might even play games with this theme that feature fantasy elements, such as mermaids or ancient gods, or simply find out what lives in the deepest parts of the world.

No matter what, you can be sure that these games will give you your fix of underwater action. Symbols often include fish, sharks, octopi, and other exotic animals, along with ships, treasures, and beautiful plants. Many times, special bonus rounds will also be themed around these ideas, allowing you to go on a little dive of your own, and hopefully being rewarded handsomely for your efforts.

No matter what kind of underwater game you may be looking for, there are plenty of options out there. That’s probably because we think about the ocean so much: even if you don’t live somewhere where you have easy access to the open water, the high seas appear in stories and legends so often that everyone knows what to expect in a machine based around these ideas. While the following is nowhere near a comprehensive list of these games, these are a few of our favorite slots that deal with undersea themes:

Leagues of Fortune (Microgaming): One of the most popular games in the Microgaming lineup, Leagues of Fortune features an all-ways format that gives you 1,024 ways to win on every single spin! Throw in stacked wilds, a free spins game that features a 5x multiplier, and the potential to win as many as 150,000 coins on every spin, and it’s easy to see why many players have braved the waters to give this game a try.

Dolphin Reef (NextGen): Dolphins are some of the most beloved animals in the world, and they take center stage in Dolphin Reef. As you’d expect, they work as the wild symbol on this slot, but they’re even more powerful than normal: not only can they help complete scatter payouts, but they can also trigger a free spins feature that includes two entirely wild reels! Other underwater creatures include fish, turtles, and seahorses, all of which can contribute to big wins on every play.

Crystal Waters (RTG): Part of the real series, this five-reel, 20 payline machine has long been a favorite at casinos powered by Realtime Gaming. As usual, you’ll be matching ocean-based symbols that include animals, shells, and some standard card ranks (tens through aces) that have been inconveniently placed underwater. Wild dolphins, a yacht scatter, and bonus fish that can provide multipliers as high as 16x on any spin spice up the gameplay, but the real prize is a progressive jackpot that can randomly be awarded at any time.

Under the Sea (Betsoft): If you’re used to Betsoft’s 3D slots, this title might surprise you: it isn’t filled with animation that jumps off your screen. However, this five-reel, 25-line machine is still great fun. You’ll see fish swimming by the bottom of the ocean while you try to make matches out of coral, seahorses, turtles and many other denizens of the sea. There are free spins and wilds, but perhaps most interestingly, you can win a big prize for a “mixed seafood” line – one that only contains crabs, oysters, and whelk.