No other casino game can beat the appeal of slots, and their ever-increasing popularity can be ascribed to their affordability, variety, additional features, and availability.
The attempts of game-making studios to increase the entertainment slots deliver have resulted in the creation of the so-called Megaways slots that stole the limelight right away. These games have taken the gambling industry by storm, and the mind-blowing winning opportunities they offer are what make players gravitate towards slots of this breed.
Gambling enthusiasts who have never tried their hand at slots that use this ground-breaking mechanic should not dig deep for such games as a constantly growing number of software developers focus on the creation of such games. Go ahead with the article to learn more about this game-changing mechanic and some of the fan-favorite games it is used in.
The Ins and Outs of Megaways Slots
The Megaways slots mechanic has made some far-reaching changes in the way slots work, which is why we will explain what it is all about. As likely as not, reel spinners might have noticed that more and more software developers have started to add Megaways to their titles, but Big Time Gaming was the software developer to design and patent this game engine. It all started with the release of Bonanza Megaways, which is the very first slot in which the innovative game mechanic is employed.
What makes such games different is that normally, they are based on six reels, and the number of the win lines changes each time players hit the spin button. The innovative modifying mechanics of these games changes with each new game round, and the more symbols end up on the reels, the better.
In fact, what looks somewhat confusing for players at first is that they think they will face a multi-payline slot. Yet, the thing is that such slots are stripped down from the paylines gambling enthusiasts might be well used to seeing in regular slots.
With this in mind, such slots are much more action-packed, and unlike ordinary slots that come with a predetermined number of ways to win, with Megaways slots, the winnings opportunities are almost endless, which is where their appeal stems from.
How Does the Megaways Mechanic Work
Now, let’s go into the heart of the matter and explain how the Megaways mechanics works and what its set-up is. As we said already, the distinctive trait of slots in which this engine is used is that the number of the win lines is not pre-established and instead changes with each new game round. Let’s take as an example a slot in which six reels are added to the mix, the number of icons that can load per reel will be a minimum of two and a maximum of seven. For comparison, in slots that rely on the 243-ways-to-win mechanic, the game area is made of three rows and five reels.
Since the reel modifier provides different outcomes on each spin, players can only make out the number of Megaways that are activated during the current round after they multiply the number of symbols that have loaded per reel.
Therefore, if two symbols are displayed per reel, this will result in 324 Megaways (2x2x2x2x2x2), and therefore, the maximum number of Megaways will be triggered when each reel contains seven icons and it will be 117,649(7x7x7x7x7x7). It should be noted, however, that in some Megaways slots there is an additional reel, which is pinned above the standard reel grid. The number of icons it contains varies from one game to another, but normally, this reel adds four more symbols.
As you can see, the number of Megaways is adjusted according to the number of the shifting rows, in our case, they can decrease to 324 or go up to 117,649.
What reel spinners should remember is that the number of Megaways varies greatly between the different slots, and with some games, it can run into up to 586,971. Reel spinners can also stumble upon slots where the Megaways are 4,096, 15,625, 16,807, or 46,656, but no matter the case, the main principle of all these games remains the same. Of course, reel spinners should know that the chances of witching on all Megaways on the same spin are exceptionally slim.
Yet, the changeable number of the reels is not the only thing to consider while playing Megaways slots, as players should also bear in mind that the way winning combinations are completed is also not the same as with regular slots. While availing yourself in such slots, you will collect a payoff whenever matching icons load on the reels on adjacent reels, no matter the position. What is essential to point out is that seeing a winning combo is possible from left to right and vice versa.
Providers of Megaways Slots
The creators of gaming content from Big Time Gaming are the brains behind the fresh slot mechanic but a number of other software developers have started to exploit it while designing their games, which is anything but surprising considering the prominence to which such games have risen.
Since this innovative slot mechanic made a splash among players, it is hardly surprising that established and up-and-coming software developers turned their eyes to it. In fact, most providers used the Megaways engine in order to breathe a new life into titles that have already turned into fan favorites.
NetEnt, iSoftBet, and Red Tiger are only some of the prominent software developers that have rolled out titles based on the Big Time Gaming-created engine. Other software providers the likes of Blueprint Gaming, Relax Gaming, Iron Dog Studios, WMS, and Barcrest, among others have also rolled out Megaways slots.
Interestingly enough, Microgaming also entered into an agreement with Big Time Gaming to use their Megaways engine. Earlier in 2020, the software provider, which is based on the Isle of Man rolled out Shamrock Holmes Megaways, which is its first release in which the slot engine is added. This is a detective-based video slot, which gives players the opportunity to bag wins in 117,649 ways.
Microgaming Megaways Releases
iSoftBet Megaways Releases
Blueprint Gaming Megaways Releases
Relax Gaming Megaways Releases
Iron Dog Studios Megaways Releases
WMS Megaways Releases
Barcrest Megaways Releases
Microgaming Megaways Releases
- Shamrock Holmes Megaways
- Ancient Fortunes: Poseidon Megaways
- 8 Golden Skulls of Holly Roger Megaways
- Forgotten Island Megaways
- Juicy Joker Megaways
iSoftBet Megaways Releases
- Aztec Gold Megaways
- Majestic Megaways
- Dragon Match Megaways
- Western Gold Megaways
- Moriarty Megaways
Blueprint Gaming Megaways Releases
- Return of Kong Megaways
- Deal or No Deal Megaways
- Buffalo Rising All Action Megaways
- Diamond Mine Megaways
- Gods of Olympus
Relax Gaming Megaways Releases
- Temple Tumble Megaways
- Machina Megaways
- Hypernova Megaways
Iron Dog Studios Megaways Releases
- Rainbow Wilds Megaways
- Megaways Jack
- 1 Million BC Megaways
- Pirate Kingdom Megaways
- Astro Newts Megaways
WMS Megaways Releases
- Spartacus Megaways
- Montezuma Megaways
- Raging Rhino Megaways
Barcrest Megaways Releases
- Beetlejuice Megaways
- Rainbow Riches Megaways
What Bonus Features to Expect from Megaways Slots
Megaways slots are easily instant attention-grabbers, and this is so not only because of the increased winning opportunities they offer but also owing to their special features. The presence of the reel modifying mechanic, however, should not leave players thinking that such slots are without frills and offer nothing in the bonus department.
In terms of bonus features, Megaways slots are in no way different from regular slots, as in either case, players can benefit nearly from the same array of added extras.
Free Spins
The Buy Bonus Feature
Wild Win Multipliers
Cascading Reels
Mystery Bonus Feature
Free Spins
First off, the free spins functionality is one of the most widely-used special features not only across Megaways slots, but in slots in general. Players might enjoy the spinning action Megaways slots offer all the more because some such games go tied with rounds of free spins where no ceiling is imposed on the re-triggers. Based on the slot of your choice, you might also run into games that award rounds of free spins during which a preset number of Megaways will be in play.
The Buy Bonus Feature
Another special feature software providers tend to add to their Megaways slots is the buy bonus one, and White Rabbit by Big Time Gaming is the game where it was utilized for the first time. As the name hints, activating this bonus mechanic means that players will not be required to wait until they trigger the preferred side game and instead will go into it right off.
Of course, the chance to jump straight into the preferred bonus game comes at a cost, and the sum, which will be taken from their balance to proceed with the selected side game is between 50x and x100 the staked amount. Yet, there are also games that are more on the extreme end of the scale, and the price of the buy bonus feature runs into 200x the staked amount.
Wild Win Multipliers
While spinning the reels of Megaways slots, players might also be presented with the wild win multipliers. The way such multipliers work might differ greatly from one slot to another but slot buffs should be aware that in most cases, they can load exclusively on specific reels. No matter the case, landing such symbols can result in some healthy prizes, which is why players are advised to check for the availability of this bonus mechanic.
Cascading Reels
Landing whopping prizes is possible also thanks to the cascading reels most Megaways slots are equipped with. This bonus feature is activated whenever a winning combo is formed, and when this happens, the symbols that have formed it will disappear, thus making room for new symbols that should hopefully complete another winning combo. It should be noted that the cascading reels feature will go on until no more winning combos are formed.
Mystery Bonus Feature
Some Megaways slots will certainly keep players on the edge of their seats because they go together with the mystery bonus feature. The appearance of such symbols might lead to some healthy prizes as they will transform a randomly picked symbol into another of the icons that have already loaded on the reel matrix.
These are the most widely-used bonus features players should be prepared to see underway while reveling in Megaways slots, but there is much more to expect from such games.
Megaways and Jackpot Slots Which Are Better
While learning the nuts and bolts of Megaways slots, some reels spinners start asking themselves whether such games outperform titles that go tied with progressive jackpot prizes. It is hard to provide an answer to this question, simply because both types of slots have their own appeal.
When Megaways slots are concerned, the winnings players can potentially come by can turn out to be quite handsome, but the amount they can walk away with always has a ceiling. This is not so with progressive jackpot slots in which the offered prizes escalate with every passing minute, and this will go on until a lucky player collects the jackpot amount.
Megaways and progressive jackpot slots have their strong points and shortcomings, but you are looking to win big, progressive jackpot slots are what you are looking for.
What Are Megacluster and Megaquads Slots
Slots have seen a massive amount of innovation during the past few years, and this undoubtedly works to the advantage of players as what they are up against now is a significantly greater variety of reel set-ups and bonus mechanics.
Needless to say, software developers need to be rather imaginative in order to ensure that the games they create will whet the appetite of players for spinning adventures. A number of game-changing payout technologies were introduced throughout the years, and cluster pays and Megaways slots are only some of the creations software developers have come up with. Megacluster slots are among the most recently introduced innovations in the world of online slots, and once again, Big Time Gaming is the software developer that has come up with this trailblazing technology.
The game-making studio has indeed been looking to create slots that will repeat or at least will get closer to the popularity of Megaways slots have acquired, which is easily justifiable. As for Megacluster slots, what reel spinners will be up against is the standard cluster-pay mechanics, thanks to which winning combos can be formed whenever a cluster of identical symbols loads vertically, horizontally, or diagonally on neighboring reels, but the expanding reel area is what makes these games stand out from the crowd. Initially, such slots play across a 4×4 reel matrix, and the Megaclusters are just 16.
Whenever a winning combo hits the reels, players will not see cascading reels that are widely used in Megaways slots, but will instead see how the symbols that were part of the winning cluster disappear, and four smaller icons of the same kind come over the place of each one of these symbols. When this happens, the chances of players seeing more wins are greatly enhanced, and this chain reaction will go on until the moment when no more wins can be formed. What should be pointed out is that when no more wins occur, the reel grid will turn back into its ordinary shape.
Megacluster Slots
| Name |
Kluster Krystals Megacluster |
| Release Date |
2021 |
| Software Studio |
Relax Gaming |
| Theme |
Crystals |
| Reel Grid |
5×5 |
| Bet Limits |
$0,10-$100 |
| Maximum Win |
9,921.7x the staked amount |
| Special Features |
Symbol upgrade, multiplier feature, free spins, and three mini features, including Krystal Vanish, Krystal Boost, and Krystal Kut |
| Theoretical Return |
96.49% |
| Volatility Level |
High volatility |
| Name |
Cyberslot Megaclusters |
| Release Date |
2020 |
| Software Studio |
Big Time Gaming |
| Theme |
Space theme |
| Reel Grid |
3×3 |
| Bet Limits |
$0,20-$20 |
| Maximum Win |
23,960x the staked amount |
| Special Features |
Reactions, three wild icons, roaming wild, win multiplier, and free spins |
| Theoretical Return |
96.54% |
| Volatility Level |
High volatility |
Big Time Gaming is indeed looking to steal the limelight as the software provider is also to be blamed for the introduction of slots with Megaquads reel mechanics. The biggest peculiarity of such slots is that there are four reel matrixes to look out for. All four matrixes boast set-up of four rows and four reels, and winning combos can be formed in 256 different ways. Considering the number of reels and rows and the number of ways wins can be formed, this adds up to a total of 1,024 ways to form a winning combo each time you hit the spin button.
Megaquads Slots
| Name |
Slot Vegas Megaqudas |
| Release Date |
2020 |
| Software Studio |
Big Time Gaming |
| Theme |
Las Vegas |
| Reel Grid |
Four separate 4×4 reel engines |
| Bet Limits |
$0,20-$20 |
| Maximum Win |
25,200x the staked amount |
| Special Features |
Symbol multiplier feature, rainbow wild bonus feature, and free spins feature |
| Theoretical Return |
96.59% |
| Volatility Level |
High volatility |
As you can see, such slots offer plenty of action, and giving them a try in practice means that players are betting on four different games at the same time.
The Best Slots that Rely on the Megaways Mechanic
Gonzo’s Quest Megaways
Odin Infinity Reels Megaways
Gods of Olympus Megaways
Wheel of Fortune Megaways
Divine Fortune Megaways
Gonzo’s Quest Megaways
| Gonzo’s Quest Megaways |
| Provider | NetEnt and Red Tiger |
| Theme | Mayan theme |
| Number of Reels | 6 |
| Megaways | Up to 117,649 |
| Minimum Bet | $0,10 |
| Maximum Bet | $100 |
| RTP | 96,00% |
| Bonus Features | Avalanche feature, Avalanche multiplier, earthquake feature, free fall feature, and unbreakable wilds feature |
Gonzo’s Quest Megaways replicates the iconic NetEnt-powered slot Gonzo’s Quest, which caused a stir among reel spinners. Just like the original, the Megaways version also allows players to accompany Gonzo during his quest to El Dorado and have a whale of their time all throughout their betting session.
Its Megaways version is not less entertaining, and all the more so because the winning opportunities are increased to 117,649, while the maximum win players will stand the chance to walk away with is 21,000x the staked amount.
In fact, the Megaways version of Gonzo’s Quest is a typical example of games of this kind because its play area features six reels on which a maximum of seven icons can load. What slot buffs should be mindful of is that this is a high-variance game, meaning that they should be prepared to wait slightly longer to see more handsome wins.
The impeccable quality of the visuals will indeed appeal to reel spinners, but the bonus features are what will make them truly enjoy their reel adventure. The Avalanche feature and the Avalanche multiplier might be the key to the most generous prizes, but these are not all extras players should look out for. As they spin the reels, slot buffs will also see the unbreakable wilds feature, thanks to which wilds that are part of winning combos will retain their position on the reels or the earthquake feature, which removes all low-value icons that have loaded on the screen.
Finally, there is the free fall feature, and players should look out for it because it will bring them a different number of bonus spins during which they can still benefit from the win multiplier.
Odin Infinity Reels Megaways
| Odin Infinity Reels Megaways |
| Provider | ReelPlay |
| Number of Reels | The number of the reels starts from 3 and can increase infinitely |
| Megaways | Infinite |
| Theme | Norse mythology |
| Minimum Bet | $0,30 |
| Maximum Bet | $90 |
| RTP | 96.18% |
| Bonus Features | Rounds of free spins, jackpot feature, and symbol multiplier feature |
Odin Infinity Reels is sourced from the gaming suite of the up-and-coming software developer ReelPlay and can be played for as little as $0,30 and a maximum of $90. As it becomes evident from its name, the game is based on Norse mythology, but its theme is by no means the only reason why it is such an attention-grabber. It combines the Megaways and infinite reels mechanics, which is easily what makes it stand out from the crowd.
As they power up the game, players will be presented with just three reels and an additional one will be added, provided that the rightmost reel improves a winning combo. Naturally, this can continue until no more winning combos are completed. As for the number of icons that can load in the play area, slot buffs should expect to see a maximum of five symbols per reel.
Players might be eager to give this slot a try because the maximum win a spin of the reels can result in runs into 20,000x the staked amount. Odin Infinity Reels Megaways boasts an RTP of 96.18%, which is above the industry standard and makes it worth taking a look at.
There is no doubt that the special features of this slot will make players enjoy their spinning adventure still more as there is much going on in the bonus department. The bonus features in this Megaways slots are a total of three, and the jackpot one is beyond doubt the one players will be most keen on. It is triggered when slot mavens score several wins in a row and the number of the reels is 12 or more. The jackpot prize is not a progressive one, and it is 888x the selected bet amount. Odin Infinity Reels Megaways is also equipped with a free spins feature, and players will kick it off when five Gungnir icons load on the screen simultaneously. The two wheels that will pop up then will determine the number of bonus rounds players will be awarded, and that can be a maximum of 12, while the other wheel will determine the free spins level.
The last feature reel spinners can benefit from when availing themselves in this slot is the symbol multiplier one. The value of the multiplier goes up each time a winning combo is formed, and the best thing is that its value is not capped.
Gods of Olympus Megaways
| Gods of Olympus Megaways |
| Provider | Blueprint Gaming |
| Theme | Greek mythology |
| Number of Reels | six |
| Megaways | Up to 15,625 |
| Minimum Bet | $0,10 |
| Maximum Bet | $10 |
| RTP | 96.03% in the main game; 96.65% and 96.91% after the bonus bet feature is activated |
| Bonus Features | Bonus guarantee feature, four types of free spins features, and randomly activated power spins modifiers |
Designed by Blueprint Gaming, Gods of Olympus Megaways is yet another worthwhile slot in which the Megaways engine is used. The look and the feel of this fresh video slot remain the same, no matter if reel spinners will choose to load it on their computer or will rather enjoy it when they are out and about.
There is no denying that this video slot is aesthetically pleasing, and players who are heavily into titles that are based on Greek mythology will certainly appreciate the adroitly designed graphics and animations.
While reveling in this creation of Blueprint Gaming, players will be presented with six reels, and the maximum number of icons that can load per reel is five. Thus, the least number of Megaways will be 64, while at most, players will get to benefit from 15,625 Megaways, which makes Gods of Olympus worth checking out.
Yet, there is more to Gods of Olympus than its beautiful visuals, as this slot offers plenty of action, also when its bonus mechanics are concerned. Giving this mythology-based slot a shot means that players will benefit from power spins modifiers that are activated at random. The modifiers give players access to one out of the five bonus features that include Wild Thunder, Colossal Thunder, Mystery Thunder, Respin Thunder, and Bonus Thunder.
Each of these features will provide players with different extras, and these include more scatter symbols, additional mystery symbols, wild multipliers, and sticky icons, among others. Gods of Olympus is by no means light on special mechanics as it also has four different free spins features.
The best thing is that players can get right into the preferred special feature after they take advantage of the buy bonus feature. Each new game round might result in a maximum payout of 10,000x the staked amount.
Wheel of Fortune Megaways
| Wheel of Fortune Megaways |
| Provider | IGT |
| Theme | TV show |
| Number of Reels | six |
| Megaways | Up to 1 million |
| Minimum Bet | $0,20 |
| Maximum Bet | $200 |
| RTP | 96.46% |
| Bonus Features | Rounds of free spins, megastacks feature, and expansion symbol |
Wheel of Fortune is a video slot, which is themed around the well-known TV show, which makes a staggering number of people tune in. It is courtesy of IGT and Big Time Gaming and is indeed one of the most outstanding Megaways slots as the number of ways to win can run into one million at the most. As for the base game, the number of the Megaways will be 117.649.
Not to mention that the RTP of the game is better than the average as it is 96.46%, while bet limits that range between $0,20 and $200 render this Megaways slot a perfect fit for players with all bankrolls. The maximum possible payout is not to be overlooked, and the ceiling on the prizes Wheel of Fortune Megaways awards stands at 80.150x the staked amount.
This video slot resonates exceptionally well with players not only because of its unusual payout mechanics but also because of its extras. Players will certainly recognize the game show setting straight off, but the wild megastack feature will easily tickle their fancy more than its visuals. Activating this bonus feature means that reel spinners will benefit from wild megastack, which is a symbol made of 7 wilds. The best thing is that players can switch this feature even during the rounds of free spins, and when this comes about, the megastack symbol will consist of 10 wilds.
The free spins feature is another attraction of this video slot, and based on the number of scatter symbols that load on the reels at the same time, they will get between 12 and 18 free rounds in a row. While the free spins feature is underway, the number of the symbols that can appear per real is increased to 10. If the reels happen to reach their maximum size, the number of Megaways will reach 1 million, thus giving players the opportunity to collect the biggest possible prize.
Players’ bankroll might get a significant increase while the free spins feature lasts as along with the wild megastacks, a special expanding symbol will also be in play.
Divine Fortune Megaways
| Divine Fortune Megaways |
| Provider | NetEnt |
| Theme | Greek mythology |
| Number of Reels | six |
| Megaways | 117,649 |
| Minimum Bet | $0,10 |
| Maximum Bet | $100 |
| RTP | 96.09% |
| Bonus Features | Free spins, falling wilds re-spin feature, wild on wild feature, and expanding wilds |
Gonzo’s Quest is not the only iconic slot the creators of gaming content from NetEnt have chosen to give a makeover, as this also happened with Divine Fortune. The fresh version of the fan-favorite slot is based on the Megaways mechanic, and while enjoying the spinning action it offers, players will get to see six reels while the ways to win can run into 117.649 at the most. To achieve the maximum number of Megaways, players should see seven symbols per reel.
Divine Fortune Megaways is indeed an enthralling slot to play, and the maximum possible win of 38.000 the staked amount is what adds up to its appeal. To kick off the spinning action, slot buffs should adjust their bets between $0,10 and $100 and wait to see if they will manage to activate one of the bonus features the game is packed with.
Much like the other NetEnt-powered slots, Divine Fortune also stands out with its glossy visuals, but it is easily not all about them. Getting four to six scatter icons will take players into the free spins feature, and they should prepare to enjoy between 10 to 20 free rounds in a row. Along with the three special symbols that are available exclusively while the feature lasts, players will also get to benefit from expanding wilds.
The special features of Divine Fortune Megawys are indeed uncommon, and the falling wilds re-spin feature is easily not an extra to look for elsewhere. The same also applies to the wild on wild feature during which players can bag some whopping prizes as they can see up to seven wild icons in a column.
