Extensive Review of Kingmaker by Big Time Gaming
Big Time Gaming (BTG) is renowned for its innovative slot mechanics, and with Kingmaker, they introduced a game that adds an exciting twist to the typical slot experience. As a Megaways™ slot, Kingmaker takes full advantage of the highly dynamic Megaways™ system, which brings an unpredictable and engaging twist to every spin. Featuring a medieval fantasy theme with high volatility and massive win potential, Kingmaker offers players a thrilling experience that is enhanced by BTG’s signature features and a rich narrative.
In this extensive review, we’ll break down the gameplay, features, theme, visuals, RTP, and other key aspects of Kingmaker, providing an in-depth look at what makes this slot unique and why it’s a popular choice among slot enthusiasts.
Game Overview
- Developer: Big Time Gaming
- Release Date: 2020
- Game Type: Megaways™ Slot
- Theme: Medieval Fantasy
- Reels: 6 reels, dynamic number of rows (up to 7)
- Megaways™: Up to 117,649 ways to win
- RTP (Return to Player): 96.47%
- Volatility: High
- Min Bet: €0.10
- Max Bet: €20
- Max Win: 20,000x your stake
- Bonus Features: Free Spins, Multiplier Wilds, Kingmaker Symbol, and Stacked Symbols
Theme and Visuals
Theme: Medieval Fantasy
Kingmaker transports players to a medieval kingdom, filled with knights, nobles, and legendary treasures. The theme captures the essence of a mythical fantasy world, complete with royalty, battle, and intrigue. The game’s backdrop showcases a grand castle set against a mountainous landscape, with animated elements like flags fluttering in the wind and a foggy atmosphere that enhances the immersive experience.
- Symbols: The symbols in Kingmaker follow the medieval theme, featuring the usual playing card royals (A, K, Q, J, 10), along with higher-paying symbols like crown symbols, shields, royal scepters, and the Kingmaker logo itself. The Kingmaker symbol is crucial to triggering some of the bonus features and plays an essential role in the gameplay.
- Graphics and Design: The visuals in Kingmaker are sharp and well-designed, with vibrant colors and intricate details. The medieval elements are brought to life through the artwork, which features symbols and animations that evoke a sense of grandeur and royalty. The symbols appear against a backdrop of a grand kingdom, with a subtle but atmospheric score adding to the regal experience.
- Sound and Music: The game’s soundtrack is dramatic and orchestral, lending an air of royalty and adventure. The soundtrack intensifies as you approach potential wins, while the spins and wins are accompanied by fitting sound effects, such as the clinking of armor or the rumbling of the royal castle.
Gameplay Mechanics and Features
Megaways™ System
As expected from a Megaways™ slot, Kingmaker features the highly dynamic Megaways™ system, which changes the number of symbols on each reel with every spin. This means that on any given spin, each reel can contain between 2 and 7 symbols, leading to a maximum of 117,649 ways to win. This mechanic offers huge potential for winning combinations, as players don’t have to match symbols on fixed paylines—any combination of symbols landing in adjacent reels from left to right results in a win.
The Megaways™ mechanic keeps each spin exciting and full of possibilities, as the number of symbols on the reels is never predictable. This creates an element of surprise with every spin and adds to the thrill of the game.
Cascading Reels
Kingmaker also features cascading reels, which is a common feature in Megaways™ slots. Whenever a winning combination is formed, the symbols involved in the win disappear, making room for new symbols to fall into place. This can trigger additional wins from the same spin, leading to a cascade of consecutive wins in a single round. The cascading feature is highly exciting and can rapidly escalate payouts, especially during bonus rounds and free spins.
Kingmaker Symbol and Feature
One of the standout features in Kingmaker is the Kingmaker Symbol, which can appear as a stacked symbol on the reels. This symbol is pivotal in activating the Kingmaker feature, a mechanic that adds an additional layer of excitement to the base game.
- Kingmaker Feature: When the Kingmaker symbol lands in a stack on the reels, it triggers the Kingmaker feature, which transforms all the other symbols on the reels into high-paying symbols (usually the crown or other valuable symbols). This can create substantial winning opportunities, especially when the feature lands on reels with many symbols.
Free Spins
The free spins feature is where the real excitement lies in Kingmaker. Players can trigger the free spins by landing 3 or more scatter symbols (represented by the Kingmaker logo) anywhere on the reels. The number of free spins awarded depends on how many scatter symbols appear:
- 3 scatters trigger 10 free spins
- 4 scatters trigger 12 free spins
- 5 scatters trigger 14 free spins
- 6 scatters trigger 16 free spins
During the free spins round, the Kingmaker symbol plays a critical role, as it can increase the frequency of stacked symbols, leading to higher potential for large wins. Additionally, the multiplier effect is active during the free spins, boosting the value of every win as the round progresses.
Multiplier Wilds
In addition to the Kingmaker symbol, the game also features multiplier wilds. These wilds can substitute for any other symbol to help create winning combinations, and they also come with an applied multiplier that increases the value of the win. The wilds can be particularly valuable during the free spins and cascading reels, helping to significantly boost payouts.
Bonus Buy Feature
For players who prefer to bypass the base game and go straight for the big rewards, Kingmaker offers a Bonus Buy feature. This allows you to purchase direct access to the free spins round or the Kingmaker feature for a set price (typically around 100x your bet). This feature is perfect for those who want to skip the grind and jump right into the high-potential bonus rounds.
Payouts and Paytable
The paytable in Kingmaker is typical for a high-volatility Megaways™ slot, with the low-paying symbols being the usual playing card symbols (A, K, Q, J, 10), which award smaller payouts. The higher-paying symbols include:
- Crown: The highest paying regular symbol, offering the largest base game rewards.
- Shield and Scepter: These are mid-level paying symbols.
- Kingmaker Symbol: Crucial for activating key features and unlocking additional wins.
The wilds and scatters do not pay directly but serve to trigger significant features that offer the chance to multiply payouts. The Kingmaker symbol plays a central role in unlocking stacked symbols and triggering the Kingmaker feature, which is key to landing large payouts.
The game’s maximum win potential is 20,000x your stake, a substantial amount that can be achieved through the cascading wins, multiplier wilds, and the high-potential free spins rounds.
RTP and Volatility
- RTP (Return to Player): The RTP for Kingmaker is set at 96.47%, which is fairly typical for high-volatility slots. While not the highest RTP, it offers a good balance of risk and reward for players who enjoy the thrill of large payouts.
- Volatility: The game is classified as high volatility, meaning that wins may not come often, but when they do, they have the potential to be significant. This makes Kingmaker more suited for players who enjoy chasing big wins and are willing to take on a bit more risk in the process.
Max Win Potential
The maximum win in Kingmaker is 20,000x your stake, a potentially life-changing payout. This is achievable during the free spins round, where multiplier wilds and the Kingmaker feature can multiply the value of wins.
Mobile Compatibility
As with all Big Time Gaming titles, Kingmaker is fully optimized for mobile play. The game runs smoothly across both iOS and Android devices, offering a seamless experience on smartphones and tablets. The interface is intuitive and easy to navigate, with all the features intact, ensuring that the gameplay is as smooth and enjoyable on mobile devices as it is on desktop.
Conclusion
Kingmaker by Big Time Gaming is a visually striking and feature-packed Megaways™ slot that offers a thrilling gameplay experience set in a medieval fantasy world. With its high volatility, 117,649 Megaways™, and potential for a max win of 20,000x, the game caters to players who enjoy high-risk, high-reward gameplay. The combination of the Kingmaker symbol, multiplier wilds, cascading reels, and free spins ensures that there are plenty of opportunities for big wins.
The RTP of 96.47% and the Bonus Buy feature are also attractive features, allowing players to purchase their way into the most exciting parts of the game for a price.
With its immersive theme, engaging mechanics, and immense win potential, Kingmaker stands out as one of the more exciting offerings from Big Time Gaming. If you’re a fan of high-volatility slots with the possibility of massive payouts, or if you love the thrill of the Megaways™ system, this game is definitely worth a spin.