Extensive Review: Royal Mint Megaways Slot by Big Time Gaming
Released in 2020, Royal Mint Megaways is an exciting and feature-packed online slot developed by Big Time Gaming (BTG). As one of the flagship titles in BTG’s ever-expanding portfolio, this game combines the thrill of the Megaways™ mechanic with the allure of a Royal Mint theme. Players are thrust into a world of golden riches, jewels, and hidden treasures, all set within the walls of a secure royal vault.
With its highly volatile gameplay, innovative mechanics, and the potential for significant payouts, Royal Mint Megaways offers a thrilling experience for fans of both classic slots and modern, high-volatility games. In this review, we’ll explore the gameplay features, mechanics, payout structure, and overall experience to determine what makes this title stand out among other Megaways slots.
Theme and Visual Design
Royal Mint Megaways brings players into the heart of the Royal Mint, where the prized gold and riches of the British monarchy are stored. The design takes advantage of the luxurious and regal theme, incorporating rich golden tones, intricate vault designs, and treasure-filled vaults that hint at an air of opulence.
Visuals:
- The game has a 6-reel layout (as per the Megaways™ system), but the number of symbols per reel changes dynamically with each spin. This means that the grid can have between 2 to 7 symbols per reel, offering up to a maximum of 117,649 Megaways™.
- The background shows a grand golden vault with treasure chests, gold coins, and sparkling jewels. The vault doors are illuminated, providing a bright and glamorous atmosphere, fitting for a game about treasures and riches.
- The reels themselves are set against the backdrop of the Royal Mint, with images of gold bars, purses, crown jewels, and bags of cash symbolizing the game’s high-value rewards.
- The wild symbols are designed with shiny, golden vault doors, while the scatter symbols resemble keyholes that open the vault to potentially huge rewards.
Sound Design:
- The soundtrack of Royal Mint Megaways is suitably luxurious, with a mixture of sophisticated orchestral music that evokes an image of royalty and wealth.
- During spins and wins, there are metallic clinks and clattering sounds of coins and treasures, giving the impression that the vault is constantly opening to reveal even more riches.
- The free spins round and major bonus features bring intensified music and sound effects that keep the energy high and elevate the excitement of triggering big wins.
Gameplay and Mechanics
At the core of Royal Mint Megaways is the Megaways™ engine, which revolutionizes the way symbols land and combine on the reels. Rather than having a fixed number of paylines, the number of possible ways to win can vary from spin to spin, depending on how many symbols appear on each reel.
Megaways™ Mechanics:
- In Royal Mint Megaways, the number of symbols that land on each reel changes with every spin. Reels 1 and 6 can have 2 to 7 symbols, while reels 2, 3, 4, and 5 can have between 3 to 7 symbols. This creates a dynamic and ever-changing grid with the number of possible ways to win ranging from 324 to 117,649 Megaways™.
- Each time a spin occurs, the game automatically calculates the winning combinations based on the number of matching symbols from left to right. This creates a high level of excitement as the payout potential is incredibly unpredictable, but the maximum Megaways™ (117,649) means huge payouts can happen.
Base Game:
- The base game follows the typical Megaways™ layout of 6 reels with 2 to 7 symbols per reel. This gives players a wide variety of potential winning combinations, ensuring that each spin offers something new.
- The wild symbol is the golden vault door, which substitutes for all other symbols except the scatter and bonus symbols, helping to create winning combinations.
- The high-paying symbols in Royal Mint Megaways include the golden crown, bags of cash, and gold bars, while the lower-paying symbols are represented by the A, K, Q, J, and 10 card symbols, designed with a luxurious gold-and-red motif.
- Wins are formed when at least three matching symbols land on adjacent reels from left to right, with the number of Megaways™ determining the total payout.
Bonus Features
The bonus features in Royal Mint Megaways are where the real excitement lies. With free spins, cascading reels, and the chance for big multipliers, this slot offers a substantial opportunity for players to hit massive payouts. Let’s dive deeper into the key bonus elements of the game.
Cascading Reels:
- Like most Megaways™ games, Royal Mint Megaways includes a cascading reels feature. After a winning combination lands, those symbols disappear, allowing new symbols to cascade down and potentially create additional winning combinations in the same spin. This cascading effect can continue as long as new wins are formed, resulting in multiple payouts from a single spin.
Royal Mint Free Spins:
- The scatter symbol (represented by a keyhole) is key to triggering the free spins round. To activate the feature, you need to land at least 4 scatter symbols anywhere on the reels.
- The number of free spins awarded depends on how many scatters you land:
- 4 scatters = 12 free spins
- 5 scatters = 15 free spins
- 6 scatters = 20 free spins
- During the free spins, the cascading wins continue to apply, but multipliers are added into the mix. Multiplier increases after each cascade, boosting the payout potential significantly. The multipliers can continue to grow throughout the bonus round, providing the opportunity for massive wins.
- Additionally, the free spins round can be re-triggered by landing more scatter symbols, prolonging the excitement and offering players even more chances to win.
Mystery Symbol Feature:
- The mystery symbol can appear randomly during both the base game and the free spins round. When this symbol lands, it will transform into a random matching symbol across the reels, potentially helping players land large winning combinations.
- The mystery symbols add an extra layer of unpredictability to the game, keeping players on their toes as they wait to see which symbol will appear.
Bonus Buy (where available):
- If you prefer to skip the base game and jump straight into the action, Royal Mint Megaways offers a Bonus Buy feature (where available). For a fixed price, players can purchase direct access to the free spins round, saving time and going straight to the heart of the game’s biggest payout opportunities.
Payouts and RTP
As a high-volatility slot, Royal Mint Megaways is designed for players who enjoy the thrill of high-risk, high-reward gameplay. While the game’s base game wins can be modest, the true potential for big payouts lies in the free spins round, where multiplying wilds and cascading reels can lead to massive rewards.
RTP (Return to Player):
- The RTP for Royal Mint Megaways is around 96.43%, which is within the typical range for Megaways™ slots. This offers a fair return on average, but as with any high-volatility game, players can expect long periods of lower payouts with the potential for massive wins when the bonus features are triggered.
Maximum Payout Potential:
- The game offers a maximum win of 50,000x your stake, which is an impressive figure for a high-volatility slot. This huge potential makes the game a great choice for players chasing big, life-changing payouts.
Strengths of Royal Mint Megaways
- Innovative Megaways™ Engine: The game’s dynamic Megaways™ system, combined with cascading reels, ensures that no two spins are the same, and the potential for big payouts is high.
- Exciting Bonus Features: With free spins, multiplying wilds, and the mystery symbol, there’s a wealth of opportunities to hit large payouts, especially during the free spins round.
- High Payout Potential: The game’s maximum win of 50,000x your stake is an exciting lure for players who enjoy high-risk, high-reward gameplay.
- Visually Stunning: The regal Royal Mint theme, paired with rich animations, gold, and jewels, creates an immersive atmosphere that enhances the overall experience.
- Solid RTP: With an RTP of 96.43%, the game offers a fair return over time while giving players the chance to win big.
Potential Drawbacks
- High Volatility: The game’s high volatility means that big wins can be rare, and players may experience long dry spells between significant payouts.
- Feature-Dependent: Much of the excitement and potential for
large payouts comes from triggering the free spins and multiplier features, so the base game can feel slower if those features aren’t triggered often. 3. Bonus Buy Restrictions: As with many slots from BTG, the Bonus Buy feature may not be available in all regions, limiting access to the free spins feature for some players.
Conclusion
Royal Mint Megaways is a stellar example of Big Time Gaming’s ability to craft thrilling, feature-rich slots with innovative mechanics. The Megaways™ engine, combined with cascading wins, multiplying wilds, and an immersive Royal Mint theme, creates a game that’s visually captivating and packed with potential for big wins.
While the game’s high volatility may not suit every player, those who enjoy high-risk, high-reward gameplay and the excitement of the free spins bonus round will find plenty to love in Royal Mint Megaways. With a maximum payout potential of 50,000x your stake and an RTP of 96.43%, this slot is a great option for players seeking a thrilling, potentially rewarding adventure in the world of royalty and riches.