Review of The Hand of Midas Slot by Pragmatic Play
The Hand of Midas is a visually stunning and highly engaging online slot game developed by Pragmatic Play, centered around the legend of King Midas, whose touch turned everything he touched into gold. This game captures the essence of wealth, power, and mythical allure, offering players the chance to unlock massive rewards with a combination of dynamic features, stunning graphics, and an immersive soundtrack. With a high-volatility setup and a variety of bonus features, The Hand of Midas is designed to keep players on the edge of their seats as they chase after the legendary king’s golden touch.
In this extensive review, we will delve into the theme, mechanics, features, RTP, and overall gameplay experience to provide a comprehensive understanding of what The Hand of Midas offers to players.
Overview and Theme
The Hand of Midas is inspired by the ancient Greek myth of King Midas, a ruler who was granted the power to turn everything he touched into gold. The slot captures this fascinating myth with gold-filled reels and a majestic backdrop, where the rich, golden ambiance echoes the king’s legendary powers. The game’s theme focuses on wealth, treasure, and the fantastical idea of turning mundane objects into precious gold, making it particularly appealing to players who enjoy themes involving royalty, mythology, and immense riches.
The backdrop features an ancient, grandiose palace adorned with gold accents and filled with lush greenery. The reels themselves are designed to reflect the opulence of Midas’s empire, with gold borders and symbols that stand out on a dark background. The soundtrack is dramatic and atmospheric, enhancing the feeling of royalty and excitement as you spin the reels in search of gold.
Symbols on the reels include high-value items like crowns, goblets, and treasure chests, along with lower-value card symbols (A, K, Q, J, 10). The most crucial symbol in the game is the Hand of Midas symbol, which not only acts as a Wild but also plays a key role in triggering the bonus features. The imagery and attention to detail help immerse players in the theme of wealth and power.
Game Mechanics and Setup
Reels and Paylines
The Hand of Midas features a 5×3 reel setup with 20 fixed paylines, a layout that is familiar to many players. This means that winning combinations are formed by landing matching symbols across one of the 20 active paylines, starting from the leftmost reel.
The game uses traditional payline mechanics, where players aim to land symbols in adjacent positions across the reels. The 20 fixed paylines ensure that every spin has the potential to land a winning combination, providing an exciting balance between frequent wins and big payouts when the features activate.
Wild Symbol
The Hand of Midas symbol is the Wild symbol in the game, and it plays an essential role in boosting the player’s chances of landing winning combinations. As a Wild, it substitutes for all regular symbols (except for the Scatter) to help form winning paylines.
The Wild symbol is particularly valuable because it can also trigger the Hand of Midas feature. Whenever the Hand of Midas Wild symbol lands on the reels, it can turn up to five symbols into gold, increasing the chances of landing high-paying combinations. This feature can be especially lucrative, turning low-value symbols into high-value gold symbols and setting up the potential for big wins.
Scatter Symbol and Free Spins Feature
The Scatter symbol is represented by the Golden Throne, and landing three or more Scatter symbols anywhere on the reels triggers the Free Spins feature.
- 3 Scatters = 12 Free Spins
- 4 Scatters = 15 Free Spins
- 5 Scatters = 20 Free Spins
Once the Free Spins round is activated, players receive a set number of free spins with the potential for additional bonus features. The standout feature of the Free Spins round is the Hand of Midas symbol, which appears more frequently during this phase of the game. This increased presence of Wilds can turn multiple symbols into gold and greatly boost the payout potential.
During the Free Spins round, the Hand of Midas feature can turn the regular symbols into gold versions, which carry higher values. This multiplier effect, combined with the increased number of Wilds, enhances the chances of securing larger wins. Furthermore, the Free Spins feature can be re-triggered if more Scatters land during the bonus round, prolonging the excitement and extending the chances of hitting significant payouts.
Hand of Midas Feature
The Hand of Midas Feature is an exciting element of the base game and the Free Spins round. Whenever the Hand of Midas Wild symbol appears, it activates this feature by turning up to five randomly selected symbols into gold versions. These gold symbols hold higher values than the regular symbols, which means that players have a better chance of landing high-paying combinations.
This feature adds a significant level of excitement to the game, as each spin could see multiple symbols turn to gold, creating the possibility of a large payout. The Hand of Midas feature can also activate during the Free Spins round, leading to even more lucrative opportunities for players. This combination of Wilds, gold symbols, and the potential for re-triggering Free Spins makes for a thrilling gameplay experience.
RTP and Volatility
The Hand of Midas offers an RTP (Return to Player) rate of 96.54%, which is above the industry standard for online slots. This RTP ensures that players have a reasonable return on their bets in the long term, though it is important to note that individual sessions may experience variance.
The game is classified as high volatility, meaning that wins may be less frequent but have the potential to be much larger when they occur. High-volatility slots are ideal for players who enjoy the excitement of chasing big payouts and who are comfortable with longer periods of dry spells between big wins. Given the features of The Hand of Midas, the game offers the opportunity for substantial rewards, especially during the Free Spins and Hand of Midas features.
Betting Range and Payouts
The Hand of Midas offers a flexible betting range, making it accessible to a wide variety of players. The minimum bet starts at 0.20 credits per spin, while the maximum bet can go up to 100 credits per spin. This wide range accommodates both casual players and high-rollers, allowing them to adjust their stakes according to their budget.
The maximum payout in The Hand of Midas is 5,000x your stake, which is a substantial potential reward, especially when the Hand of Midas feature is active, and symbols are turned into gold. This high win potential, combined with the exciting Free Spins and Hand of Midas features, makes the game appealing for those who are willing to take risks in search of big payouts.
Mobile Compatibility
As with all Pragmatic Play slots, The Hand of Midas is fully optimized for mobile play. Whether you’re using a smartphone or tablet, the game runs smoothly across all devices, offering the same high-quality graphics, animations, and sound effects as the desktop version. The mobile interface is user-friendly, and the game is responsive, making it easy to place bets, spin the reels, and activate features on smaller screens.
Whether you’re on iOS or Android, you can enjoy the full experience of The Hand of Midas while on the go, making it convenient for players who want to enjoy the game wherever they are.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- High win potential: With a maximum payout of 5,000x your stake, the game offers significant rewards, particularly during the Hand of Midas feature and Free Spins round.
- Engaging theme: The rich, gold-themed design and the legend of King Midas provide an immersive and exciting backdrop for the game.
- Bonus features: The Hand of Midas Wild feature, along with Free Spins and gold-symbol transformations, adds excitement and plenty of opportunities for big wins.
- Re-triggerable Free Spins: The ability to re-trigger Free Spins increases the potential for extended gameplay and additional rewards.
- Flexible betting range: The game is suitable for both casual players and high-rollers, allowing for a broad audience.
- Mobile optimization: The game is fully optimized for mobile play, making it easy to enjoy on smartphones and tablets.
Cons:
- High volatility: The high volatility may not appeal to players who prefer more frequent wins with smaller payouts.
- Can take time to trigger features: The Free Spins and Hand of Midas features can take time to activate, which might lead to longer periods between significant wins.
- No progressive jackpot: While the game offers substantial payouts, it does not feature a progressive jackpot, which some players may prefer.
Final Verdict
The Hand of Midas is an exciting and visually stunning slot that offers a thrilling mix of high volatility, lucrative features, and an immersive theme. The game’s golden atmosphere, inspired by the myth of King Midas, creates a sense of opulence and adventure, while the combination of Wilds, Free Spins, and the Hand of Midas feature ensures that players have multiple chances to win big.
With a maximum payout of 5,000x your stake, The Hand of Midas offers high-reward gameplay, particularly for players who enjoy the thrill of chasing substantial payouts. The high volatility makes the game suitable for risk-takers who are looking for significant rewards, but it may not appeal to players who prefer more frequent, smaller wins.
Overall, The Hand of Midas is a captivating slot with an engaging theme, rewarding features, and a high payout potential, making it a must-try for fans of high-stakes, mythological-themed slots. If you’re seeking a slot that offers big rewards and an immersive experience, The Hand of Midas is certainly worth a spin.