?? More on Megaways
Megaways is a game engine created by Australian developers Big Time Gaming, where every spin produces a different number of symbols on each reel. Generally, this amounts to 2-7 symbols over 5 or 6 reels, generating a huge number of win ways. In essence, Megaways is so simple you wonder why no one had thought of it before - and therein lays its genius.
No doubt a lot of other developers wished they had because the engine's popularity has exploded, powering a ton of different slots. Thanks to licensing agreements, many developers have used Big Time Gaming's engine to power their own games, including modernising older slots via Megaways remakes.
?? How do Megaways Slots Work?
As mentioned in the introduction, Megaways is a game mechanic that allows for a virtually unlimited number of potential winning combinations on any given spin. This is achieved through the use of cascading reels and random multipliers. Cascading reels refer to the fact that in a Megaways slot, symbols that make up a winning combination will disappear and be replaced by new symbols. This can lead to a chain reaction of wins, as the disappearance of one set of symbols can cause others to fall into place and create new winning combinations.
Random multipliers, on the other hand, are an added feature that can increase the size of the player's win. This can range from a 2x multiplier to a 20x multiplier. The combination of these two features means that there can be thousands or even tens of thousands of potential winning combinations on every spin. And with each cascading reaction, the number of potential winning combinations increases. This makes for highly dynamic and exciting gameplay, as players never know what to expect from one spin to the next.
It's worth noting that while the number of ways to win can be incredibly high in Megaways slots, the actual size of the bet can vary. Some Megaways slots have a minimum bet of just a few cents, while others can have much higher minimums. This means that there's a Megaways slot out there for every budget, and players can tailor their gameplay to their own preferences and risk tolerance.
Another important thing to consider is volatility. Megaways slots are known to be highly volatile, which means they can be riskier but also can offer higher potential payouts. This can be attractive to some players, but it's important to be aware of this characteristic before playing Megaways slots.
Overall, Megaways offers a truly unique and exciting way to play online slots, with the potential for big payouts and endless possibilities with every spin. In the next section, we'll look at some of the most popular Megaways slots currently available to play
?? How do You Win on Megaways Slots?
The general rule of thumb is to land three matching symbols consecutively from the first reel onwards. Since there are no paylines, symbols can land on any row and still form a winner. With all of that space to use, it is possible to win from more than one type of symbol on a single spin as well. It is similar to the classic 243 win ways scenario, but with a whole lot more going on.
?? Megaways Slots Features
Another area where Megaways proves its worth is in the large range of features it can incorporate. As well as the standard ones you find everywhere such as wilds, scatters, and free spins, here are a few others you are likely to come across when taking on a Megaways title.
Cascades
This feature may appear under different names, such as Reactions, Avalanches, and Cascades, and is the peanut butter to the jelly when it comes to Megaways. How it works is that when a winning combination lands, the symbols involved explode off the grid to let new ones cascade down into the gaps. This can lead to consecutive chains of wins from a single spin and is a match made in slots heaven when it comes to Megaways.
Progressive win multiplier
One feature that builds on the cascading mechanic is a progressive win multiplier. Here an initial win comes with a multiplier of x1, which increases by +1 for each subsequent cascade. This means the more consecutive cascades, the higher the multiplier will climb. When active during a base game, the multipliers reset to x1 on a new spin. However, during free spins, the multiplier often does not reset but can only ever go up, leading to significant values.
Mystery symbols
This is another feature common to Megaways slots. Whenever mystery symbols land, they all change to reveal the same common symbol. Usually, they appear scattered around the grid, but you may find them stacked in some titles.
Wild Multipliers
While not exclusive to Megaways, wild multipliers are another feature that absolutely shines in conjunction with what the engine can do. Inspired Gaming's Desperados Wild Megaways is a great example of this, as not only do wild multipliers star in the game, but they can also become sticky, and two or more have their multipliers multiplied together for potentially better results.
Bonus buy
Another Big Time Gaming innovation is the bonus buy option. This gives players the chance to buy their way to the bonus game for a multiple of the total stake. Twists on bonus buys include collecting some sort of token to reduce the cost of buying the feature or opening up an enhanced bonus game, such as with Royal Mint Megaways (Big Time Gaming).
