Megaways slots

Megaways slots showed us how quickly a certain special feature or game mechanic could take over the online slots world. Even today, you cannot scroll through a list of releases without seeing a few Megaways slots. How did we get here? Who is the mastermind behind this slot-changing game mechanic?

The guys from Big Time Gaming produced the first Megaways slots. The Australian studio has been working on this concept for a while. The company tweaked, adjusted, and tuned the idea until they finally considered it ready to launch.

What was the first game that pioneered this revolutionary concept? It was a not-so-well-known title called Dragon Born.

Of course, first does not mean best. The developer would have to wait until the launch of Bonanza before the industry went Megaways crazy. Rather than keep the mechanic for themselves, Big Time Gaming wisely decided to license it to other software providers.

Licensing allowed Megaways to spread across the internet to become one of the most popular slot features ever! Nowadays, almost every software provider you can think of has a Megaways game. Each developer sought to put their twist to it.

They combined Megaways with different bonuses or adapted it with playing fields of a different size. While classic Megaways slots remain the most popular version, casino members have plenty of options to choose from.

What is Megaways?

All those success stories are great. However, they fail to answer the most crucial question: just what are Megaways anyways? Megaways slots take the boring reels we are familiar with and allow them to change shape drastically with every round.

The reels change their size with each spin, displaying a random number of game symbols on each reel. In most games, the minimum number of icons in a reel is two, while the maximum is seven. However, that is not the case in all Megaways slots. Some decrease the maximum number of rows while others increase it.

Most Megaways slots come with six reels as a default. That said, we have also seen Megaways stretched on smaller and larger game boards.

The changing reel height produces a different number of ways to win each time. By default, 117,649 ways to win are the maximum ways to win for most Megaways slots. However, we have seen games go even higher than this!

Players who enjoy Megaways releases will be familiar that they often come paired with specific features. If you launch a Megaways slot, odds are you will find one or more of these bonuses.

• Avalanche feature

  Avalanche or cascading reels is one of the most prominent bonuses in slots as a whole. However, Megaways give this feature extra fuel to become even more eye-catching.

  Each time you win, the Avalanche bonus kicks in. Winning symbols are removed from the board, allowing existing icons to fall and take their place.

  The game then fills any leftover blank spaces with new logos. Combine this mechanic with a fully expanded Megaways slot board, and you can see how these two features complement each other.

  Cascading reels continue as long as new winning combinations keep forming. Once no additional wins are possible, the Avalanche feature ends.

• Free Spins

  Free spins are the bread and butter of slot bonuses. They were among the first bonuses added to casino games. That makes sense, considering how simple the concept is. Land the right combination, and the next couple of rounds do not cost any money.

  Megaways do not radically change how this bonus works. However, creative software providers often use free spins to enhance Megaways slots.

  Many games choose to give you fully expanded Megaways during free spins. Unsurprisingly, doing this increases your chances of landing a big win by a fair amount.

• Buy feature

  For some people, half the fun of a trip is the journey. For others, the fun begins after they reach their destination. The buy feature is for you if you fall into the latter category!

  As you might imagine, this is a simple feature. The game will ask you to pay some money upfront. How much varies between different Megaways slots. The slot will then award you a corresponding bonus, usually free spins.

  Doing things this way allows you to skip straight to the special feature. For some releases, this usually comes with a slightly higher RTP.

• Progressive win multipliers

  Casino members love scoring a big win. Watching the prizes pile on until you have made your initial deposit back multiple times! Progressive win multipliers can often be vital in making that possible.

  Progressive win multipliers increase with each win that occurs. They start at one and grow every time a win happens. This special feature is usually combined with free spins or avalanche bonuses.

  Sometimes both if that Megaways slot is notably feature-rich. Eventually, the progressive win multiplier resets back to one.

Best Megaways Slot List

When it comes to Megaways slots, picking the best online slot one is no easy feat. Over the years, almost every software provider under the sun used this mechanic in their slot game. With hundreds of options to choose from, most players would feel overwhelmed about where to begin. That is where we come in!

To help you get started, our team of experts picked out the best Megaways slots currently on the market. Each of these titles has been tested both by us and the player base as a whole.

If you want to see why Megaways are such a big deal? A few hours with these titles will teach you everything you need to know.

#1 Bonanza

You cannot go wrong with the slot that started the whole thing. Bonanza was an incredible success when it first launched. All these years later, it remains one of the most popular Megaways slots in existence. Big Time Gaming sets the game in front of a mine, where players can dig up giant crystals and playing card royals.

Casino members play this game on a six-reel board. The number of Megaways goes up to 117,649 ways to win. There is also an additional reel above the main playing field. The extra reel extends the middle four reels and increases your odds of forming a win.

Other notable features include the avalanche bonus, Wilds, free spins, and an unlimited win multiplier. Free spins become active by finding four Scatters that spell out GOLD.

These Scatters grant twelve free spins, plus five for every extra Scatter. The unlimited win multiplier is only active during free spins.

#2 Gonzo’s Quest Megaways

Gonzo’s Quest Megaways was one of the most highly anticipated releases of its year. A popular NetEnt character in a Megaways slot, crafted by the talented team at Red Tiger Gaming? It was a dream come true for many players. This release treated Gonzo’s Quest fans to a familiar setting and a massive visual upgrade.

The guys from Red Tiger decided to stick to the Megaways slot formula without many changes. You play on a six-reel board, and each reel can be between two to seven symbols high. The number of possible ways to win is 117,649.

The developer chose to make their mark with special features. The avalanche mechanic and free spins are present in Gonzo’s Quest Megaways.

Each avalanche increases the win multiplier up to a maximum of 5x, and it resets after the spin ends. The slot might randomly destroy all low-paying symbols to increase your odds of winning big.

The casino game also has unbreakable Wilds, which do not disappear after being part of a win. Multiplier values are higher during free spins, allowing you to achieve some mind-boggling prizes!

#3 Extra Chilli

Set in a busy market, Extra Chilli was another highly successful Big Time Gaming Megaways slot. You can tell the team spent a lot of time detailing the background image.

The background is detailed and colourful without being distracting. As great as the view is around the reels, the spiciness is hiding on the playing field!

You play Big Time Gaming’s release on a six-reel board. Once again, each reel’s height varies between two to seven icons every round. The slot has an extra reel, which increases your odds of winning. You can find the additional reel beneath the main one, adding an extra row for the middle four rows.

Cascading reels make winning icons disappear. Existing ones drop while new ones appear, allowing you to keep chaining wins. Find three Scatters to win eight free spins, with four more for each additional Scatter you land. During free spins, a win multiplier increases each time a cascade occurs.

You do not launch free spins immediately. Instead, the game sends you to play the free spins gamble. You can collect to start free spins or gamble to try and increase how many free spins you can play.

Players can also buy free spins for money. Feature Drop symbols on the board decrease the cost. If they reduce the cost to zero, the feature activates automatically.

#4 Divine Fortune Megaways

The original Divine Fortune was well known among players. NetEnt made the slot, featuring a progressive jackpot and Greek mythology.

The game was wildly popular, so remaking it under the Megaways banner was expected. However, many fans were surprised to find the remake would not have any progressive jackpots.

NetEnt opted for a traditional six-reel board for its Megaways slot. Each reel can consist of anywhere between two and seven rows, allowing up to 117,649 ways to win to form.

Players do not have any Avalanche bonus in this release. In its place are falling Wild re-spins. When a Wild lands, it shifts down one position on the reels. Each time it moves down, one re-spin is played. Re-spins continue until the Wild disappears from the board.

If a Wild lands on a space occupied by a falling Wild, it activates the Wild on Wild feature. The Wild covers the entire reel, and you receive all bet wins for that spin. Each Wild then proceeds to shift down, extending the falling Wild re-spins.

You can also win free spins by landing four or more Scatters. During free spins, all Wilds activate the Wild on Wild feature. You can also collect five identical bronze, silver, or gold coins to win their corresponding prizes.

#5 The Dog House Megaways

Pragmatic Play also left its mark on the Megaways slot scene with one of its most popular titles. The Dog House Megaways was a remake of an existing game. However, that did not stop it from becoming just as successful as the original. Even more so, depending on who you ask!

The Dog House Megaways offers six reels for interested players to enjoy. Each reel can go up to seven icons high, creating up to 117,649 ways to win.

Wilds can only land on reels two, three, four, and five. They can substitute for any symbol except for the Scatter. When part of a win, Wilds can have a random multiplier of 2x or 3x.

If multiple Wilds are part of a win, their multipliers multiply each other. Four Wilds equals an impressive 81x maximum payout increase!

Land at least three Scatters to win free spins. The Dog House Megaways has two free spins you can play. One is the sticky Wilds free spins, which can grant up to twenty free spins and seven sticky Wilds on each reel.

The other is the raining Wilds free spins. This one can award up to thirty free spins with six raining Wilds on each spin. The game adds raining Wilds in random positions.

Best Megaways casinos

Of course, knowing what Megaways slots to play is half the battle. Another is learning where to enjoy these excellent releases! We have your back on that front too. You can choose any of the following Canadian online casinos, and you will not run into any issues.

The real money casinos we recommend have a good reputation among players. They have an excellent license to keep them in line and fantastic promotions to entice you to play there. Not to mention a heap of top-tier games to enjoy some online gambling alongside your favourite Megaways slots.

New Megaways slots

Megaways slots remain a popular category. Hardly a week goes by without at least one or two being launched. If you love Megaways, this is a dream come true for you. New games with your favourite mechanic every week? Who could pass up on that?

However, most of us cannot keep up with the rapid pace of new game launches. That is why we highlight the best new Megaways slots here. We constantly update this list with the hottest Megaways releases, so keep checking back for more great games.

Megaways slots demos

We always do our best to explain slot mechanics in great detail when reviewing games. However, descriptions only go so far. Seeing something play out is often the best way to understand how it works. That is why all of our reviews come with demo versions of the games that you can try at no cost.

By using demo mode, casino members can feel the Megaways slot they want to play. If you find it fun and engaging, you can play it in one of our recommended mobile casinos. Most casinos also offer demo mode for Megaways slots. That way, you can try releases that we might not have reviewed yet.

Final Words

Megaways were a gamechanger in online slots. The mechanic naturally builds on the ways to win system to create something fun and straightforward. Shifting reel sizes means that no two rounds are alike.

The random fun of getting a nearly fully unlocked reel can sometimes feel as thrilling as landing a big win.

It also helps that Megaways slots play so well with so many features. Developers have combined it with numerous bonuses, making some memorable releases in the process. If you have not yet given Megaways a try, you owe it to yourself to check it out.

FAQ

• What are Megaways slots?

  Megaways slots introduce reels that change their height every spin. That feature allows reels and ways to win to be drastically different in each round.

• What are the most popular Megaways slots?

  The most popular Megaways slots are Bonanza, Gonzo’s Quest Megaways, Extra Chilli, Divine Fortune Megaways, and The Dog House Megaways.

• Where can I play Megaways slots?

  You can enjoy Megaways slots in just about every Canada-friendly online casino. We recommend picking one of our highly-rated online casinos to enjoy these games.

• Who are the best Megaways providers?

  Big Time Gaming is the pioneer of Megaways and has experimented the most with this feature. Other standout Megaways providers are Red Tiger, Blueprint Gaming, Pragmatic Play, and NetEnt.

• Do you have a higher chance of winning with Megaways slots?

  Megaways slots offer more ways to win, but you rarely unlock their full potential. Your odds of winning are primarily determined by the game’s volatility, its top prize, and its RTP.