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

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.