After signing a brand distribution arrangement with Megaways inventor and product owner Big Time Gaming in November 2020, Microgaming released its first ever Megaways online slot in January this year. Microgaming has stated that Shamrock Holmes Megaways will be the first of many more online slots under the Megaways brand to be developed and released. Several other titles incorporating the mechanic were formally announced by the industry behemoth at the time of the initial big-brand announcement.
As part of the deal with Big Time Gaming, the iGaming giant has also acknowledged that it has the right to require the other companies in its network to implement the feature in their future games. This bodes well for the market, since it suggests that several Megaways online slots will soon be available.
Added Value Functions
Holmes, Shamrock The core of Megaways is a 6-reel arrangement with the usual 117,649 Ways to Win added on top. In addition to the standard Megaways mechanism for awarding wins, this game also contains Rolling Reels, a Free Spins bonus round, Unlimited Multipliers, and enormous rewards of up to 28,000 times the initial bet.
The minimum wager is $0.20, and the maximum is $20, with a spin costing anywhere in between. The maximum jackpot can go as high as 28,000 times the amount wagered on the main game, meaning that players have the chance to win as much as $560,000 in a single spin.
Infinite Multipliers & Other Cool Stuff
Shamrock Holmes Megaways already has a high Return to Player percentage of 96.44 percent, and the addition of Unlimited Multipliers increases that probability even more. When talking about Multipliers, “unlimited” means that there is no cap on how high they can go. This means that, under some situations, Multipliers just keep growing as long as the requisite requirement or conditions are met again and again. This extraordinary addition stands out on its own due to the extraordinary winning potential it creates.
Due to its high volatility rating, this online slot game is best played by those who can afford to play for longer periods of time at higher-than-usual stakes. The full potential of high-volatility slot machines is only unlocked when playing with larger stakes each spin.
But that doesn’t mean players with smaller bankrolls can’t enjoy Microgaming’s first Megaways release. In reality, evidence points in the opposite direction. One should exercise extra caution and attention when mixing a small bankroll with a highly unpredictable game.
Concerning Megaways
The Megaways mechanism relies on a system of randomly choosing symbols to trigger its effect. This implies that anywhere from 2 to 7 symbols could be in play at any given time over all 6 reels, as they are chosen at random. When all seven possible symbols appear during a single spin, all 117,649 possible paylines will be activated.
One other important aspect of Shamrock Holmes Megaways is that the Wild symbol (the “W” in the game) only appears on the central horizontal reel above the four vertical columns.
The Magic Forest Re-Spins bonus round is a great element of Shamrock Holmes Megaways. The special Re-Spins function is the real key to unlocking a predetermined amount of Megaways, whether it be 10,000, 32,400, or 117,649, and is activated when three or more Scatters land concurrently.
Canadians who enjoy playing online slots will likely enjoy this latest release.