Developed by Play n Go, Rise of Merlin is another slot game inspired by the Wizard of Camelot. Unlike other Camelot themed slot games, this slot focusses on Merlin himself and the magic that surrounds him. The game is well designed, both graphic and gameplay-wise, but that's no surprise for a Play n Go slot. The action takes place on 5 reels with 10 active pay lines. Rewards of up to 5000x your stake are up for grabs, which is impressive regardless of which wager value you use. If you play with the maximum stake, you could win a whopping £500,000! The game also boasts a plethora of special features including Scatter and Wild symbols, a Free Spins round and magic expanding symbols. If you want to know more about the Rise of Merlin and its features, keep reading!
Theme and Appearance
While Camelot is a popular slot theme, it's not often that Merlin scores the leading role. The action takes place in the wizard's chamber and glistening fireflies surround the reels. The reels themselves are translucent, allowing you to see the gorgeous backdrop that sits behind them. As for the symbols, they're inspired by magic, with Merlin, dragons, owls and crystal balls landing a spot on the grid. The lower value symbols include A, K, Q, J and 10 card values. The most rewarding symbol is Merlin himself, awarding you 1, 10, 100 or 500x your stake for landing 2, 3, 4 or 5 in combination.
Betting and Prizes
Rise of Merlin is playable across all devices from as little as 10p per spin. This minimum stake is low enough to give anybody a chance to play the slot – even those with a limited bankroll. The wager can be increased to £10 per pay line which totals at £100. With this in mind, the slot is also suitable for any high rollers out there.
There are some impressive rewards up for grabs if you manage to land a winning combo, and during the Free Spins round, it's even easier to win! If you manage to form a winning combination from Wild symbols, you can win up to 500x your total stake. This means that when playing with the maximum wager you could bag up to £500,000 if you get a win on each of the 10 pay lines.
This slot is high volatility, meaning than you'll probably win less often than some other slots on the market. However, when you do land a win it's guaranteed to pack a punch. If you're feeling lucky, a high volatility slot is the best way to win big.
Slot Features
Scatter and Wild
The Scatter and Wild symbol are represented by the crystal ball. Matching 5 of these on a pay line will award you 500x your stake, making this symbol just as valuable as Merlin himself. If you land 3 or more Wild/Scatters on a spin, you'll trigger the Free Spins feature.
Free Spins
You'll start the Free Spins round with 8 free spins. Before the game begins, 1 regular icon will be chosen at random to turn into a magic expanding symbol. When this happens, the chosen symbol will expand to fill the entire reel. If one of these symbols appears on each reel, they'll expand to fill the entire grid.
If you land 3 or more Wilds or Scatters during the Free Spins round, you'll re-trigger the feature and be awarded another 8 free spins. This restarts the process and another magic expanding symbol is chosen at random, so you'll have 2 in play at once. This increases your chance of filling the grid and enjoying a mammoth payout. The Free Spins round can be triggered again and again, with each re-trigger providing one more expanding symbol. While there is no limit to how many times the Free Spins round can be re-triggered, you can only have a maximum of 9 expanding symbols in play at once. For the biggest win, you want Merlin to be chosen as the expanding symbol. If you land a Merlin on each reel, they'll expand to give you a whole grid of high-paying symbols. As the most valuable icon, this gives you the chance to win a life-changing sum of cash!
Verdict
While Rise of Merlin isn't the most original game on the market, it has excellent graphics and animations and great winning potential. The slot is similar to Book of Dead, another game by Play N Go, as it features a magic expanding symbol and a generous Free Spins feature. The difference between the two is that you can play with up to 9 expanding symbols in Rise of Merlin, allowing you to win big. If you're a fan of high volatility, magic-inspired slots, Rise of Merlin will not disappoint.