Pragmatic Play has released the fourth installment in its 5 Lions series, titled “5 Lions Megaways.” Players might wonder why the number 5 is emphasized in the series. After some investigation, it appears that the number 5, or “wǔ” in Chinese numerology, is considered auspicious as it represents the five elements and is associated with the Chinese Emperor. For instance, the entrance to the Forbidden City features five arches. Therefore, the game pays homage to Chinese culture by celebrating the number 5, or skeptics might think it’s a strategy to boost its ranking in casinos.
Regardless of the reasoning, 5 Lions is back with a Megaways makeover, following the original, a Gold version, and a Dance version. In collaboration with Big Time Gaming, Megaways introduces a 6-reel grid, where the outer two reels can have up to 7 symbols, and the middle four reels can have up to 8 symbols. This setup creates up to 200,704 ways to win. If you’re familiar with 5 Lions Dance, 5 Lions Gold, or similar games, you’ll recognize the aesthetics—a tasteful blue patterned background, gold trim, classic animal symbols on the reels, and a traditional soundtrack. Players will either be drawn into the virtual Eastern experience or quickly exit.
5 Lions Megaways maintains the high volatility of the series, except for 5 Lions Dance, making it a highly volatile game. It has a volatility rating of 5 out of 5 and an RTP of 96.5%. The game also offers an Ante Bet feature as an alternative to the bonus buy option. Regular bets range from 20 p/c to £/€125 per spin, with a 25% increase when the Ante Bet is activated. This feature doubles the chances of triggering free spins.
Pragmatic Play has reused the visual elements from 5 Lions Gold to fill out the paytable. The low-paying symbols are stylized 10 to A card icons, while the premiums include turtles, fish, frogs, phoenixes, and dragons. Combinations of premium symbols with a length of six symbols yield payouts ranging from 2.5 to 25 times the stake. The wild symbol, represented by a dragon, appears on reels 2, 3, 4, or 5 and substitutes for all symbols except the Yin & Yang scatter.
In terms of features, 5 Lions Megaways brings back the popular free spins bonus rounds from previous 5 Lions games. These bonus rounds offer a variety of free spins and multiplier combinations, now enhanced with the power of Megaways and tumble wins.
The tumble feature removes winning symbols from the reels and replaces them with new symbols, allowing for consecutive wins on a single spin. The tumble wins continue until no new winning combinations appear. Additionally, if a winning combination in the base game includes a wild symbol, the wild multiplier increases its value by 2x to 40x.
The game’s standout feature is the plethora of free spins options. Triggering the free spins round requires landing 3, 4, 5, or 6 Yin & Yang symbols, which also award a win of 3, 5, 25, or 100 times the stake. Players can then select the bonus game configuration that matches their preferred risk and reward ratio. The options include different numbers of free spins with varying wild multipliers, ranging from 2x to 40x. Retriggering the feature is possible by landing 3 scatters, which grants the same number of free spins initially chosen.
For players eager to experience the excitement of big wild multipliers, there is an option to pay 100 times the stake to instantly trigger the required number of scatters on the next spin.
5 Lions Megaways retains the essence of the original game that appealed to fans. Pragmatic Play hasn’t made any drastic changes to the lineup of free spins options that were the highlight of the original game. Players can choose their preferred configuration based on their risk tolerance. It’s worth noting that regardless of the chosen configuration, the RTP and maximum win remain the same. Surprisingly, 5 Lions Megaways offers smaller maximum payouts compared to the Gold version, with a maximum win of up to 5,000 times the bet, which might disappoint those seeking massive potential. Nevertheless, fans of the 5 Lions series should be satisfied with the Megaways upgrade, as the game maintains its familiar elements and numerous free spins options, even though its potential has been reduced in the process.
Experience the captivating thrill of 5 Lions Megaways at AONE33! Embark on an adventure through the majestic world of Chinese culture and immerse yourself in the exciting gameplay of this popular slot game. With its dynamic Megaways mechanic and up to 200,704 ways to win, every spin holds the potential for incredible rewards.