Rise of Merlin by Play'n Go - Review, Free Play in Demo Mode

Rise of Merlin is an exciting slot that features beautiful graphics set in a magical hall with whimsical lighting. The vibrant soundtrack with spell sound effects makes you feel involved in preparing potions that lead to big wins. High-paying symbols like Merlin, dragons, and the Owl tie perfectly into the storyline, while the glass orb serves as both the scatter and wild.

The slot's symbols feature a mix of classic card icons and mythical creatures, with Merlin himself offering the highest payout.  To wrap it up, just match symbols from left to right across the lines to win.

• Merlin: Merlin is the highest-paying symbol, offering up to 5,000x your bet for five Merlin symbols in the grid.
• Red Dragon: This regular symbol offers high payouts, rewarding up to 1,600x your stake for five matching symbols.
• White Dragon: Another high-paying regular symbol is the white dragon offering up to 600x your stake for landing five.
• Owl: The last and least high-value symbol is the Owl. It rewards 600x your bet if you land five Owls in one of the 10 paylines.
• Scatters: Crystal ball acts as the Wild and the Scatter and replaces all the others. 5 Scatters are worth 200x on a payline.
• Low-paying symbols: Letters and numbers like Q, J, and 10 offer 80x your stake, while A and K payout up to 120x your bet.

Like most other classic casino slots, Rise of Merlin offers typical features instead of an impressive bonus game. Wilds and free spins take center stage. You need to land at least 3 scatters to activate free spins with expanding wilds, the only two features available in Rise of Merlin.

• Gamble Round: Merlin works its magic around with an optional bonus game. Players can double prizes by guessing the colour of a card (50% chance) or quadruple it by guessing the suit (25% chance). They can gamble up to five times in a row without affecting the game's RTP.
• Free Spins: In this 10 payline slot, you can trigger the free spins landing scatter symbols. You need to land 3 or more scatters to get 8 Free Spins. You can also retrigger the free spins, matching more scatters.
• Expanding Feature: During the Free Spins feature, one regular symbol is randomly chosen as a special Expanding Symbol. When it lands, it expands to cover the entire reel and doesn’t need to be adjacent to other symbols for a win. High-value symbols need two, while low-value symbols need three to trigger expansion, and up to 9 symbols can expand at once. If you re-trigger Free Spins enough times, then all symbols will become expanded symbols.

In the Rise of Merlin slot machine, players can expect high rates in terms of volatility, and return-to-player. They also have the opportunity to win up to 250,000 coins (with a max coin value of 2.00). Understanding these metrics can help players strategize their gameplay effectively.

• RTP: 96.58%. A high RTP (Return to Player) indicates that, over time, the slot returns a larger percentage of wagers to players. It's good because it increases potential long-term winnings.
• Bet Sizes: C$0.01 and C$100. A wide range of bet sizes in slots allows players to tailor their wagers to fit their budget. Such flexibility fits both casual players and high rollers.
• Variance: High. With high volatility, this 5-reel slot promises substantial payout size, but less frequent winnings. It's better suited for high rollers than low-variance slots, which appeal to all players.

Rise of Merlin casino slot will appeal to risk-takers who love a highly volatile and magic-themed game. With its simple 5x3 layout, 96.58% RTP, and a 5,000x maximum win, it offers decent potential for winning. However, it's worth mentioning this is not the easiest slot to get free spins with expanding symbols. Its gameplay might feel basic, and there are no amazing bonuses or large jackpots. Rise of Merlin is a simple game for those who appreciate a good mythical adventure and are patient for their huge winnings.