Rise of Merlin from Play'n GO: Slot Review - let the magic begin!

Travel back in time to chart the rise of one of the most iconic sorcerers of all time in this new title from Play’n GO. Based on Arthurian lore, this game as you might imagine from the title focuses on the legendary wizard Merlin and follows him around in his younger days before he became the mythical legend as he is known as today. Join us as we enter a world of magic and accompany Merlin on the reels to see if he will lead us to a magical cash payout?

Rise of Merlin is a 5 reel slot with 10 paylines that includes Expanding Symbols, Wild Multipliers, a Gamble mode, and Unlimited Free Spins.

Special Features

Rise of Merlin features a selection of highly detailed symbols that are all connected to the powerful wizard. These include an Owl, a bunch of Dragons, along with classic playing card A – 10 icons. The most valuable symbol by far in the game is of course Merlin. Manage to land 5 of these symbols on an active payline and you will be leaving Merlin’s castle with a cash prize worth a massive 500X your stake!

A mysterious crystal ball is unusually both the Scatter and the Wild in the game. Similar to the Merlin symbol, the Wild also pays out a hefty 500X your wager for getting 5 Wilds on a winning payline. This symbol substitutes for all other symbols on the reels and if you land 3 or more Wilds then you will trigger the Free Spins bonus round.

In Free Spins, you will be awarded 8 Free Spins and 1 symbol will be selected to become the special expanding symbol. When this symbol appears on the reels then it will expand to cover an entire reel. Land 3 or more Wilds during this feature to retrigger it, to receive 8 Extra Free Spins along with an additional special expanding symbol. It is actually possible to retrigger Free Spins indefinitely and to get expanded symbols on all 5 reels if the reels are kind to you of course.

Lastly, there is the optional Gamble mode. This triggers whenever you land a win and involves picking the colour or suit of a playing card. Guess the colour correctly to double your winnings but if you are feeling a little more adventurous then you can try to guess the suit of the card to quadruple your winnings!

Theme, Graphics and Sound

Like most Play’n GO slots, this game is more than aesthetically pleasing on the eye as it is set inside of Merlin’s inner chamber and features tall columns and arches filled with stylish purple hues in the background. Symbols are beautifully crafted and consist of Merlin, an Owl, 2 Dragons, as well as traditional A – 10 playing card icons. The animations are exquisite as symbols speed down the reels rapidly and burst into life when part of a winning combination. The Free Spins bonus round is worth highlighting here too as the light purple shadows in the background transform into illuminating white shadows for every Free Spin.

The music features an atmospheric and epic score that increases in tempo the more you play. It ties in nicely with the Magic theme of the game.

Win lines, Payouts and Jackpots

The game features 10 paylines, an excellent RTP of 96.58%, and a maximum payout worth 5,000X your initial bet.

Below is a summary taken from the PayOut Table from the game. The amount won for each combination depends on the value of the bet when you spin the reels.

Bet Range: 0.01, 0.02, 0.03, 0.04, 0.05, 0.06, 0.08, 0.10, 0.20, 0.30, 0.40, 0.50, 1.00, 2.00, 4.00, 6.00, 8.00, 10.00, 25.00, 40.00, 50.00, 60.00, 80.00, 100.00

• Crystal Ball Wild Symbol: 10.00 for 2X, 100.00 for 3X, 1,0000 for 4X, 5,000.00 for 5X
• Merlin Symbol: 10.00 for 2X, 100.00 for 3X, 1,000.00 for 4X, 5,000.00 for 5X
• Red Dragon Symbol: 5.00 for 2X, 30.00 for 3X, 300.00 for 4X, 1,600.00 for 5X
• Blue Dragon Symbol: 5.00 for 2X, 20.00 for 3X, 80.00 for 4X, 600.00 for 5X
• Owl Symbol: 5.00 for 2X, 20.00 for 3X, 80.00 for 4X, 600.00 for 5X
• A Symbol: 5.00 for 3X, 30.00 for 4X, 120.00 for 5X
• K Symbol: 5.00 for 3X, 30.00 for 4X, 120.00 for 5X
• Q Symbol: 5.00 for 3X, 20.00 for 4X, 80.00 for 5X
• J Symbol: 5.00 for 3X, 20.00 for 4X, 80.00 for 5X
• 10 Symbol: 5.00 for 3X, 20.00 for 4X, 80.00 for 5X

Our Verdict on Rise of Merlin

Leading software provider Play’n GO produced this game and it is a highly enjoyable gaming experience from start to finish. Rise of Merlin features outstanding visuals and animations along with a fine range of exciting bonus features. The Gamble feature is a fun and risky addition to the slot but we advise players to hit that ‘Collect’ button if you go on a hot streak as more likely than not for the next gamble round you might just lose all your winnings. The standout feature of the game is without a doubt the Free Spins bonus game as it is here where you can benefit from not only lucrative expanding symbols but also unlimited Free Spins! We should mention that it is also here where you can win the top prize which is a massive 5,000X your total bet! To do this, you will need to expand the Merlin symbol on all 5 reels to get a screen full of Merlin symbols. In terms of variance, this slot is High so make sure to pack plenty of bankroll before stepping inside Merlin’s inner sanctum! For slots that also feature Merlin the magician, check out Merlin’s Millions and Avalon II.

Cast lots of winning spells to win a magical fortune on the reels in Rise of Merlin!