Megaways is a unique mechanic in online casino slots that has transformed the industry, allowing variable payline counts on the playgrids. Megaways slots in the modern era are among the most popular online slot variants, with larger playgrids and higher payline counts than traditional releases. All slots that implement this mechanic provide interesting gameplay, with each spin having a unique number of symbols on the grid and paylines active. The introduction of the Megaways mechanic was a notable development in the iGaming industry, which we will examine below.
The Creators
Big Time Gaming is the developer that created the Megaways mechanic, which first debuted in the industry in 2016. The title that brought the mechanic to online casinos was labelled Bonanza, which, to this day, remains a popular title in the industry. Prior to the innovation of the Megaways mechanic, all online slot games featured fixed payline counts, which commonly varied from 20 to 50. Looking at the modern iGaming industry today, it is clear how important this mechanic was in driving change, with numerous modern releases, including Megaways, featuring thousands of paylines. Following the release of the Bonanza title, Big Time Gaming and many other developers released other titles using the same Megaways mechanic.
The Industry Standard
As with all online slot variants, there is an industry standard for the Megaways slot. Typically, Megaways slots use 6 reels, with no fixed number of rows, as each reel features a different number of symbols. Additionally, it is common that the reels on these Megaways slots will feature no more than 7 symbols on each spin, making for the potential of a 6×7 playgrid. As a result of the interchanging number of symbols, paylines are affected: more symbols on the grid result in a larger payline count. Following on from the pioneering Bonanza title, many developers have followed suit, with the maximum payline count of 117,649 for a maxed-out 6×7 playgrid.
The Role of Cascading Reels
Despite not being strictly a mechanic for Megaways releases, cascading reels have become an incredibly popular feature in many Megaways titles. The slot game that is widely considered to be the creator of the cascading reels mechanic is the Gonzo’s Quest release, which was not a Megaways title. Despite this, Megaways slots soon adopted it as a mechanic of its own, being featured in numerous variable playgrid slots.
The cascading reels mechanic is unique: unlike other bonus features that trigger when specific symbols land, it triggers when a matching combination occurs. In the occurrence of one of these matching combinations, all participating symbols will be removed from the reels. Once the symbols are removed, those above will naturally fall, leaving empty positions in their place. Once all empty positions are matched, symbols are removed from the reels and empty spaces are created; new symbols will enter the reels from above, potentially creating more matches. This feature can be triggered indefinitely as long as new matching symbol combinations land.
What Makes Them Popular?
For many, Megaways slots are popular for the variety that they bring, not only in the fixed payline counts, but also in the themes. As they approach their 10th anniversary in the iGaming industry, Megaways slots have been featured across numerous slot genres. Each theme puts a unique spin on the title, making it different from the last release in the developer’s portfolio. Additionally, the way each developer creates these Megaways slots helps differentiate them from one another, with some adding more detailed designs or advanced bonus mechanics than others.
Megaways slots are unpredictable, with each spin having a unique number of symbols that land on the reels and paylines active. For many, this is a contributing factor in what makes Megaways slots so popular, as each spin is different from the last. Additionally, many Megaways titles have incorporated industry-tested bonus features into their gameplay, which may add additional bonuses to the base gameplay.
Notable Megaways Titles
Buffalo King Megaways
Pragmatic Play is the developer behind the Buffalo King Megaways slot game, which was released in 2021. The title followed the success of the Buffalo King series, with the developers adding the Megaways mechanic to the gameplay. This Megaways slot release features 6 reels, some of which can land 7 symbols, some with 8, with a maximum payline count of 200.704.
Rainbow Riches Megaways
Rainbow Riches is one of the most popular slot games of all time, with all titles in the series being released by Barcrest. The developers added the Megaways mechanic to the title in the 2019 release, maintaining the same design centered on the Irish theme. The Megaways mechanic has expanded the playgrid in this Rainbow Riches release to 6 reels, which features a maximum of 117,649 paylines.