The Wish Master Megaways

NetEnt’s The Wish Master Megaways revisits the enchanting theme of the original 2014 release, this time supercharged with the dynamic Megaways engine. The game retains the allure of Arabian Nights, set against a backdrop of a treasure-laden cave, but now offers a vastly expanded game grid and significantly increased win potential. The mysterious lamp, prominently placed beside the reels, hints at the potential for magical interventions during gameplay, promising a thrilling experience for seasoned slot enthusiasts. The overall design is not innovative, but rather high-quality and pleasing to the eye.

Reimagined Gameplay: The Megaways Engine

The Wish Master Megaways abandons the original’s 20 fixed paylines for a 6-reel setup, where each reel can randomly display between 2 and 7 symbols per spin. This dynamic structure creates up to 117,649 ways to win, a substantial upgrade that adds a layer of excitement to each spin. The Avalanche feature, a staple of many Megaways slots, further enhances the potential for consecutive wins. Winning symbols are cleared from the grid, making way for new symbols to cascade down, potentially forming new winning combinations. This process repeats as long as new wins are formed, effectively extending the gameplay and increasing the chances of landing significant payouts. The game’s high volatility suggests a gameplay experience characterized by less frequent but potentially larger wins, a profile that will likely appeal to players seeking substantial payouts.

The symbols themselves are a mix of the familiar and the upgraded. The low-paying symbols now range from 10 to A, while the high-paying symbols retain the artistic depictions of a bird, scorpion, cat, and cobra. The Wild symbol, represented by a burning flame with the word “WILD”, substitutes for all regular pay symbols, aiding in the creation of winning combinations. The most important symbol is the Scatter, depicted as a lamp scroll, which is the key to unlocking the game’s powerful bonus features.

Genie’s Gifts: Unpacking the Wish Master Features

The Wish Master Features are the heart of the game, and they are triggered by landing a Lamp Scroll Scatter. When this occurs, the genie escapes its lamp to unleash one of four potent modifiers, each active for 5 spins. If another Scatter lands while a Wish Master Feature is active, a new feature is randomly awarded, and the spin counter resets to 5.

Here’s a detailed breakdown of each modifier:

• Extra Wild: This feature transforms a specific symbol, indicated in the inventory, into Wild symbols. This significantly increases the chances of forming winning combinations, especially when high-paying symbols are converted.
• Wild Reel: The reel where the triggering Scatter landed is entirely filled with Wild symbols for the duration of the 5 spins. This can lead to massive wins, especially if it occurs on the early reels.
• Multiplier: All bet-way wins are multiplied by either x2 or x3. If both multipliers are activated simultaneously, they combine to create a powerful x6 multiplier, dramatically boosting payout potential.
• Random Wild: After each spin, 2 to 5 Wild symbols are randomly placed on the grid. This consistent influx of Wilds significantly increases the chances of triggering the Avalanche feature and creating multiple winning combinations.

It’s important to note that while up to 3 Wish Master Features can be active at once, identical features cannot be triggered simultaneously. If a Scatter lands when 3 features are already active, the first triggered feature is replaced with a new one. This mechanic ensures a variety of modifier combinations, keeping the gameplay dynamic and engaging. If you are not sure how one or another bonus works, you can launch the demo version of the slot and open the built-in help of the game by pressing the button (i).

Strategic Considerations: Bet Levels and Feature Interaction

The Wish Master Megaways caters to a specific range of players with its bet options, ranging from $0.10 to $4 per spin. This relatively narrow range, compared to the original game, reflects the increased win potential offered by the Megaways engine. Players should be aware that changing the bet level resets the spin counter to zero and removes any active Wish Master Features from the inventory. However, the game saves progress per bet level, allowing players to return to their previous state if they revert to a previously used bet amount.

The interaction between the Wish Master Features is where the game truly shines. Having multiple modifiers active simultaneously can lead to some truly spectacular results. For example, combining a Wild Reel with a Multiplier can result in massive payouts, while Extra Wilds paired with Random Wilds can create a cascade of wins through the Avalanche feature. The potential for these synergistic combinations adds a layer of strategic depth to the gameplay, as players will be hoping for the right mix of modifiers to maximize their winnings.

A Worthy Successor?

The Wish Master Megaways is a well-crafted slot that successfully builds upon the foundation of the original game. While it doesn’t introduce any groundbreaking new features, the integration of the Megaways engine and the Avalanche feature significantly enhances the gameplay experience. The potential for up to 117,649 ways to win, combined with the powerful Wish Master Features, creates a dynamic and engaging experience with the potential for substantial payouts, up to 27,018 times the bet. The game’s high volatility may not be for everyone, but for those seeking a thrilling and potentially rewarding experience, The Wish Master Megaways is definitely worth playing. The absence of a traditional free spins round is notable, but the Wish Master Features, with their ability to combine and create massive wins, more than compensate for this omission. Overall, I recommend this game.