Bonanza Megaways™ Slot Review + Legal & Licenced Casino List for 2023
Bonanza Megaways™ Details
| Release date | 07/12/2016 |
|---|---|
| Software provider | Big Time Gaming |
| RTP | 96% |
| Number of ways | Up To 117,649 |
| Bonus | Cascading Reels |
| Max Win | 26,000x |
| Volatility | High |
| Stake Range | £/€/$0.2 – £/€/$20 |
More slots by Big Time Gaming
A slot with a heart of gold, Bonanza Megaways™ has been extremely influential for the Megaways™ genre, particularly through its multiple bonus features. Blow up the mine with dynamite and hop on the cart to good fortune!
- Best Bonanza Megaways™ Slot Casinos in 2023
- Bonanza Megaways™ Slot Overview
- Bonanza Megaways™ Features
- Bonanza Megaways™ RTP & Volatility
- Symbols & Paytable
- Theme, Graphics, Soundtrack & User Experience
- Stakes & Betting Range
- Bonanza Megaways™ Mobile Play
- Bonanza Megaways™ – Pros & Cons
- If You Like This Game, You’ll Also Like…
- Our Bonanza Megaways™ Slot Verdict
- Other Slots To Try Out
- Bonanza Megaways™ FAQ
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Bonanza Megaways™ Slot Overview
Bonanza Megaways™ is a mining-themed video slot released by Big Time Gaming in 2016. It has since become a worldwide phenomenon in the industry, making it one of the classics of the Megaways™ slots genre and earning a spot on our top online slot reviews page.
Although this was not the first Megaways™ slot, it’s certainly one that most players recall with fondness and sheer nostalgia. Alongside this popular engine, Bonanza Megaways™ also brought us the Duel Reaction™ system, which is yet another original invention. It’s practically a cascading reels system – the only difference is that payouts are awarded in both directions.
Bonanza Megaways™ features a structure of six reels, a bonus horizontal row, and up to 117,649 ways to win. Its RTP is more or less average for this slot type, coming in at 96%. The volatility is explosively high, so you should tread cautiously if you want to redeem that maximum win of 26,000x your stake.
The game also has fast-paced action and lots of extras to discover, from win reactions to free spins with multipliers.
So, are you ready to start digging for gold in a symphony of cheesy Western tunes? Let’s break down all of the above and more in our Bonanza Megaways™ slot review!
Bonanza Megaways™ Features
There’s no doubt that Bonanza Megaways™ was incredibly innovative for its time; some of the features it introduced were outstanding, even if they are commonplace for Megaways™ slots today.
The most important aspect to note is the layout – there is a horizontal bonus reel on top of the main game grid, where special cart symbols fall, leading to additional winning combinations. On top of this, the base game is riled up by cascading symbols that pay in both directions. Lastly, up to 12 free spins can be won, with progressive win multipliers!
Megaways™
Because the slot uses a Megaways™ engine, there are six main reels in place, each able to hold between two and seven special symbols, and a bonus reel where four symbols can fall. The maximum configuration is 117,649 paylines.
A win is triggered by three or more adjacent symbols of any size, from left to right on consecutive reels.
Cart Symbols
The bonus reel above the grid can hold up to four special cart symbols, determined randomly. These carts only appear above reels 2, 3, 4, and 5, and each cart will add an extra symbol on the corresponding main reel. Furthermore, Wild symbols can only fall on this bonus reel.
Reactions
The cascading reels or reactions feature comes to play after every winning combination. The symbols involved explode and get replaced by new ones, falling from above on the main reels or from the right in the carts.
Thanks to this mechanic, players can trigger several winning cascades on the same paid spin, in multiple directions, increasing the payout potential.
Free Spins
We must applaud Big Time Gaming once again for their creativity when designing the Free Spins feature and the triggering mechanism. Staying true to the gold mining theme, the Scatter symbols are four letters, spelling the word ’GOLD’.
If you manage to spell the entire word in the base game, you’ll win 12 free spins to start. Each additional Scatter thereafter will add five more free spins to your count.
To keep things even more interesting, aside from the regular Scatter symbol, there is also a special Free Spin Scatter in place during the bonus round. This symbol only appears in one of the carts and will reward you as such:
- Three Free Spin Scatters – five extra spins
- Four Free Spin Scatters – ten extra spins
During the Free Spins feature, unlimited win multipliers are in place. You’ll have a 1x starting multiplier that increases by +1 for every reaction registered with the free spins.
Bonanza Megaways™ RTP & Volatility
Bonanza Megaways™ has an estimated RTP (Return-To-Player) score of 96%, which is considered average for Megaways™ games.
Because of its highly volatility, large payouts are favoured but with a lower frequency.
The maximum win is capped at 26,000x your stake (between £5,200 – £520,000 in cash, depending on the bet size).
Symbols & Paytable
Unsurprisingly, the assortment of special symbols is linked to the mining theme, ranging from those multi-coloured gems reminiscent of Starburst, to dynamite and gold bars:
- Low-Value Symbols – Card suits 9, 10, J, Q, K, and A. These pay between 0.8x and 1.75x your stake for six of a kind.
- Green and Blue Gems – Both pay 2x your stake for six of a kind.
- Red Gem – Pays 7.5x your stake for six of a kind.
- Purple Diamond – Premium symbol, pays up to 50x your stake for six of a kind.
- Sticks of Dynamite – Wild symbol, replaces all of the other symbols aside from the Scatter. Only falls on the bonus reel above reels 2, 3, 4, and 5.
- Scatter Symbol – Four yellow letters spelling the word ’GOLD’. If the entire word is in view in the base game, you win 12 free spins.
- Free Spin Scatter – Cart with gold bars, only appears during free spins. 3+ award extra spins.
Theme, Graphics, Soundtrack & User Experience
Bonanza Megaways™ is one of the first slot games to seamlessly combine the Wild West theme with the gold- mining theme. We’ve seen these worlds explored separately several times in launches like Money Train and Gold Rush, but even better things happen when they come together!
The result is a blissful mountainous scenery, sprinkled with wooden houses, water mills, wild vegetation, and blooming flowers.
In this game, we’re invited to dig for gold and precious gems to the beat of energetic Western-style tunes.
The soundtrack gets a boost in intensity whenever we trigger winning combinations, as bright animations come to life to keep us fired up for more. Because of this quality mix, Bonanza Megaways™ produces a unique brand of fast-paced gameplay that very few other slots have been able to recreate.
Stakes & Betting Range
Although it’s super impressive in features and design, Bonanza Megaways™ is rather disappointing in its betting range.
Stakes start at 0.20 (min), up to 20 (max) per spin. This range is decent for most beginners and casual players, but will not fit if you have a high-roller playing style.
Bonanza Megaways™ Mobile Play
In 2016, the Bonanza Megaways™ demo was released across multiple devices, including mobile and desktop. Players also received a visual sneak peek from Big Time Gaming, so they could gauge how the game played on a smaller screen.
Thanks to the HTML5 technology, you can try it out straight from your mobile or web browser and experience the same level of quality. However, the gems exploding and reacting are best viewed in landscape orientation.
The slot is compatible with Windows, Android, iOS, and even smart TVs.
Bonanza Megaways™ – Pros & Cons
The word ‘bonanza’ refers to a source of unexpected luck or wealth…but will this slot offer a rewarding quest for gold, or not rise to the challenge? Let’s find out at a glance:
Pros
- 117,649 possible ways to win
- Cascades pay in both directions
- Unlimited win multipliers during free spins
Cons
- Restrictive betting range
- Hard-to-trigger free spins
- Highly volatile
If You Like This Game, You’ll Also Like…
Are you in the mood for similar games with cowboys or mine explorers racing to track down shiny riches? Find them below:
- Wild West Gold Megaways™ – A Western gem with a sprinkle of precious metals from Pragmatic Play, this slot invites you to the wrong side of the tracks! The bounty is plentiful, including free spins, side bets, and buy passes.
- Money Train 2 – The Money Train series is synonymous with rough cowboys and unlawfulness, and Money Train 2 is undoubtedly the most famous instalment. Launched by Relax Gaming, it charms with its legendary Money Cart Bonus Round!
- Dead or Alive – NetEnt’s Dead or Alive is among the first Wild West-centric slots to capture hearts. Since its launch in 2009, it became a classic thanks to its stunning multipliers, sticky wilds, and free spins.
Our Bonanza Megaways™ Slot Verdict
Bonanza Megaways™ is one of the most critically-acclaimed slot games in recent history and a classic players still return to. Big Time Gaming set the stage with this one and showed us what the Megaways™ engine had the potential to deliver in the future.
Bonus reels, free spins with multipliers, and cascading symbols became hallmarks, later borrowed by other studios, such as Blueprint Gaming and iSoftBet. That is why we’re compelled to assess Bonanza as a true embodiment of ‘all that glitters IS gold'!
So, grab your prospector hat and start digging for treasures today!
Other Slots To Try Out
- Santa Express
- Fishin’ Christmas Pots of Gold
- Madame Destiny Megaways™
- Peaky Pigs
- Aztec Wild Megaways™
- Spinions Game Day
- Tricks and Treats
- Castle of Terror
Bonanza Megaways™ FAQ
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This game has an RTP score of 96%.
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No, this is a common misconception due to how popular the game was. The first Megaways™ launch was actually Dragon Born Megaways™.
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Unfortunately, no. The only way to trigger free spins is to match the required number of Scatters in the base game.
Iggy Fenech
