The festive season is approaching and every industry releases its best-of charts, regardless of the area of work: games, cars, books, music, photography.
In the online slots industry 2020 has been the year which has seen innovation and cutting edge technologies as the most important success factors for new releases. New online video slots that proved popular among players are those which introduced significant changes in the math system and structural models governing their functions.
So it comes as no surprise that some of the most successful games this year belong to the Megaways Slots series, an innovative family of games which introduced a ground-breaking slot mechanic. The series was launched in 2016 with Bonanza Megaways, an online slot which is now considered a true classic among fans. The new mechanic took some time to gain traction among players, but it is now the most popular game in many online casinos worldwide.
What makes Megaways Slots so special?
What is the difference between Megaways Slots and all other video-slots? As mentioned earlier, these games run on a whole new mechanic which differentiates them from all other online slots players might have experienced before.
The innovation introduced by Big Time Gaming, the inventors of this new system, is difficult to see at first sight, as the slots don’t look much different from others. The innovation is in the math system which runs these games: at each spin the slots display two to seven symbols per reel; the total number of symbols appearing on the reels is dynamic, different at each spin. Winning combinations are created from left to right, with two or more symbols falling in adjacent positions.
This way, the game creates a different number of possible winning ways at each spin. The higher the number of symbols displayed on the reels, the higher the number of possible win ways, for a maximum of 117.649 (this depends on the general layout of the game, the system allows for variations).
Special features
On top of this ground-breaking math model running the functioning of the games, Megaways Slots have introduced new special features, like cascading reels paired to unlimited win multipliers. Cascades are no new feature to slots fans, who have seen them in action before in famous games like NetEnt’s Gonzo’s Quest. However, the feature takes a whole new flavour in Megaways Slots, especially during the free spins bonus round.
Most slots in the series, in fact, activate the Unlimited Win Multiplier feature, which offers an incremental win multiplier starting at x1 and increasing its value of one unit after each winning reaction. This is when cascades play an important role: they activate after each winning combination and allow for new symbols to fall on the reels and create new possible ones. More winning combinations result in higher win multipliers and, of course, higher cash prizes.
Other important special features and reel modifiers one might find in Megaways Slots are Mystery Symbol, Feature Buy Button, Full Wild and more.
Most popular Megaways Slots in 2020
Given the series had a huge impact on players this year, it might be challenging to quickly find the most popular slots of 2020. Megaways now count more than 100 titles and new games are released on a weekly basis. Industry experts have flagged the following games as the most popular this year: Bonanza Megaways, Twin Spin Megaways and Rick and Morty Megaways, let’s have a closer look at them.
Bonanza Megaways is the first Megaways to be ever released. Despite its launch in 2016, and the general preference for new games, Bonanza tops most slots charts worldwide, proving a smashing hit since a long time. The slot has introduced the innovative engine to players, offering up to 117.649 winning ways, free spins with unlimited win multiplier and a fantastic look and feel to it which creates an immersive gameplay.
Another popular video slot this year is Twin Spin Megaways, an older NetEnt classic which has been reworked and now runs on the popular mechanic. The fact that NetEnt would re-issue one of its biggest hits under licence from BTG proves the success of these games. The gamble on Megaways has proven successful, as Twin Spin has become popular among players within weeks. No wonder the nordic provider is now about to release more of its classic slots in a Megaways-key, including Divine Fortune and Gonzo’s Quest.
Finally, another big hit this year is Rick and Morty Megaways, a fantastic example of a branded slot. This operation has been quite common in the past few months: there has been many important releases, such as Ted Megaways and Survivor Megaways. Branded slots prove quite successful among players and the irreverent one about the mad scientist and its nephew has surely proved the most well-liked by slots fans.
Disclaimer: Play responsibly. Players must be over 18. For help visit https://www.gamcare.org.uk/.