Rise of Merlin (Play'n Go) Slot Review

Rise of Merlin: Slot Overview

Rise of Merlin is a fantasy-themed video slot developed by Play’n GO, released on June 20, 2019. Drawing from Arthurian legend, the game centers on the enigmatic wizard Merlin, depicted in his magical castle sanctuary filled with arcane mysteries and potential treasures. It features a classic 5×3 reel setup with 10 fixed paylines, appealing to players who enjoy high-volatility slots with expanding symbol mechanics in free spins. Targeted at a broad audience including low-stakes casual players and high-rollers, it supports bets from €0.01 to €100 per spin, making it accessible across various budgets while offering high-risk, high-reward gameplay centered on triggering the bonus round.

Design and Graphics

The visual design immerses players in Merlin’s mystical castle great hall, featuring massive decorated arches, columns, arcane inscriptions on walls, and ancient patterns. Subtle specks of light float upwards through the center, enhancing the divine, enigmatic atmosphere, complemented by a poignant, powerful soundtrack that evokes adventure and magic. The 5×3 gold-framed grid sits prominently against this backdrop, with symbols including low-paying royals (10, J, Q, K, A) in traditional style and high-paying premiums: an owl, silver dragon, red dragon, and Merlin himself. The Scatter Wild appears as a crystal orb adorned with golden flames.

Rise of Merlin Slot – Base Game

Animations are smooth and celebratory, with win highlights and powerful effects during feature activations, particularly when Expanding Symbols cover reels. The overall aesthetic is vibrant and detailed, prioritizing immersive storytelling over flashy excess, though some descriptions note it as rather basic compared to more elaborate modern titles. The game performs seamlessly on desktops, smartphones, and tablets, maintaining visual fidelity across devices without compromising the mystical theme.

Gameplay Mechanics

Rise of Merlin employs a straightforward 5-reel, 3-row grid with 10 paylines, where wins form by landing at least 3 matching symbols (or 2 for high-paying premiums) on adjacent reels starting from the leftmost reel. Paylines are fixed, and players adjust bets via a range from €0.01 to €100. The base game flows with standard spins, evaluated left-to-right, where the Scatter Wild (crystal orb) substitutes for all regular symbols to complete wins and pays directly: 0.2x, 2x, or 20x the bet for 3, 4, or 5 respectively.

Low-value symbols (10, J, Q, K, A) pay 8x to 12x the bet for 5-of-a-kind. Premium symbols—owl, silver dragon, red dragon, and Merlin—offer higher rewards up to 500x the bet for 5-of-a-kind, with Merlin and the Scatter Wild both capping at this top payout. The interface includes standard controls for spin speed, autoplay, and quick access to the paytable, ensuring intuitive play. No tumbling or additional base game modifiers are present, keeping focus on building toward scatters for the bonus.

Note: Exact mid-premium payouts fall within the 60x-500x range for 5-of-a-kind; Scatter Wild also triggers free spins on 3+.

Bonus Features

The game’s excitement peaks in its features: Scatter Wilds, Free Spins, and Gamble Feature. The crystal orb serves dual purpose as Wild (substituting for pays) and Scatter.

Rise of Merlin Slot – Free spins

Free Spins activates on 3, 4, or 5 Scatter Wilds, awarding 8 spins plus instant payouts of 0.2x, 2x, or 20x the bet. Prior to starting, one regular symbol is randomly selected as the Expanding Symbol, which expands to cover its entire reel if it can form a win, paying anywhere on the grid regardless of paylines. Retriggering with 3+ Scatter Wilds adds 8 more spins and selects an additional Expanding Symbol—up to 9 possible in total, dramatically boosting win potential. This mechanic differentiates it from similar titles, heightening anticipation during retriggers.

The Gamble Feature activates post-win, allowing players to risk winnings by guessing card color (double) or suit (quadruple). Limits: up to 5 gambles per trigger or €250x bet total win. A wrong guess forfeits the payout. No buy-a-bonus or other modifiers exist, keeping features tied to organic play.

Betting Options and Payouts

Betting ranges from a minimum of €0.01 to a maximum of €100 per spin, accommodating micro-stakes to high-roller sessions with 10 fixed paylines. The default RTP 96.58% is player-friendly, though operators may configure lower variants (94.51%, 91.51%, 87.56%, 84.55%)—always verify in-game. High volatility suits thrill-seekers, with bonus round frequency at 1 in 165 spins. The 5,000x max win has a probability of 1 in 8,771,930 spins, achievable via stacked Expanding Symbols in Free Spins. Payouts emphasize premiums and features, with base game hits balanced but reliant on bonus for peaks.

Conclusion

Rise of Merlin excels with its enhanced Free Spins mechanic, allowing up to 9 Expanding Symbols via retriggers, elevating potential beyond base inspirations while maintaining a 96.58% RTP and 5,000x max win. The immersive Merlin-themed design, smooth animations, and gamble option add engagement, with broad betting accessibility. Drawbacks include high volatility leading to dry spells, operator-variable RTP, and a base game leaning heavily on bonus triggers without unique modifiers. Players can test the slot risk-free using the built-in demo available on this page. Overall, it delivers a solid, volatile fantasy experience for fans of expanding symbol slots, proving a worthy portfolio addition.