Merlin's Secret Maxways Slot by Microgaming

A Variable Grid That Changes Every Spin

Merlin's Secret Maxways plays on six reels where the height shifts with each spin. Reels 1 and 6 display between 2 and 7 symbols. Reels 2 through 5 show 2 to 6, with an Extra Reel adding one more symbol to the top of each. At minimum height the grid produces 64 ways. At full expansion - all reels maxed out at 7 - that number hits 117,649. The Maxways counter in the top-right corner updates live, so you always know where you stand.

Cascading Reels clear winning symbols after every ways win, dropping new ones in from above. Multiple wins chain off a single spin, and during free spins these cascades feed a growing multiplier. The base game cascades don't carry a multiplier, keeping win potential modest outside the bonus round.

The 40,000x max win stands out for a Microgaming game. Their previous ceiling was 15,000x on Immortal Romance 2, and most of their catalog caps between 5,000x and 10,000x. This is a deliberate push into high-volatility territory that the studio hasn't attempted before.

Lightning Strikes on the Extra Reel

The Extra Reel above reels 2-5 spins independently from right to left. It carries regular symbols most of the time. But when a Lightning symbol appears on it, one random symbol type across reels 2 through 5 transforms entirely into Wilds. Every single instance of that chosen symbol - gone, replaced. On a grid showing 15 to 20+ symbols across those four reels, one Lightning strike floods the board.

It gets better during cascades. If a winning combination removes the Lightning symbol and a new one drops in, it fires again, picking a different symbol type for conversion. Two Lightning activations on one spin create a grid packed with Wilds across multiple symbol types. The mechanic works in both the base game and free spins, though its impact multiplies during free spins where the cascading multiplier amplifies every resulting win.

Free Spins and the Gamble Wheel

Four Scatters anywhere trigger free spins. The award scales with scatter count: 4 give 10 spins, 5 give 14, 6 give 18, 7 give 22, 8 give 26, and 9 or more award 30. Before spins start, a gamble wheel appears. You collect your awarded spins, or spin the wheel to upgrade to the next tier. Win and your count increases. Lose and you get nothing - zero free spins, straight back to base game. The green (win) segment shrinks at higher tiers, making each successive gamble riskier.

During the round, a persistent multiplier starts at 1x and grows by 1 for every cascade win. No cap. By spin 6 or 7, the multiplier regularly sits at 4x to 8x based on the screenshots of actual play. A Lightning Wild activation at that point, converting symbols on a grid with 1,800+ active ways while a 7x multiplier applies to every hit - that's where the 40,000x math lives.

Retriggering adds 4 extra spins when 3 Scatters land during the round. Spins play at whatever bet was active when the feature triggered.

Paytable Numbers and the 150x Buy

Symbol values are intentionally low for a 6-reel, high-volatility game. The Enchantress (top premium) pays 20x bet for six of a kind. Merlin pays 5x for six. The Black Cat sits at 2.5x, the Owl at 2x, and the Potion at 1.5x. Card symbols (10 through Ace) range from 0.6x to 1.25x for a full line. Two of a kind pays only on the Enchantress (0.5x), everything else needs at least three.

These feel thin compared to slots where single premium hits pay 25-50x. The design is deliberate. With 117,649 possible ways and a multiplier that builds with no ceiling, individual symbol values need to stay low or the math breaks. Wins compound through volume and multiplication, not single-hit payouts.

Buy Free Spins costs 150x total bet. At a €2 stake, that's €300 for a guaranteed trigger with the gamble wheel intact. 150x sits on the cheaper side for bonus buys across the industry. The catch is that the gamble wheel still offers a path to zero - you can buy in at 150x and walk out with nothing if you gamble and lose. Collecting immediately gives you the standard 10-spin round.

Wilds appear on reels 2 through 6 and substitute for all regular symbols. They don't land on reel 1 and carry no standalone payout. The Lightning symbol occupies the Extra Reel only - you won't see it in the main grid. Scatters appear anywhere on all six reels.

The art quality is strong by Microgaming's standards, which already sit above most of the industry. A dark enchanted forest backdrop, detailed character portraits for each premium symbol, and clean animations for the Lightning transformation and the gamble wheel scene set in a candlelit study. The visual production matches what the studio delivered on Immortal Romance 2 and Thunderstruck Stormblitz.