Since this is the fourth game in the 5 Lions Megaways series, fans have wondered why developer Pragmatic Play is emphasizing the number 5. After doing some research, I learned that the Chinese number five (w) is considered a lucky number since it represents the emperor and the five elements (fire, water, wood, metal, and earth). The Forbidden City’s entryway, for instance, was spanned by five separate arches. It would seem that the game is a tribute to Chinese culture by focusing on the number 5. Or, more cynically, it might be a strategy to boost the game’s position in the casinos’ rankings.
After the original, a Gold edition, and a Dance version, it was past time for a Megaways makeover, therefore 5 Lions is back in some form. Based on a design by Big Time Gaming, Megaways has a 6-reel grid with a maximum of 7 symbols across the first and second reels and 8 across the third and fourth reels, for a total of up to 200,704 ways to win. Those who are familiar with games like 5 Lions Dance or 5 Lions Gold will feel right at home here. It has a classy wavy blue design as a backdrop, lots of gold accents, traditional animal symbols on the reels, and a zithery soundtrack. In a matter of seconds, participants will either sneak back to their computers to continue enjoying their virtual journey to the East or will be racing to their computers to get the heck out of there.
All the games in the series have been high-risk affairs, with the exception of 5 Lions Dance. 5 Lions Megaways is no exception. The default RTP is 96.5%, and the volatility is as high as a 5 out of 5. The Ante Bet function is there to help out if the Bonus Buy option is unavailable. Normal wagers are 20 p/c to £/€125 each spin, with a 25% increase when using the Ante Bet feature. It increases the possibility of winning free spins by a factor of two.
Pragmatic Play has padded the paytable by essentially stealing the graphics from 5 Lions Gold and pasting them into their own game. Therefore, the low-paying symbols will be the 10 through A playing card suits, while the high-paying ones will be turtles, fish, frogs, phoenixes, and dragons, respectively. Six symbol premium combos pay off between 2.5 and 25 times the wager. Wild tiles with additional dragons appear on reels 2, 3, and 5. It stands in for every sign except the Yin and Yang scatter and has no monetary value.
Slot Game Features for 5 Lions Megaways
Players who enjoyed the first few 5 Lions games likely did so because they could pick from a wide variety of free spins and multiplier options in the bonus rounds. It’s good news that they’re all back, stronger than ever because to innovations like Megaways and tumble victories.
The first thing the tumble feature does is replace winning symbols on the reels with fresh ones after a win. It is possible to win many times in a row on any given spin, and the streak will terminate only if no consecutive wins appear. Additionally, the wild multiplier can raise the value of a winning combination from the main game by a factor of x2 up to x40.
The 5 Lions’ main selling point is its generous number of free games. Three, four, five, or six Yin and Yang symbols anywhere in view activate them, awarding 3, 5, 25, or 100 times the wager, respectively. After that, they select the bonus game setup that best fits their comfort level with risk and potential reward:
You’ll get 25 bonus spins with a multiplier of 2, 3, or 5 wilds.
Twenty bonus spins with a wild multiplier of 3, 5, or 8.
Fifteen bonus spins with a multiplier of 5, 8, or 10 wilds.
You can get 8, 10, or 15 times as many wilds on your 13 free spins.
You’ll get 10 bonus spins with multipliers of 10, 15, or 30 wilds.
You can get 6 free spins with a wild multiplier of x15, x30, or x40.
One of the multiplier options can be combined with free spins in a mysterious mystery option.
When a win with a wild symbol occurs during free spins, the wild will randomly select a multiplier from the list of three. If you get three scatters at once, you’ll get the same amount of free games as you choose the first time around.
Want to get your hands on some of those massive wild multipliers right away? Players may do so on the spot by betting 100 times their original bet on the following spin and collecting the necessary amount of scatter symbols.
The Verdict on 5 Lions Megaways Slots
Pragmatic Play has kept the alterations to a minimum, as they have with numerous Asian slots that have received the Megaways update. They didn’t go crazy with the design, instead focusing on enhancing the original’s strengths while capitalizing on Megaways’ intrinsic allure. Five Lions Megaways is a prime example of this. Thankfully, Pragmatic Play hasn’t messed with the original’s best feature—its selection of free spins bonuses. It’s easy to see wary gamblers opting for the 25 spins with the lowest multipliers, while slots Evel Knievels go straight for the 6 spin option in pursuit of the 40x multiplier. Some people will spend a lot of time worrying about finding the optimal configuration for them.
Knowing that either choice will yield the same maximum win and RTP might help with the decision-making process. Unexpectedly, the maximum payoff in 5 Lions Megaways is just 5,000x the wager, which is low for a Megaways game. Perhaps a more reasonable number, but with so many other games offering even greater jackpots, 5 Lions Megaways falls short for gamblers who want to win large.
However, those who enjoy the 5 Lions should be content with the Megaways improvement. Nothing Pragmatic Play has done has made them unhappy or, for that matter, drawn in a new audience. The 5 Lions feature works, and the many opportunities for free spins are present, but it’s a shame that the game’s potential was capped.