Bonanza Megaways Slot Review at Betnero UK

Bonanza Megaways is a misleading title for this game. When it first debuted, Bonanza didn’t have the “Megaways” tagline it’s more commonly known for. The main reason is that Bonanza was one of the first games to feature this mechanic. As Big Time Gaming launched other Megaways games and leased the engine to other providers, the software provider added the tag “Megaways” to the game to help identify that it also features the now renowned mechanic.

Bonanza Megaways, or simply Bonanza, features the classic Megaways slot design, with a top row of symbols and all the trimmings. It doesn’t have much in the way of a theme, save for loose mining imagery, but none of that’s important in terms of gameplay, which is what we’ll look at in this Bonanza Megaways review.

Our Opinion on Bonanza Megaways

When you play Bonanza Megaways online, you get the impression that this was one of the early pioneers, the grandfather of the Megaways range of slots, so to speak. All the now-famous mechanics are there, including the payline structure, the cascading reactions feature, and unlimited win multipliers. There are also a few features that have fallen out of fashion, such as the letter-based bonus spin triggers and, to some extent, the top row of symbols. Given that wilds only appear on that horizontal reel, it’s not surprising to see that it’s slowly been phased out.

It is features such as those that are the primary reason you’d want to try this Big Time Gaming-developed slot machine. Bonanza Megaways is worth exploring if you want to see where the global force of the Megaways engine came from.

Bonanza Megaways Technical Features

At face value, Bonanza Megaways could be seen as a more basic, primitive version of some of the slots that would follow. However, that’s part of its charm – it’s easier for beginners to learn how to play. Classic hallmarks remain, though, such as:

RTP & Volatility

Bonanza Megaways’ RTP and volatility levels are as you’ve come to expect them – high on both counts. The RTP rate is set to 96%, which is the industry standard for modern video slots. Bonanza’s volatility level is high, which is again the benchmark for most Megaways games. One thing to note, though, is that top prizes (at 12,000x) aren’t as high as you might find in more modern releases from BTG and other Megaways slots.

Paylines & Reels

Bonanza isn’t another Megaways clone, it is the original Megaways game. It was one of the first to introduce the six-reel, (up to) 117,649 ways to win mechanic. There’s also a top, horizontal reel. This can add extra symbols to the reels below, and it is a feature that is largely removed from these types of games nowadays.

You’ve also got the usual cascading wins/reaction mechanic in play, meaning that all winning combos are removed, with new symbols taking their place. Chaining together wins without placing new stakes isn’t something many players will turn their noses up at.

Symbols & Bet Range

While there is supposed to be a mining theme going on here, you wouldn’t really be able to tell. However, the theme isn’t important here. It’s neutral enough to appeal to most. Bonanza Megaways uses high playing card symbols for its lowest-paying icons, and gemstone-like icons denote higher-paying combos.

As with all Megaways games, the wagering range is fixed, with bets rising from 20p up to £20 a pop. You’ll play with up to 117,649 ways to win with those stakes, but how many paylines you get will be randomly determined on each new spin.

Bonus Features in Bonanza Megaways

The top reel adds extra symbols to the reels, but Bonanza Megaways also has a few other tricks up its sleeve. Firstly, there are wild symbols. These appear in the cart-style horizontal reel on the top (not on the primary reels). Appearing as sticks of dynamite, these symbols can drop down onto those reels and replace all save for scattered letters.

Secondly, G, O, L and D letters can appear, and these can trigger the Bonanza Megaways bonus round. Think of these symbols as scatters, but not in any conventional sense of the term. Spell out GOLD on the reels, and you’ll find yourself in its primary (and only) feature, which plays out like so:

•         Bonus Spins Round: Once activated, the bonus round offers you twelve bonus spins. An additional five spins are awarded for every extra scatter located in the base game, and you’ll get five more if three scatters crop up in the bonus round. The main difference between the bonus spin round and the base game, though, is that chaining together wins via cascades results in unlimited win multipliers being applied to wins. These start at 1x and rise with each cascading reaction landed. They don’t reset if you fail to win, either.

Bonanza Megaways Theme & Graphics

Bonanza Megaways is a very half-hearted attempt to tackle the mining theme. However, because it doesn’t hit home, one could arguably say that BTG’s game makes itself more appealing to a broader audience. Graphically, the game has the same decent animations and well-drawn imagery that Big Time Gaming’s slots are renowned for in any UK online casinos.

Bonanza Megaways Review Summary

Bonanza holds a special spot in the world of online slots. It’s a pioneering game, a relic of a time when Megaways slots weren’t left, right and centre across the casino world. It set the benchmark for all other Megaways slots to follow and remains a popular game. It’s well-suited for any UK players seeking to have a crack at earlier releases and the first to feature the now-famous mechanic. Of course, we must stress that you should bet responsibly, and playing the Bonanza Megaways demo allows for risk-free action that’ll give you a good idea of what to expect.

 

“Betting is strictly for players aged 18 and over. Please gamble responsibly. For support and more information, visit BeGambleAware.org.”