Shamrock Holmes MegaWays
Shamrock Holmes MegaWays Slot Review (Microgaming/All41 Studios)
Shamrock Holmes marks the beginning of the MegaWays era for Microgaming.
Made by All41 Studios, which is known for games like Book of Atem WowPot and Mayan Eagle Nobleways, the Shamrock Holmes MegaWays slot is also the first game using the most popular Big Time Gaming slot engine to be powered by Microgaming . Featuring up to 117,649 ways to win, Rolling Reels and the signature Extra Reel, this leprechaun-themed slot can potentially rain down up to 28,000x on a lucky winner in a multiplier-laden free spins bonus. More about it in the review below.
Shamrock Holmes Megaways’ release date is 5 January 2021. You’ll find this high-volatility slot at licensed Microgaming slot sites like Pots of Luck Casino.
Play Shamrock Holmes MegaWays™ at Licensed Slot Site
Recommended Microgaming casino
New Players Only. Wager from real balance first. 50X wager the bonus. Contribution varies per game. Selected games only. Wager calculated on bonus bets only. Bonus valid 30 days / Free spins valid 7 days from receipt. Max conversion: 3x the bonus amount or from free spins: £20. Withdrawal requests voids all active/pending bonuses. Excluded Skrill deposits. Full T&C apply.
Game overview
Editor's verdict
Shamrock Holmes makes use of the classic MegaWays format, with no major surprises yet. Nevertheless, it’s a fun game to play and one which offers plenty of win moments over the course of average gameplay. Big wins are not as palpable as with some games, but even a handful of Shamrock Holmes symbols in the Free Spins can do the magic and awaken the fortune buds in you.
Rolling Reels
Featured in games like Football Star Deluxe, Rolling Reels is Microgaming’s trademark name for cascading or falling symbols. This means that symbols can award multiple consecutive wins per spin by exploding on getting replaced after each win.
There’s a total of 6 reels, including an Extra Reel on top of reels 2-5 (see Return of Kong MegaWays). There are six (6) low and four (4) high symbols, of which the most rewarding, Shamrock Holmes, also pays for 2-of-a-kind and boasts a top reward of 50x bet for a full line. All of these symbols can also appear stacked, making it easier to fill up reels with the same symbol.
Wilds can appear only on the Extra Reel and have no coin value, just like Scatters.
Free Spins Bonus
Get four (4) or more Scatters, to trigger 10 Free Spins. You will also get +2 spins for every additional Scatter. During the bonus, you will only need three (3) Scatters on the Extra Reels to re-trigger the feature and win extra spins.
The Free Spins start with an x2 win multiplier, which is increased by +1 with each win, including between Rolls. This can be done unlimited times, which is the key to the 28,000x win potential.
The bonus can take over 500 spins or more to trigger, but the fact that it is re-triggerable makes up for that to some extent. Although my maximum win from the feature was limited to around 200x, I was overall pleased with the duration of the bonuses.
Magic Forest Re-spin
Even if you don’t get four (4) Scatters, you can still win a “second-chance feature”. The following combinations of Scatters and one or two of the high symbols on the Extra Reel triggers a free Magic Forest Re-spin and locks MegaWays to 1 of 3 positions:
- 3 Scatters + Leprechaun + Pixie – Guaranteed 117,649 ways to win
- 3 Scatters + Leprechaun – Guaranteed 32,400 ways to win
- 3 Scatters + Pixie – Guaranteed 10,000 ways to win.
These features are not that rare, but they rarely present with any prize, which can be quite frustrating.
Conclusion
Microgaming x MegaWays 2021
We’re on a mission to bring the Megaways™ revolution to a bigger audience, and they don’t come much bigger than Microgaming. These guys were industry pioneers and today they remain one of the biggest forces in the gaming space. As ardent slots fans, we’re delighted to be contributing in a small way to the Microgaming story.
Nik Robinson, CEO at Big Time Gaming
Shamrock Holmes has both a lot and a little to offer, depending on how experienced you are with the MegaWays slots. Either way, this upbeat Irish-themed slot is fun to play and one that is relatively high in win frequency despite boasting one of Microgaming’s highest volatilities. This makes it all-round more enjoyable to play for a broader spectrum of players, including a fairly decent RTP of 96.44%. For the more demanding players, however, this game might fall short of expectations.
However pleased or disappointed you are with this release, the licensing agreement has been penned and suggests that there must be some very exciting remakes in store for Microgaming fans and slots enthusiasts alike in 2021 and beyond.
Stay tuned and have fun!
New Players Only. Wager from real balance first. 50X wager the bonus. Contribution varies per game. Selected games only. Wager calculated on bonus bets only. Bonus valid 30 days / Free spins valid 7 days from receipt. Max conversion: 3x the bonus amount or from free spins: £20. Withdrawal requests voids all active/pending bonuses. Excluded Skrill deposits. Full T&C apply.
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