Apollo Pays Megaways: Slot Overview
Mention the word Apollo, and two things may spring
to mind. One is the American space program that went to the moon, while the other is
the Olympian deity of Ancient Greece and Rome. In online slot Apollo Pays Megaways,
designer Big Time Gaming has gone for the second meaning, creating their first Ancient
Greek themed game. Is falling back on such a common slot theme a sign the studio is
running short of fresh ideas, or will BTG inject their magic to revitalise a well-worn
genre? Only one way to find out.
Some of the ancient gods were a busy lot. Apollo was
the god of a bunch of things, including healing, the arts, music, oracles, sunlight,
herds, prophecy, truth, poetry, and more. He was also known for being quite the looker
and, according to online sources at least, considered the most Greek of all the gods.
BTG has created quite a dreamy slot for Apollo to star in. On the visual front, players
get a birds-eye view of Mt Olympus, all waterfalls, and Greek-style buildings poking
out above the clouds. A positive mood is created by a gently flowing soundtrack,
evoking feelings of quiet contemplation, adding to Apollo Pays Megaways' chilled
vibe.
From the dreamy outer shell to the inner nuts and bolts, Apollo Pays Megaways is
played on a 6-reel Megaways game panel, each reel holding anywhere from 2-7 symbols.
Varying symbols means varying ways to win, up to 117,649 at the most. Numerically, it
is impossible to fault Apollo Pays Megaways, generating a return value of 96.51% -
96.56%, in a highly volatile manner. Potential is massive both in the base game,
skyrocketing even further in free spins.
Playable from 20 p/c toR$/€20 per pop, regular
wins pay left to right and do not trigger a reaction feature as usual but do kick off a
new-ish respins function. Here, 9 to Ace card ranks make up the lower value symbols,
worth 0.2 to 0.3x the bet for six of a kind, whereas four gems are the high pays, worth
0.4 to 5x the bet for six. A colourful representation of Apollo appears on the wild
symbol, which lands on reels 2-5 to substitute all symbols except the scatter.
Apollo
Pays Megaways: Slot Features
BTG hasn't exactly used Apollo Pays Megaways as an
opportunity to massively flaunt their creative prowess regarding features. Instead, the
game relies on a set of reliably performing extras brought together in a new way to
provide entertainment and generate some impressive theoretical numbers.
Win Exchange
If
a player scores a win worth 100x the bet or more, they can exchange 100 times the stake
for free spins. Alternatively, if a win worth 25 to 100 times the stake occurs, players
can gamble the amount for the chance to win 10 free spins.
Respins
Whenever a win hits,
the winning symbols are locked in place, and all other positions are respun. If 2 or
more symbols land on the respin and improve the win, another respin is awarded. Respins
continue until zero or one symbol improves the win, then the prize money is paid.
Scatters are always locked in place during respins, and respins may add an extra symbol
to any reel up to 7 high.
Free Spins
A total of 10 free spins are awarded when 3
scatter symbols are in view, plus 2 free spins for each scatter beyond 3. Free spins
benefit from an unlimited win multiplier which begins at x1 and increases by +1 every
time a respin is triggered. Players can extend the bonus round when 3 scatters land to
award 4 additional free spins, plus 2 free spins for each scatter beyond three.
Apollo
Pays Megaways: Slot Verdict
It might not seem like Apollo Pays Megaways is one of BTG's
major innovators, but there are a couple of firsts going on here. One is the use of
this specific type of hold & win respin feature with Megaways which brings a new
dynamic to the gameplay, as well as several pros and cons. Pros include being able to
stretch out game time if that is a concern. Batches of spins took a lot longer than
they usually do, even factoring in slots with a cascade feature which might suit
certain players. Others might feel like they are wading through mud, so relaxed the
pace can be at times.
Respins triggered a lot, often building impressive multi-way
wins, stretching right across the game grid. The first few times this happened came as
a surprise because to balance respins, symbol values have taken a noticeable hit. So,
while a lot of winning symbols link up at times, the result was rarely as good as we
thought it would be. There is no doubting potential is here, though, and officially
speaking, wins as high as 26,900x the bet are possible in the base game.
Even more cash
is potentially up for grabs in the bonus game, tipping the scales at 116,030x the
stake. Triggering free spins in a regular BTG game can sometimes seem like a Herculean
task, so best you're being patient when playing Apollo Pays Megaways because, with the
increased time due to respins, the wait can be substantial. It took us well over two
hours to trigger our first one, which is quite remarkable. That being said, it's in
free spins that the other first pops up. This is the progressive multiplier following
respins. Similar in essence to a progressive multiplier/cascade combo yet different
enough to warrant investigation, if you can manage to trigger the bonus round.
Apollo
Pays Megaways is another well made, if slower than usually paced, BTG product. Compare
it to a polar opposite like Danger! High Voltage, for example, and players get to see a
different side of the studio's personality. There are innovations here, but they kind
of feel like technical advances rather than some hot new unmissable gameplay. Still,
Apollo Pays Megaways' new bits are well worth a look if pacey action isn't a must, or
as an exercise in testing your patience.
