5 Lions Megaways Demo and Review

Prepare for a journey to the Far East, where ancient symbols of luck meet the explosive power of Megaways. Pragmatic Play has a well-known strategy: take a successful slot game and give it a Megaways makeover. With 5 Lions Megaways, they've done just that. Is this a truly golden creation or just a familiar formula wrapped in a new, shiny package?

5 Lions Megaways Slot Summary

5 Lions Megaways Demo

This is a game of big swings and important choices, that's why I recommend you play the 5 Lions Megaways demo first. It’s the best way to get a feel for the different Free Spins options and decide which level of risk you’re comfortable with before you put down your own Rands.

Game Overview

Pragmatic Play released this Asian-themed powerhouse in June 2021, building on the success of their original 5 Lions slot. It’s a 6-reel Megaways game with a top tracker reel, offering up to 117,649 ways to win. The RTP is a very respectable 96.5%, and like many in this series, it comes with high volatility. For players in South Africa, the bet range is very flexible, typically starting around R3.00 and going up to R1,875 per spin. The max win is capped at 5,000x your bet.

Theme and Storyline

The game is steeped in Asian mythology, with a rich, deep-blue background adorned with traditional patterns. The reels are framed in gold and feature beautifully designed symbols of luck and power: a dragon, a phoenix, a frog, and a KOI fish, all crafted in gleaming gold. The theme is about fortune and prosperity, and the game does a fantastic job of creating an opulent and immersive atmosphere.

Graphics, Sounds and Animations

The golden animal symbols are detailed and stand out beautifully against the dark background. The animations are slick, especially when the golden dragon wild comes to life. The soundtrack is a traditional, serene Asian melody during the base game, which lulls you into a calm state before erupting into a dramatic, high-energy score when you trigger the bonus round. 

Gameplay

The gameplay in 5 Lions Megaways is a dynamic and action-packed experience, driven by a powerful combination of popular slot mechanics. The base game is kept exciting by the constant potential for chain reactions of wins and surprise multipliers, while the main goal is always to land three or more Yin and Yang symbols to unlock the brilliant, strategy-filled bonus round.

How to play

While the game looks grand, its controls are simple and intuitive. You can easily set your bet using the plus and minus buttons. The base game is all about creating winning combinations from left to right, which then triggers the Tumble Feature, giving you chances for multiple wins on a single spin. 

Keep an eye out for the golden dragon Wild symbol, as it not only helps complete wins but can also add a massive random multiplier. 

The main objective, however, is to land three or more of the Yin and Yang Bonus symbols anywhere on the reels. This is your ticket to the main event: the exciting Player-Choice Free Spins feature, where the biggest treasures are found.

5 Lions Megaways Bonus Features

This is where the game truly comes alive, combining several powerful features to create massive win potential.

The Megaways Engine & Tumble Feature

The game is built on the famous Megaways mechanic, which is licensed from its creators, Big Time Gaming (BTG). This brilliant engine changes the number of symbols that land on each of the six reels with every single spin. This means the number of ways to win is constantly changing, up to a massive maximum of 117,649! This is paired with the Tumble Feature (also known as cascading reels). After any winning combination is paid out, the winning symbols are removed from the screen, and new symbols fall down from above to fill the empty spaces. If this creates a new win, the process repeats.

Wild Multiplier

What sets this game apart, even in the base game, is the Wild Multiplier feature. The golden dragon is your Wild symbol, and whenever it is part of a winning combination, a random multiplier is applied to the win from that entire tumble sequence! In the base game, you can land multipliers for x2, x3, x5, x8, x10, x15, x30, and x40. This is a fantastic touch that can turn a standard, small win into something truly significant.

Player-Choice Free Spins

This is where 5 Lions Megaways truly stands out from the crowd and shows its genius. Landing 3 or more of the Yin and Yang Bonus symbols not only triggers the feature but also gives you an instant cash prize: 3x your bet for 3 symbols, 5x for 4, 25x for 5, and a massive 100x for 6 symbols! 

You are then presented with seven different options, allowing you to choose your own risk level:

• 25 Free Spins with Wild Multipliers of x2, x3, or x5.

• 20 Free Spins with Wild Multipliers of x3, x5, or x8.

• 15 Free Spins with Wild Multipliers of x5, x8, or x10.

• 13 Free Spins with Wild Multipliers of x8, x10, or x15.

• 10 Free Spins with Wild Multipliers of x10, x15, or x30.

• 6 Free Spins with Wild Multipliers of x15, x30, or x40.

• Mystery Choice: This option randomly assigns you a number of spins and a multiplier range from the other choices. It's the ultimate gamble!

During the free spins, any win that includes a Wild will be boosted by one of the multipliers from your chosen range. If you land 3 or more Bonus symbols during the round, you retrigger the same number of spins as your initial choice.

Ante Bet & Buy Bonus

Like many other popular Pragmatic Play slots, such as Buffalo King Megaways or Sweet Bonanza, this game gives you two ways to get to the bonus round faster:

• Ante Bet: Pay an extra 25% on your stake to double your chances of triggering the free spins naturally.

• Buy Bonus: Pay 100x your stake to instantly trigger the Player-Choice Free Spins feature.

Payouts & Volatility

The game has a high volatility rating, which is amplified by the choices you make in the bonus round. The RTP is a fair 96.5%. The paytable is led by the golden animal symbols: the Dragon is the highest value, followed by the Phoenix, Frog, KOI, and Turtle. The standard A, K, Q, J, and 10 symbols act as the lower-paying symbols. The ultimate prize is the 5,000x max win, a treasure worthy of an emperor.

Tips for playing 5 Lions Megaways

• Analyse Your Bonus Choice: Don't just pick a bonus option randomly. The 25 spins option is lower risk and will likely give you more consistent, smaller wins. The 6 spins option is extremely high risk; you could win nothing, or you could land a massive 40x multiplier on a big win. Use the demo to see which style suits you.

• The Mystery is for Thrill-Seekers: Only choose the Mystery option if you are comfortable with extreme swings of luck. You could end up with the best combination (25 spins with high multipliers) or the worst (6 spins with low multipliers). It's a proper gamble within a gamble.

• Factor in the Wilds: Unlike many other Megaways games, where the base game is just a wait for the bonus, the Wild Multipliers here can produce significant wins on their own. Pay attention to them, as a surprise 40x multiplier can turn a standard spin into a huge payday.

• Use the Ante Bet Strategically: If you find the bonus hard to trigger but don't want to pay the full 100x for the bonus buy, the Ante Bet is your best friend. It's a middle-ground strategy that increases the excitement without breaking the bank.

• Know Your Limits: Because of the tempting bonus buy and high volatility, this game requires discipline. Set a firm budget before you start and stick to it, no matter how close you feel to that big win.

What is the RTP for 5 Lions Megaways?

The theoretical RTP (Return to Player) for 5 Lions Megaways is 96.5%. This is a strong RTP that sits comfortably above the general industry average.