Table of Contents
Overview
In the grand tradition of returning to older games and giving them makeovers with Big Time Gaming’s mega-popular Megaways mechanic comes Pragmatic Play’s online slot Mustang Gold Megaways. Sometimes, it’s a puzzle as to why studios pick one game over another for this. Was the original a beloved hit that earned the privilege, did the maker spot the opportunity for one or two choice alterations, or perhaps the studio randomly threw a dart at a board covered in potential options? Whatever origin story explains Mustang Gold Megaways’ existence, it’s here, and it has received a few changes to go with the set of reels shake-up.
A few of the objects in Mustang Gold Megaways’ background are similar to those found in the previous game, but the use of a taller gaming grid has sort of panned the camera back a step, so players can take in more of the view. This move gives the pastel-skied, rocky-hilled location a bigger, wider feel than before. Still pretty generic stuff, though.
Game Details
Obviously, the game grid is bigger and wider than before, too. Its main area utilises 6 reels spinning vertically, plus a 4-position reel at the top spinning side to side. Combine the two, and it is possible to have 117,649 ways to win, pulling potential combinations together. The RTP has dropped slightly, the maximum value is now 96.46%, and the volatility is tuned up to high. Bets of 20 c to $/€240 may be picked, and when using the optional ante bet, which doubles the chance of triggering free spins, an extra 50% is added to the stake.
After regular winning combinations have paid, the winning symbols are removed from the screen. Holes are plugged by symbols tumbling from above on the main reels or from the side on the top reel. If a new win occurs after a tumble, the feature repeats. Mustang Gold Megaways’ pay symbol hierarchy, in descending order, is a white horse, a black horse, a male character, a female character, then A to J playing card royals. Winning ways of 6 identical picture symbols pay 1.2 to 5 times the bet, dropping to 0.4 to 0.75 times the bet for 6 matching royals. Wild symbols hit on reels 2-6, replacing all symbols except the scatter, Money, or Collect.
Freeplay Demo
Game Features
Mustang Gold Megaways has altered the original features and delivers tumbles, Money symbol collecting, free spins with a gamble feature and a new Golden Collect symbol, plus a bonus buy.
Money Symbols
The horseshoe-adorned symbol is the Money symbol. These symbols hit, showing values of 2x to 15x the bet. Moreover, Jackpot Money symbols may also land. They are the 20x Mini, 50x Minor, 100x Major, and the 2,500x Grand. Whenever a Collect symbol hits, at the end of the tumble run, all values from Money symbols in view are collected by it.
Free Spins
Scatter symbols land with values of 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5. Collect symbols also collect any scatter symbol values in view, and the total number of free spins is awarded to the player. Before the round begins, players can gamble to win +3 or +5 free spins on a gamble wheel. Successful gambles award extra free spins – up to five times or up to 100 free spins. Unsuccessful gambles lose all of the free spins.
Special Golden Collect symbols are available in free spins. When a Golden Collect hits, it collects any free spins from scatters and cash values from Money symbols. If it sits above the bottom row, the game respins and the Golden Collect moves down one position. Respins continue until all Golden Collects have left the screen from the bottom. Players win additional free spins when they are collected from scatter symbols by Collect or Golden Collect symbols.
Buy Free Spins
For 120x the total bet, players can buy access to the free spins round. When buying free spins, a minimum of 3 free spins are awarded.
Conclusions
Pragmatic Play might not have switched up the game beyond all recognition, but changes have definitely been made. Using Megaways is one of the most obvious, and where Mustang Gold had a sort of retro atmosphere, its younger brother is the more contemporary slot. A bit common, it might be said, since Megaways slots are a dime a dozen these days, but Big Time Gaming’s everywhere engine tends to expand the old slots it touches.
Mustang Gold Megaways is no exception, and Pragmatic Play has included a few new bits for players to have a look at. On-screen, upping the Grand prize to 2,500x might provide extra pull for fans of local jackpots, compared to the 1,000x last time. Winning potential is an interesting one. Check Mustang Gold nowadays and its advertised max win is currently 2,000x, compared to the 12,000x figure thrown about when the game was first reviewed. Mustang Gold Megaways sits between those two numbers, being more than double what is currently possible in the previous game but not exactly sitting pretty for Megaways on 5,000x the bet as a win cap. Another notable difference is the bonus round triggering method and the chance of gambling for additional free spins. You don’t seem to get a lot of initial free spins. For example, the bonus buy guarantees a mere 3 of them for 120x, which isn’t overly heartening. Gambling is there to boost the number, or lose the lot, if luck is running the other way.
That leaves the Golden Collect, and having a semi-sticky collector symbol in a Money symbol game has to be positive, right? Well, better to have one than not, let’s say. When widening the focus, are players better off having Mustang Gold Megaways around than not? Debatable. Many no doubt could have lived without ever crossing paths with a Mustang Gold slot again, but its Money symbol collecting and gambling features might appeal to some, dedicated fans of the first maybe.
