Gonzo’s Quest Megaways™

Gonzo’s Quest Megaways™ Slot Review

Slot Provider: Red Tiger

RTP: 95.77% | Variance: High | Maximum Win: 21,000x

Our Score: 8.8

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WHY YOU CAN TRUST THIS REVIEW: The information and opinions on this page are the result of an comprehensive process of information gathering and live game testing by the gambling experts who work at allslotsites.com. Find out more here.

About Gonzo’s Quest Megaways™

Reviewed by:

Published Date: 23rd June 2020

How We Review Slot Games

We test and rate all slot games across 5 criteria, assigning a score out of 10 for each and an overall score that is an average of the 5. To build an accurate assessment of each game we gather information from the supplier and play in real play or demo mode. Find out more.

Gonzo’s Quest Megaways is one of the first releases that followed NetEnt’s acquisition of Red Tiger back in 2019. The latter’s Megaways license was put to good use here to update one of the most popular online slots of all time. The charm of the original game has been retained, as has the classic avalanches and multipliers format, but the high variance game engine was given a rocket boost with up to 117,649 win ways per spin and a top win of 21,000x. You can spin from just 10p per play.

Gonzo’s Quest Megaways™ Game Information

  • Release Date: 23.07.20
  • RTP: 95.77%
  • Variance: High
  • Maximum Win: 21,000x
  • Progressive Jackpot: No
  • Reels: 6
  • Rows: 2 to 7
  • Paylines: 117, 649
  • Minimum Stake: £0.10
  • Theme: Aztec
  • Features: Tumbling Reels, Free Spins, Progressive Multipliers, Earthquakes, Unbreakable Wilds
  • Format: 6-Reel
  • Series: Gonzo's Quest

Testing Notes: Here’s What Happened When We Played Gonzo’s Quest Megaways™

IMPORTANT: To give you an accurate assessment of the games we review our writers play 200 spins. Whilst this is a useful tool to help us review games and to give an example of what might happen when you play, keep in mind that 200 spins is only a very small sample and cannot be used to accurately predict what might happen over another 200 spins. The outcome of all slots play is always random.

Boom Or Bust? Our Session By The Numbers

Test spins and results analysis by Mark Wadie on 09.07.24

Results from 250 spins with real money on Gonzo’s Quest Megaways at Casumo.

  • Stake Size: £0.1
  • Start balance: £1,000.64
  • End balance: £995.94
  • Hit Rate: 23.6% (59 winning spins in 250)
  • Biggest Win: 51.9x
  • Free Spins Round: 1

A few spins on a Gonzo’s Quest slot is always fun and this one has by far the best production in my opinion. The artwork is excellent and the animations between base game and free spins are top class too. As for the game experience, the win distribution shifted considerably from the 1st to the 2nd half of this session, showing the volatility. In the first 30 spins there were wins galore, every 2 or 3 spins. Then things flipped with several runs of 6 or 7 spins with no return. But over 250 spins the win rate came in at a decent 23.6% so no complaints. Just be ready for that uneven spread.

Gonzo's Quest Megaways Free Spins Round
Free Spins Round in Action

The avalanche-multiplier combination itself is exciting as any slots player knows, but it can become a bit of a grind waiting for that free spins / falls round to drop. It took 212 spins int this case, but it’s worth waiting for as those increased multipliers power-up the game considerably. Just 2 successive wins gets you to a 6x multiplier, which happened a few times for me. The total win was 51.9x for 9 free spins. Not huge, but tidy enough.

Gonzo's Quest Megaways Free Spins Round Win
51.9x win (10p stake) in free spins

Overall I would say this is an improvement on the original, bringing the game into the modern age with more win ways and slicker production. Well worth a spin.

What We Liked

  • Lots more win ways than the original
  • Outstanding graphics and 3d production
  • Enhanced multipliers of up to 15x in free spins round
  • 21,000x max win possible

What We Didn't like

  • High volatility means it can be a grind at times

Gonzo’s Quest Megaways™ Review Scores

  • Theme and Design 9
  • RTP and Variance 8
  • Maximum Win 9
  • Symbols and Paytable 9
  • Features and Gameplay 9

What Our Reviewer Says ...

"A fantastic sequel to one of the all-time great slots. With the variance cranked up and a much higher top win this version is built for the volatility freaks!"

Overall Score: 8.8

Theme & Design

Our Score 9

Same Style But Better Artwork and An Expansive Table

If you are a fan of the first Gonzo’s Quest then you won’t be disappointed by the artwork here. It has all the charm of the original, and uses the same distinctive 3d style, but the graphics are richer, the detail more intricate, and the whole reel set more expansive (as you would expect from Megaways).

Gonzo's Quest Megaways by Red Tiger
Gonzo’s Quest Megaways – intricate artwork and 3d animations

The same Mayan Temple forms the backdrop to the game, overgrown with vines, whilst the hero, Gonzo, maintains his position at the front of the screen, bobbing up and down and getting increasingly animated as things get more exciting on the reels. This is a top quality production.

RTP and Variance

Our Score 8

What is RTP?

RTP (Return to Player) refers to the amount a game will pay out in cash prizes expressed as a percentage of all the money wagered on that game. For example, a 96% RTP means a game will pay out £96 for every £100 wagered. This is an average number and will vary from one session to the next.  Read more here.

What is Variance?

Variance refers to how far a game will deviate from its RTP over time. High variance games deviate a lot and produce uneven win distributions and unexpected windfalls. Low variance games provide a more stable and even distribution of wins. Read more here.

The RTP on Gonzo’s Quest Megaways varies from one slot site to the next. I have seen this game at anywhere from 90% up to 95.77%. This might be because at some casinos the game is plugged into Red Tiger’s Daily Drop Jackpots network, in which case a jackpot contribution will bring the RTP rate down. It might also be because Red Tiger create games with multiple RTP rates and allow the operator to choose which setting they want to run the game at.

Here is the RTP rate at five popular slot sites we use for testing at time of writing:

MrQ comes out on top of that list and is a great place to play Gonzo’s Quest Megways. Wherever you play you can check the RTP for yourself by hitting the Help link in the game and scrolling to the bottom of the page.

The game operates at a medium-high variance which means the win distribution is very uneven. You may experience long periods with little or no return followed by short bursts of high value payouts.

HINT: With high variance games, it pays to bet low to avoid burning through your balance too fast. Check our bankroll management guide for more tips.

Maximum Win

Our Score 9

What Is Maximum Win?

Maximum win refers to the maximum amount a player can win from one spin. It is expressed as a multiple of the stake. For example, where the maximum win is 100,000x, from a £1 stake, the maximum win would be £100,000.  

The maximum you can win on this game from one spin is 21,000x. That is significantly higher than the max win from the original Gonzo’s Quest game from 2011, though hardly surprising as the field has changed significantly in the last decade or more and top wins in excess of 20,000x are no longer uncommon.

Symbols and Paytable

Our Score 9

Gonzo’s Quest Megaways is a win ways slot. That means no paylines. Instead you just need to land identical symbols on adjacent reels from left to right, starting at the left most reel, to score a win.

There will always be 6 reels in play, but each reel can display between 2 and 7 rows, randomly changing on each spin. If all 6 reels display just 2 symbols then 64 win ways are in play. But if all 6 reels expanding to 6 rows high, then 117,649 win ways are in play (6x6x6x6x6x6x6).

Gonzo's Quest Megaways Paytable
The paytable with 15x for 6 highest paying premiums

There are 9 pay symbols in the table. Low value ones are stone tablets with birds, snakes, aligators and fish on them, valued at from 0.1x for 3 of a kind up to 0.8x for 6 of a kind. Premiums are the 5 Mayan masks, valued at from 0.3x for 3 up to 15x for 6 of the most valuable.

There are also Wild symbols, represented by the ‘?’. These don’t have a pay value but they do substitute for any pay symbol to complete a win way. You can only land a maximum of TWO per spin – one on the first 3 reels, and one on the second 3 reels.

Features and Gameplay

Our Score 9

Gonzo’s Quest Megaways™ retained all the features of the original gameplay and bolted on some thrilling extras including Earthquakes and the Royal Wheel.

Here is how it works.

Avalanche Wins and Multipliers 

Gonzo’s Quest was one of the first really big video slots to use the Avalanche or Tumble Wins mechanic with progressive multipliers which is also the driving force behind much of the thrills and spills in many Megaways™ games like Big Time Gaming’s original Bonanza. So, this slot represents a perfect match up. After each win, watch the winning symbols (except special exclusions explained below) explode off the reels to be replaced by new ones. If more wins are created, the process repeats. And so on until no more wins appear.

At the same time, after each winning avalanche Gonzo’s win multiplier – displayed above the reels – increases to the following amounts:

  • Avalanche 1: 1x Multiplier
  • Avalanche 2: 2x Multplier
  • Avalanche 3: 3x Multiplier
  • Avalanche 4 or Higher: 5x Multiplier

And in the free spins round the multiplier values are even higher, from 3x up to 15x.

Earthquakes

Every now and then, at random, the reels will shake like an Earthquake. ALL low value symbols then drop off to be replaced by premium ones, increasing the odds of a big win.

Unbreakable Wilds

Wilds that form part of a win are ‘unbreakable’ – sticky in other words. So, when the avalanche happens and winning symbols explode, wilds stay where they are to help from more wins as the new symbols drop down.

Free Falls

The Free Spins round, called Free Falls, can be triggered by landing 3 or more scatters, represented by the Golden Shields. You’ll start with 9 falls for three scatters, and a further 3 falls for each extra scatter that lands on the triggering spin.

The chances of scoring a win close to the 21,000x top payout are increased by the enhanced multipliers that come in the Avalanche sequences. Plus of course the Unbreakable Wilds are still in action so a combination of those and big multiplier can really boost your wins. 

Royal Wheel

When you trigger the free falls round there is a quick gamble feature before it begins. You have a choice to go direct to the bonus round OR spin the Royal Wheel for a chance to earn MORE free falls – but be careful because you can lose them too if the wheel doesn’t land in your favour.

 

The Final Verdict

Gonzo’s Quest Megaways™ is a brilliant upgrade on one of the all times great slots.

There are a few important feature additions that set this one apart from the original – the Unbreakable Wilds and Earthquakes can boost your wins by increasing the odds of completing win lines. Remember, with only premium symbols on the reels and wilds that can sub in for other symbols, you have a greater chance of triggering a significant payout.

But of course it’s the Megaways engine that really makes this one tick. Having up to 7 rows per reel combined with the avalanches and progressive multipliers, makes hitting a win close to the 21,000x a real possibility and makes Gonzo’s Quest Megaways significantly more enticing than the original.

Useful Tips When Playing Gonzo’s Quest Megaways™

Remember, online slots are games of chance, there is NO strategy that can improve your odds of winning. However, reading our review and following these tips will help you get the most out of your time playing this slot game.

1. Play With The Sound On

The production in this slot is superb and it’s a better experience on a bigger screen with the sound on to hear Gonzo and the crashing of those stone tablets.

2. Play At A Low Stake

This is a volatile game and it can burn you fast. Use bankroll management and spin at low stakes to make your funds go further.

3. Watch The Multiplier Meter Above The Reels

The cumulative affect of successive avalanches bringing up bigger multipliers is what this game is all about. Watch your multiplier grow with each win.

4. Play At Our Recommended Slot Sites

We have chosen the sites on this page because they all scored high in our reviews and they are licensed by the UK Gambling Commission. That makes them fair and safe places to play slots.

Who Made Gonzo’s Quest Megaways™?

  • Name: Red Tiger
  • Established: 0000-00-00
  • UK License: 043114-R-321951-014
  • Total Games: 100 +
  • Known For: Megaways games, Oriental slots, high variance games
  • Popular Slots: Gonzo's Quest Megaways, Jackpot Quest, Totem Lightning, Phoenix
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