Pirate Pays Megaways™

Pirate Pays Megaways™ Slot Review

Slot Provider: Big Time Gaming

RTP: 96.23% | Variance: High | Maximum Win: 104,400x

Our Score: 9.0

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About Pirate Pays Megaways™

Reviewed by:

Published Date: 18th January 2022

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.

There is no shortage of pirate-themed games at new slot sites in the UK right now. One of the best of recent months was Relax Gaming’s eerie Dead Man’s Trail. Other classics include NetEnt’s Hook’s Heroes and Thunderkick’s high RTP adventure, 1429 Unchartered Seas. Whilst pirate games are commonplace there is still room for more and the best are built with unique features to elevate them above the crowd. So we load up Pirate Pays Megaways™ with high hopes that Big Time Gaming can so just that and deliver yet another crowd-pleaser.

Indeed, this is their first foray onto the high seas and they bring with them their trusted game engine, the revolutionary expanding reels with it’s usual collection of features. If you are a fan of the Megaways™ format then you will enjoy this one for sure.

We have up to 117,649 paylines, whilst Chain Reactions mean multiple winning chances on every spin. It all takes place on 6 reels set against the stern of a pirate ship which itself is sailing towards some idyllic island setting, with a background of blue skies and foaming waves. As with many Megaways games there is an extra horizontal 4×1 reel which sits underneath the main set to give extra ways to win.

Meanwhile, jolly pirate music plays in the background to add to the atmosphere.

Pirate Pays Megaways™ Game Information

  • RTP: 96.23%
  • Variance: High
  • Maximum Win: 104,400x
  • Progressive Jackpot: No
  • Reels: 6
  • Rows: Up To 7
  • Paylines: Up to 117, 649
  • Minimum Stake: £0.20
  • Theme: Pirates
  • Features: Wilds, Free Spins, Expanding Reels, Progressive Multipliers

What We Liked

  • Classic Pirate theme
  • Megaways giving 117,649 ways to win
  • Huge 104,400x top payout
  • Slick graphics
  • Big progressive multipliers

What We Didn't like

  • Buccaneering theme could be stronger
  • Generic features

Pirate Pays Megaways™ Review Scores

  • Theme and Design 9
  • RTP and Variance 9
  • Maximum Win 10
  • Symbols and Paytable 8
  • Features and Gameplay 9

RTP and Variance

Our Score 9

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.

Onto the maths and BTG are known for their high risk, high potential slots, and in that respect, Pirate Pays does not disappoint.

The RTP here is 96.23%, which is just about average for an online slot game. But the 20p minimum bet and high volatility make this slot one that only those with a taste for risky gaming will enjoy. Those with lesser budgets and wanting an easier distribution of wins should look away! What is outstanding is the enormous 104,400x stake top payout which suggests the potential for epic wins in the way that the best Megaways™ games can.  The odds of course are extremely long but the right combination of multipliers and free spins could get you close.

Symbols and Paytable

Our Score 8

The symbols in Pirate Pays Megaways are themed on pirate adventures with a golden ship’s wheel, crossed swords, anchors and everyone’s favourite legendary sea monster, the kraken. These symbols all feature a coloured jewel at their centre. You will also find a parrot Wild symbol, compass Wild symbol and treasure chest Scatters, while traditional high cards award the lower payouts.

You can hit up to 7 symbols on the 6 reels on each spin, while there is also the horizontal reel to create another 4 symbol positions. This gives a varying number of win ways on each spin from 324 up to a maximum of 117,649.

The best-paying symbols can award you with 0.7x to 25x stake for 6 of a kind.

Features and Gameplay

Our Score 9

Pirate Pays Megaways™ delivers standard gameplay for the genre, but with a few add ons to keep things interesting – wilds and a unique system to unlock the bonus round set this one apart from other Megaways™ games.

Wild Compass

The Wild compass appears on the horizontal reel only. When this lands it spins to reveal a direction: North, South, East or West. All the symbols in the direction of the compass needle are transformed into Wild parrots. These can stand in for all the other symbols except the Scatters. In affect this turns a whole reel or row wild.

Treasure Chests

There are 2 scattered treasure chests: the gold chest and the purple chest.

The gold chest appears on reels 1 to 5 and the purple chest is a Mega Scatter, appearing on reel 6. When you hit 3 regular Scatters, the Kraken Bonus Round is triggered, while 2 Scatters and a purple chest together will trigger the Enhanced Bonus Round.

Bonus Free Spins Round

Now things get a bit more interesting. To determine how many spins you get and with what multiplier you are asked to stick or twist on a number of options presented on the screen.

The amount of options is determined by the number of Scatters that triggered the round. You will be offered one option from those presented on the screen. You can take it, or twist to have another go. On each occasion, up to FIVE options are then removed. Again, you get to choose whether to accept or reject the offer.

This continues until either only TWO options are left, or you accept an offer.

NOTE: During this process when you reject an offer then the 5 lowest options are removed during the Kraken Bonus Round, while the 10 lowest options are removed during the Enhanced Bonus Round.

Onto the free spins round itself and we are back to standard Megaways™ gameplay.

During the Free Spins, a Progressive Multiplier is in action, which increases by 1x on every Chain Reaction. There is no limit to the Multiplier that can be awarded, which means some the potential for massive wins of over 100,000x!

And … if you land 3 or 4 more Scatters during the round, you’ll trigger an additional 5 or 10 Free Spins.

The Final Verdict

Pirate Pays Megaways™ is an attractive slot with slick gameplay and some massive winning opportunities. The 100,000x + top prize put this one right up there with the biggest non-fixed jackpots on the market right now, competing with the best of what No Limit City has to offer. And if that is what you are after, dive in to this one because it has all the hallmarks of a top-class high-risk slot.

In terms of features the mechanics aren’t too different to anything else that BTG have done before though the Wild Compasses offer a nice way to turn those reels and rows wild and the stick or twist free spins option is a clever way to add interaction at a key point in the game.

In summary, this is another strong game from the BTG stable – it does as you would expect with some highs and probably many frustrating lows on the journey. So possibly epic, certainly a swashbuckler! Jump on board to find out for yourself and get ready for a bumpy ride!

Useful Resources

Big Time Gaming Pirate Pays Megaways Slot Profile Page

Who Made Pirate Pays Megaways™?

  • Name: Big Time Gaming
  • Established: 2011
  • UK License: 38696
  • Total Games: 55 +
  • Known For: Inventing Megaways, super volatile slots, high max payout slots, rock n roll soundtracks
  • Popular Slots: Bonanza Megaways, Max Megaways, Outlaw, Danger! High Voltage
Find More Big Time Gaming slots

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