Wild West Gold Megaways Slot Review

Overview

Alright partners, now we've got the basics covered let's take a proper gander at every element that makes Wild West Gold Megaways worth saddlin' up for.

First up, the presentation is what you'd expect from a top quality Pragmatic Play release, with bold colors and fluid animations bringing the reels to life. The symbols include traditional playing card suits, plus higher value gold bags, guns, and a selection of cowboy and cowgirl characters that really stand out. The wild badge icon substitutes for all symbols too.

The backdrop shows off the dusty vistas of the wild west, with mesas and cacti stretching across the horizon. Occasional plumes of dust blow across the screen when the reels cascade, adding a great sense of movement. Combined with the twangy frontier soundtrack, the overall vibe of the old wild west is captured perfectly.

Now let's talk turkey about the gameplay, which is centered around the cascading reel mechanic. This varies the number of rows per spin, leading to anything from 117649 ways up to a minimum of just under 200. Wins occur when 3 or more matching symbols land adjacently from left to right.

When a win lands, those symbols disappear and new ones cascade down to fill the gaps, allowing for multiple consecutive wins per spin. There's no limit to how many cascades can hit in the base game.

The star of the show is the multiplier wild which substitutes for other symbols. This can land randomly on reels 2, 3, 4 or 5 with a multiplier value of either 2x, 3x, or 5x. Having multiple wilds in a winning combo multiplies their values together, leading to some satisfyingly big wins.

Let's talk stakes - the minimum bet here is just $0.20, rising up to a max bet of $100 per spin. There's also the option for high rollers to buy the feature for 100x the stake.

So with engaging cascading action and a friendly min bet, the gameplay gets top marks from me. The lower end of the 96.44% RTP range isn't bad either.

My Thoughts Overall

Now y'all know I call it straight when it comes to slots, so I'll be upfront in saying Wild West Gold Megaways doesn't reinvent the wheel. Aside from the Megaways mechanic, this is structurally similar to the original game.

However, that's certainly no bad thing, as Wild West Gold was a top quality game and one of my go-to slots for reliable entertainment. This sequel takes everything that made it great and adds a fresh new twist.

The Megaways mechanic alone makes every spin feel different, and the multiplying wilds in free spins can lead to some real barnstorming wins. So while it doesn't feel the most innovative, I'm certainly thrilled to be back in the wild west spinning for prizes.

This is a fantastic sequel to a classic, and shows Pragmatic Play know how to breathe new life into an already exciting game. The lower maximum win potential of 5000x (down from 10000x) is a shame, but otherwise Wild West Gold Megaways improves on the original in my eyes.

Bonus Features

Now what's a good western escapade without some showstopping bonus features? This slot packs a couple of real humdingers in the form of free spins and a certain special wild that can trigger big wins.

Free Spins

The main event here is the free spins round, triggered by landing 3 or more scattered sun symbols anywhere on the grid. This awards 7 free games, plus a bonus cash prize based on how many scatters landed:

• 3 scatters - 4x your bet
• 4 scatters - 20x your bet
• 5 scatters - 100x your bet
• 6 scatters - 500x your bet

Now hold onto your hats because during free spins, any wild multiplier symbols that land will become sticky for the remainder of the games. So with every additional spin, you can have more wilds locked in place, leading to some downright lucrative winning combos.

As if that wasn't enough, any new wilds that land award a random 2x, 3x, or 5x multiplier value. So your total multipliers can soon stack up into some real highfalutin figures!

Free games can also be extended by up to 6 extra spins if gold star overlay symbols land - which these do fairly frequently from my experience.

Overall the free games add a great sense of anticipation, as you hope to keep landing those lucrative sticky wilds for bigger and bigger wins. This is where the huge 5000x max win potential comes into play.

Buy Bonus

Now folks in some countries also have the option to 'Buy' the feature. This allows you to pay a fee worth 100x your stake to instantly trigger the free spins without needing to land scatters.

Doing this changes the RTP slightly, but guarantees a quick route to those all important spins. Combined with the option to buy, the features offer flexibility in how you trigger those big wins.

Win Potential

So what can you actually pocket from this trip to the wild frontier? Well with a maximum win cap of 5000x your bet, there's a pretty penny to be won by braving the desert reels. You can also trigger free spins reasonably frequently in the base game.

The RTP here ranges from 96.44% down to 94.32% depending on the operator. That's firmly in the upper range and means over time, a sizable portion of your spend should be paid back as wins.

Of course like any self-respecting slot, this one carries high volatility - hardly surprising given the potential rewards on offer. That means long dry spells broken up with big wins, which is ideal for my style of play.

I'd recommend starting low at $0.20 a spin initially, until you hit a bonus and can assess the potential. Free spins is where the major action happens, so resetting after a big win is wise to conserve funds.

Verdict

As you can see, I'm clearly head over heels for this exceptional sequel from Pragmatic Play. For me, Wild West Gold Megaways checks every box:

💰 Jaw-dropping visuals that immerse you in the theme

💰 Authentic audio effects that set the western mood perfectly

💰 Addictive Megaways gameplay with 117,649 ways to win

💰 Lucrative features like sticky wilds and free spins galore

💰 Phenomenal 5,000x max win potential

Do I wish they tweaked the features to feel more unique? Sure. But am I thrilled with the overall execution? 100% yes!

Ultimately, I have zero hesitation giving Wild West Gold Megaways my highest recommendation. It fires on all cylinders and hits the sweet spot for volatility, rewards, and fun. I'll be riding off into the sunset with this gem for months to come - join me for the adventure, cowpoke!