Last year, the Megaways phenomenon hit the slots sector with the force of a tropical hurricane. For the benefit of anyone who spent 2018 hiding in the basement, the Megaways slot format has six reels instead of the usual five, and features an "all ways" format, meaning that every symbol can operate as a scatter that pays on consecutive reels, going from left to right. With up to seven symbols appearing on each reel per spin, it becomes clear that there is almost constant action, and some games boast more than 100,000 ways to win.
The latest to join the Megaways party is Kalamba Games with its new release, Machina. The game is featured in the slotmachines of Winningroom, where it is rapidly overtaking some of the established classics to become one of the most popular slots of 2019 to date. So what's all the fuss about?
Kalamba is a relatively small player in the world of slots, and has a reputation for being forward-thinking and focusing on quality over quantity. Any new release from the studio is worth a look, and what is immediately obvious with Machina is that it is forging its own path on the Megaways theme. With 46,656 ways to win, it falls some way short of the 117,649 boasted by Big Time Gaming's patented games, but nevertheless offers far more than your standard five-reel multiway games.
The overall design of the game has a futuristic, cyberpunk feel that some have likened to a cross between Blade Runner and I, Robot. Insert your coin, and you might initially feel a little underwhelmed. The game plays much like a standard slot, albeit with the additional reel and the extra ways to win. However, it is when you enter the bonus game that things really start to get interesting.
The game features three distinct bonus jackpot levels, silver, gold and platinum. The latter starts at 1,000 times your stake, so those opting for the maximum stake of €36.00 have the potential for a payday to remember. This, in combination with the free spins feature, is what really makes the game stand out.
Up to 16 free spins are available in the bonus game, and these can be accumulated organically by collecting scatter symbols in regular play or by buying the bonus. For strategic players, the latter is not the most cost effective option, and it is better to play naturally to get the most out of your bankroll.
Either way, once you are in the bonus game, the free spins can really start to mount up, as you collect further bonus accumulation symbols. Obtain four of them, and as well as another two free spins, one of the premium symbols will be replaced by the top-paying Cyborg symbol. The longer this runs, the more Cyborgs start to appear and the rewards can start getting very serious.