Rise of Merlin Slot Review

WHAT'S THE STORY in Rise of Merlin

Rise of Merlin takes me back to Arthurian legends, but here Merlin is still young and hungry for power. The slot places him in a mystical hall with his Magical Orb hovering at his side. Each spin feels like a spell as the reels fill with arcane imagery. I like how the story sits in the background yet frames every feature, so the gameplay keeps that wizard flavour without heavy narration.

Under the hood, Rise of Merlin is a video slot from Play'n GO with 5 reels and 10 paylines. Stakes range from 10p up to £5 a spin, which suits both smaller bankrolls and steady testing of its high variance. Released in June 2019, it has become a staple fantasy pick for me when I fancy a simple setup with high stakes style potential.

FEATURES and Free Spins in Rise of Merlin

The core of Rise of Merlin lies in the Magical Orb, which acts as both Wild and Scatter. In the base game it helps complete standard line wins, but three or more Orbs trigger the Free Spins feature. You pick up eight free spins plus a payout for the Orbs themselves. I have had streaks where those Orbs keep dropping again, bringing more rounds into play.

Once the feature starts, one symbol is chosen at random to act as a special expanding symbol. If that pick is a high paying symbol, landing just two more on the reels is enough to trigger the full expansion. When a lower paying symbol is chosen, you need at least three. First the game pays any regular wins, then it expands the symbol and pays again based on the expanded view.

Each retrigger in Rise of Merlin adds another eight free spins and stacks a new special expanding symbol on top of the ones you already have. That is where the slot really explodes, because several symbols can expand on the same spin. The dream outcome is a screen filled with Merlin during the bonus, which pays 5,000 times your bet and turns a single sequence into a top tier hit.

Rise of Merlin Slot RTP, Volatility and Max Win

From a numbers angle, Rise of Merlin comes with a 96.58% RTP and very high volatility. On paper the max win stands at 5,000 times your stake, tied to that full screen of Merlin during the feature. You can spin from 10p up to £5 a go. I treat it as a swingy slot, where long quiet spells sit between those sharp bursts of bonus action.

Symbols and Paytable in Rise of Merlin

Symbol wise, the Magical Orb sits at the centre of Rise of Merlin, pulling double duty as both Wild and Scatter. It substitutes for regular symbols to complete wins and also triggers free spins when three or more land. Merlin himself is the premium symbol. During the bonus rounds, filling every position with Merlin thanks to expansions delivers that headline 5,000 times bet payout that the slot is known for.

Rise of Merlin uses 10 fixed paylines over a 5x3 layout, which keeps line evaluation clear in the base game. Standard wins pay left to right, but the special expanding symbols change things during free spins. Once they expand, they pay as scattered across all reels, not just along a payline. That shift gives even low paying symbols a shot at sizeable returns when the expansion mechanic kicks in.

Symbols and Paytable

Symbol	Quantity	Payout
	Scatter, Wild
	5	x500
	4	x100
	3	x10
	2	x1
	5	x500
	4	x100
	3	x10
	2	x1
	5	x160
	4	x30
	3	x3
	2	x0.5
	5	x60
	4	x8
	3	x2
	2	x0.5
	5	x60
	4	x8
	3	x2
	2	x0.5
	5	x12
	4	x3
	3	x0.5
	5	x12
	4	x3
	3	x0.5
	5	x8
	4	x2
	3	x0.5
	5	x8
	4	x2
	3	x0.5
	5	x8
	4	x2
	3	x0.5

Rise of Merlin Desktop and Mobile Experience

Official screenshots for Rise of Merlin show the game set inside a grand chamber, with the reels framed by pillars and the glowing Orb beside a youthful wizard. On desktop I find the layout clean, with controls lined up under the reels, while on mobile the interface shrinks neatly without clutter. The visuals focus on clarity, which helps during those hectic moments when multiple symbols expand.

If you liked Rise of Merlin then try more fantasy slots

As a regular slots player, I rate Rise of Merlin as one of the better simple fantasy games built around expanding symbols. The mix of only 10 paylines and heavy focus on free spins keeps the gameplay tight. When the bonus behaves, it can feel electric, especially with two or three special symbols active. When it does not, you do get those barren runs that come with very high variance.

If you like this style, I see Rise of Merlin as a strong pick when you want a high risk session with clear rules. There is no complicated side feature to track, just the Orb, retriggers and expanding symbols. I tend to mix it into my fantasy sessions when I fancy chasing one big picture win rather than steady small hits over a long grind.

Screenshots