Mayan Empire (Jili Games) – Review & Demo Play

Wild Symbol in Mayan Empire

As I spin Mayan Empire, the Wild Symbol shows as a Mayan temple. It lands only on reels 2, 3, 4, and 5, and substitutes for everything bar Scatter and Mystery. On the 5x3 grid with 50 betways, those wild drops stitch together a fair few medium lines, keeping the base game ticking. It doesn’t carry a payout of its own, so it works as a helper rather than a headliner, but the frequency feels alright for a low to medium profile.

Free Spins in Mayan Empire

The gem Scatter drives Free Games in Mayan Empire. In the base, it can appear on reels 1 through 5, and 3 or more Scatters award 5 free spins to start. Inside the feature, Scatters only land on reels 2, 3, and 4. When a giant 3x3 Scatter drops on the middle set, it adds 3 extra spins. The counter can grow up to 50, so the round can stretch a bit when the big square shows up.

I’ve had sessions where Free Games linked neatly with the cash feature. The Mayan Gold mode can trigger during Free Games if a Mystery symbol hits the centre reel, pausing spins while the hold style bonus plays out. After the sums are paid, Free Games continue from where they left off. The overlap helps the round feel livelier without changing the maths, and it suits the steady rhythm this title aims for.

Mayan Gold Feature in Mayan Empire

Mayan Empire uses sun discs as Mystery symbols. Land 6 or more anywhere in the base to trigger the Mayan Gold Feature with 3 respins. Every new Mystery that lands resets the counter to 3, and all cash discs lock in place. When the respins finish, the displayed values are totalled and paid. Fill the entire grid with Mystery symbols and you’re paid the combined value again, and the feature retriggers for another shot.

This is the headline mode on offer, giving that familiar hold and win feel. On my play, the retrigger is rare, though the reset mechanic throws a lifeline often enough. The payouts hinge on how many discs you collect, with the rest of the game feeding you setups through 50 lines, Wilds, and the odd tease. Given the x500 max win, expectations should sit modestly, but the feature still carries the best bursts.

Extra Bets in Mayan Empire

You can toggle Extra Bets in Mayan Empire by adding 50% to your stake. With it on, the cash values from the Mayan Gold Feature are doubled, and you also get 5 extra Free Spins for that feature. I flip it on when I’m chasing the disc game, and off if I’m protecting the session. It’s a straight trade between cost and payout, and it dovetails neatly with the slot’s low to medium profile.

Mayan Empire Symbols and Paytable

The Scatter in Mayan Empire pays too. Land 3, 4, or 5 and you’ll get x0.1, x0.4, or x1 respectively on top of the feature trigger. During Free Games the Scatter only appears on reels 2 to 4, but a giant 3x3 Scatter can still add 3 spins to the tally. It’s a simple setup that keeps the focus on triggering while adding a small payout kicker when the screen aligns.

Regular symbols follow tidy steps. Top pays reach x3.2 for 5 of a kind, dropping to x1 for 4 and x0.4 for 3 on one of the high tiers. The next line offers up to x2.8, then a bracket at x2.0, followed by x1.6 steps that share the same x0.8 and x0.4 for 4 and 3. With 50 paylines active, those bands deliver frequent small hits across the grid each spin.

Lower tiers pay x1.2 for 5 of a kind, x0.6 for 4, and x0.2 for 3, matching several symbols listed in the table. The Wild doesn’t list a direct pay and only drops on reels 2 to 5, but it plugs gaps effectively. Wins count left to right on all lines, so you’re looking to string connections rather than chase single symbol prizes in the base game. That pattern suits the maths here.

Mayan Empire Symbols and Paytable

Symbol	Quantity	Payout
	Scatter
	5	x1
	4	x0.4
	3	x0.1
	5	x3.2
	4	x1
	3	x0.4
	5	x2.8
	4	x1
	3	x0.4
	5	x2
	4	x0.8
	3	x0.4
	5	x1.6
	4	x0.8
	3	x0.4
	5	x1.6
	4	x0.8
	3	x0.4
	5	x1.2
	4	x0.6
	3	x0.2
	5	x1.2
	4	x0.6
	3	x0.2
	5	x1
	4	x0.4
	3	x0.2
	5	x1
	4	x0.4
	3	x0.2
	5	x1
	4	x0.4
	3	x0.2
	Wild
	Bonus

Pros And Cons Of Mayan Empire

Here’s how Mayan Empire stacks up for me. Pros include sharp audiovisuals, Free Games with mega symbols, a hold and win cash round, Extra Bets for a punchier bonus, and smooth play on any device. Cons include RTP ranges with a headline 96% setting, below average volatility that trends to lots of light hits, a modest x500 max win, and limited wild placement. Stakes run from 0.10 to 100 per spin, so it suits a wide spread of bankrolls.

Verdict on Mayan Empire

As an old hand, I see Mayan Empire as a decent session slot from TaDa Gaming. The 5x3, 50 lines, Wilds, Scatters, and Mystery discs form a time tested mix that plays cleanly. I’ve had plenty of short cycles with steady returns, punctuated by the cash feature doing the heavy lifting. It won’t shake a bankroll with outlier peaks, yet it serves up enough movement to keep me engaged across short to mid length sittings.

If you like a Mayan theme with clear mechanics and a low to med pace, this ticks the box. I rotate it in when I fancy hold and win action without chasing huge ceilings. Free Games can stretch nicely with the giant square, and Extra Bets gives a simple lever when I want bigger disc totals. Released on 16.08.2022, it still feels tidy and stable, just not the slot I pick when I’m hunting top end spikes.