Merlin’s Mania (Hacksaw Gaming) – Review & Demo Play

Merlin's Mania: Slot Overview

Merlin's Mania brings Merlin back on a 6x5 grid with scatter pays and cascades, and it lands firmly in my medium volatility wheelhouse. I set stakes from 0.10 to 100 and got the default 96.31% RTP, which felt fair across sessions. Wins trigger when 8 or more matching symbols are in view anywhere, the winning icons drop out, and fresh ones fall to keep the round alive. It looks moody and focused, with the global multiplier sitting under the reels, ready to go.

Merlin's Mania Slot Information

Low pays are 10, J, Q, K, A, while highs show potions, a bowl of powder, pouches, a book, and a cauldron. Hitting 8 of a kind pays between 0.4x and 2x your bet, and 19+ in view jumps to 50x up to 400x, depending on the symbol. The Wild substitutes for any regular pay symbol and is removed after it helps, and if only Wilds remain on the grid, they pay as the top symbol.

Scatter symbols trigger the bonus rounds, so they sit apart from the regular paytable. Mystery Symbols are a big part of the set, as they can flip to any paying icon, a Regular Wild, an Adder Wild, or an Activator Wild. In the features, they can also reveal Sticky Activator Wilds. Those extra wild types define how wins are calculated, either by adding to the global multiplier or by applying it to the combinations they join.

Merlin’s Mania Symbols and Paytable

Symbol	Quantity	Payout
	19+	x400
	17+	x120
	10	x6
	9	x3
	8	x2
	19+	x300
	17+	x90
	10	x5
	9	x2.5
	8	x1.5
	19+	x300
	17+	x90
	10	x5
	9	x2.5
	8	x1.5
	19+	x200
	17+	x60
	10	x4
	9	x2
	8	x1.2
	19+	x200
	17+	x60
	10	x4
	9	x2
	8	x1.2
	19+	x50
	17+	x20
	10	x1.2
	9	x0.8
	8	x0.4
	19+	x50
	17+	x20
	10	x1.2
	9	x0.8
	8	x0.4
	19+	x50
	17+	x20
	10	x1.2
	9	x0.8
	8	x0.4
	19+	x50
	17+	x20
	10	x1.2
	9	x0.8
	8	x0.4
	19+	x50
	17+	x20
	10	x1.2
	9	x0.8
	8	x0.4
	Scatter
	Wild

Merlin's Mania: Slot Features

Mystery Symbols land in batches of 2 to 30 on any spin. They may reveal paying symbols to tidy up clusters, or turn into a Regular Wild. The Adder Wild increases the global multiplier by between +1 and +100 before wins are calculated, while still substituting. The Activator Wild applies the current global multiplier to any win it takes part in, and if several Activators connect on the same win, their values stack. In free spins, Sticky Activator Wilds persist on the grid.

The Global Multiplier starts at x1. In the base game it resets for new spins once a cascade sequence ends, but during free spins it keeps climbing for the whole round. Wizard's Favor triggers from 3 scatters and awards 8 free spins, with the multiplier growing as Adders land. Merlin's Insanity triggers from 4 scatters and gives 10 free spins, starting at x5 for extra punch. In both modes, every scatter that lands adds +1 spin.

Feature buys cover four routes where eligible: BonusHunt FeatureSpins at 3x for five times higher free spins odds, Mystery Madness FeatureSpins at 40x with 6+ Mystery Symbols including one Activator and one Adder, Wizard's Favor at 100x, and Merlin's Insanity at 200x. These options are not available in the UK. The top potential reaches 12,000x the bet, which pairs nicely with the medium profile, and I found sessions swingy but fair when the multiplier engine woke up.

Merlin's Mania: Slot Verdict

I rate Merlin's Mania as a playable scatter wins slot with a tidy mix of wild shenanigans and a global multiplier that can get lively in either bonus. The sequel angle feels close to the earlier outing, yet the maths now leans more balanced, and the 12,000x ceiling adds genuine appeal. Adjustable RTP settings are a caveat, so I always check the info panel. When Mystery Symbols deliver Adders and Activators together, the game shows its best side.