Jungle Spirit Megaways

Jungle Spirit Megaways: Slot Overview

Jungle Spirit Megaways emerges as the highly anticipated successor to the NetEnt classic, Jungle Spirit: Call of the Wild, which captured the hearts of slot enthusiasts upon its release in 2017. The new iteration takes on the innovative Megaways format, promising heightened excitement and bigger thrills. While the follow-up largely remains faithful to the original, it does include some twists not found in the original. However, if you, just like us, anticipated a significant increase in potential with the Megaways mechanics, the actual outcome falls slightly below expectations. We'll get to that later.

Audiovisually, Jungle Spirit Megaways echoes its predecessor, maintaining the same aesthetic of vibrant flora and majestic fauna. However, keen-eyed players will notice that aside from the Megaways infusion, much of the core design remains unchanged, giving the impression that new mechanics were simply overlaid onto the existing framework. While the visuals still captivate with their intricacy and the soundtrack immerses players in the jungle ambiance, the lack of substantial visual overhaul might leave some feeling like they're revisiting familiar territory rather than embarking on a wholly new adventure. While that might have been the point, it may also come across as a bit lazy to some who expected a more substantial evolution in line with the Megaways branding.

Though it's been labelled high volatility, Jungle Spirit Megaways offers a fairly balanced blend of excitement and risk. As expected, the free spins frequency is relatively low (a wild guess is somewhere between 1 in 300-400 spins), but decent base game hits are fairly common. With 6 reels and a variable 2-7 row layout, the game provides a dynamic Megaways gaming grid which, when fully expanded, can reach up to 117,649 ways to win. Players can place bets ranging from 20 c to a maximum of €/$100, ensuring accessibility for various betting preferences. Additionally, the game maintains an RTP of 96.20%, though a less desirable 94.17% version is also available.

Jungle Spirit Megaways' low pay symbols are made up of J, Q, K, A card royals worth 0.6 times the stake for a 5 oak hit. The high pays, meanwhile, are represented by a cobra, crocodile, bear, elephant and tiger worth 0.8 to 2x the bet when hitting a line of 5 matching character symbols. Wild symbols are not used in any phase of the gameplay. In typical Megaways fashion, winning symbols are removed from the reels and replaced by new ones as part of the avalanche mechanic.

Jungle Spirit Megaways: Slot Features

Players who are already familiar with the original release will feel right at home, though there are some new additions to the gameplay which we will go through below.

Symbols Expansion

In the main game and in free spins, a high-win symbol that is part of a win combination is randomly highlighted by butterflies during the initial spin. A symbol highlighted by a butterfly will expand to cover the entire reel.

Butterfly Boost Feature

This feature can be activated during any spin in all phases of the game. Butterflies fly around the reels and 2 to 3 butterflies land on high pay symbols of the same kind to make them fully stacked. Butterflies land on one high pay symbol per reel and expanded symbols are guaranteed to be part of a winning combination.

Free Spins

Scatter symbols appear on reels 1, 3 and 5 on initial spins and anywhere during avalanches. Scatters are collected at the top left side of the reels and when the collection reaches 3 scatters, free spins are triggered. At the start of free spins, five options are presented to players ranging from lower to higher risk: Cobra (20 spins), Crocodile (16 spins), Bear (12 spins), Elephant (8 spins), and Tiger (4 spins). After choosing, the free spins wheel becomes available to give players the chance to double the number of free spins. No new features are introduced in free spins, but having only one high pay symbol in play to replace all other high pays would appear to increase the hit rate.

Bonus Buy

For those who want to skip the base game grind and cut straight to free spins, the bonus buy option allows players to do so for a cost of 50x the stake.

Jungle Spirit Megaways: Slot Verdict

Jungle Spirit Megaways takes players on a nostalgic journey back to a celebrated classic, but it doesn't quite meet the lofty expectations set by its predecessor. Serving as a fun way to rediscover a cult favorite, this Megaways adaptation offers an enjoyable experience, albeit with a few caveats. Much like other Megaways slots, Jungle Spirit Megaways excels in providing an engaging base gameplay experience, offering enough excitement and bang for the buck through its fairly high hit rate. However, accessing the free spins feature may require a bit of patience, as triggering it can take some time.

One of the notable downsides is the slightly lower maximum win potential of 6547x compared to 7678x of the original release - an odd one. For fans anticipating a significant evolution of the classic title, this aspect may come as a disappointment. It's essential to recognize that Jungle Spirit Megaways feels more like a remake than a standalone sequel, which can influence player expectations.

Despite its shortcomings, Jungle Spirit Megaways still manages to capture the essence of the original game, offering a familiar yet enjoyable experience for fans of the franchise. Exploring the jungle once again is undeniably entertaining, but for those seeking advancements, this Megaways rendition may fall short of delivering the desired level of innovation. In summary, Jungle Spirit Megaways beckons newcomers to explore a beloved classic, offering an opportunity to experience its greatness anew. However, for seasoned players familiar with the original, the absence of significant innovation may leave them yearning for a more transformative experience.