If you play a lot of slots, you’ll almost certainly be familiar with the Aztec-styled games that so often feature. Slots developers are always to create the best slot games and are on the lookout for game themes that can deliver guaranteed hits, and with a track record of so many popular games based around Aztec history and legend, it’s understandably a focal point developers want to return to time and time again.
WMS Gaming who bring us slots such as Raging Rhino, Star Trek Red Alert and even Montezuma Megaways are the developers behind Montezuma. It is another video slot that meets this description, drawing its inspiration from the famous 15th century Aztec warrior of the same name. The theme is carried off through the visuals and animations in the game, as well as through the symbols on the reels, which are unmistakably designed in keeping with the overarching style.
Behind the scenes, WMS Gaming have gone to some lengths to make this game as engaging as possible, with several key bonus features we’ll touch on later on. There are a standard 5 reels across the screen, and combinations of symbols of three or more on any of the paylines will pay out a set multiple as determined by the paytable. There are 30 paylines active in the game, giving you 30 routes to winning on every single spin.
Another appealing feature of Montezuma is the RTP, which measures the level a game pays out relative to its takings over the long run. In this case, Montezuma stands at a more than respectable 95.86%, which means the house edge in minimal relative to other casino favourites. In other words, you can expect to get out more than you would from other games over infinity spins. Of course, depending on your luck, you can still finish up or down from your session, but it’s good to know you’re playing with the odds more firmly in your favour than with other slots.
There are a number of symbols in the game, including the value symbols which account for the majority of the reels. In addition to the high card symbols, you’ll find Aztec makes, a snake idol, traditional headdresses and a variety of other themed symbols on each spin. There are also several feature symbols which trigger the in-game bonuses, or otherwise help contribute to building a successful session.
The Aztec Pyramid symbol is the wild symbol, which will come to your aid any time it presents across your reels. This operates in the usual way, substituting in place of anything you’re missing in completing your winning paylines. It doesn’t stand in place of a missing scatter symbol, but otherwise will help ensure you’re paid for combinations that would otherwise fall short.
The scatter symbol is the Aztec wheel, and three or more of these appearing on the reels triggers the game’s bonus feature. Aside from the base jackpot, which is lower than you might expect from some other slots games, this is one of the best ways to rack up decent winnings as you spin through Montezuma.
The bonus rounds, the most popular part of our slot reviews. When you trigger the feature, the wheel spins in order to determine the number of free spins you will be eligible to play. This ranges from 3 spins to 25 spins, and when the number is decided, the wheel spins again to determine the exact multiplier that will apply to any winnings in the free spins feature. This can add up to a decent feature if momentum is on your side, and the net effect is often to help build up your bankroll, while you hang on for a bigger win.
The spins are retriggerable too, so you can essentially keep the spins going in perpetuity. This helps offset what are otherwise comparatively lower winnings than you’d find in some other video slots.
If you’ve ever played an Aztec-themed slot, you’ll feel instantly at home with the theme and overarching design of this game. While it’s not exactly one of the most exciting online casino games in the genre, there’s still more than enough here to make Montezuma stand out, and the winnings that can come from racking up free spins and multipliers help boost the real, in-practice amount you can expect to win.
For fans of the slots genre, or for anyone just looking for a new slot to take for a spin, Montezuma definitely ticks more than a few boxes.