Merlin’s Secret Maxways turns the changing shape of its grid into the central rule. Cascades remove winning symbols and refill the board, while a horizontal tracker adds symbols from the side; reel heights and the number of ways can therefore change during play. A Lightning symbol can convert every visible instance of one selected paying symbol into Wilds. Free Spins add a multiplier that climbs after winning cascades and persists between spins. The official page lists 96.04% RTP, Very High volatility and a 40,000x maximum win.
Merlin’s Secret Maxways at a glance
| Provider | Microgaming |
|---|---|
| Genre / theme | Fantasy |
| Game type | Video slot |
| Reels / grid | 6 reels plus one horizontal tracker; variable reel heights |
| Reference RTP | 96.04% |
| Volatility | Very High |
| Payout mechanic | Up to 117,649 Maxways; fixed paylines not stated |
| Maximum win | 40,000x stake the bet |
| Release date | 25 February 2026 |
| Main features | Cascades reshape variable-height reels as the tracker adds symbols. Lightning turns every visible instance of one selected paying symbol into Wilds. Three Book Scatters trigger ten Free Spins; winning cascades raise a multiplier that persists between spins. |
RTP and stake limits can vary by version and market. Check the information screen in the game you open. Maximum win is a ceiling, not an expected result.
The grid changes during cascades
Merlin’s Secret uses six reels plus a horizontal tracker. Maxways permits reel heights to vary, so the number of winning ways changes with the board and can reach 117,649. That is a maximum, not a fixed count on every spin. The official page does not give the complete sequence of heights or each intermediate ways total.
When a win lands, its symbols disappear and new ones fall into place. The tracker also brings symbols in from the side. If the reshaped grid forms another win, the cascade continues; when no further combination appears, it ends. This connects board shape to continuation: wins alter the positions, and the new arrangement determines whether another result follows. A cascade can extend a spin, but its next step is never assured.
Lightning changes one symbol family
A blue Lightning Symbol on the tracker activates the Lightning Feature. It selects one regular paying symbol visible on the main grid and converts every visible instance of that symbol into a Wild. The effect can complete a combination or help a cascade continue, but the source does not say that Scatters are eligible or that every activation creates a win. Its impact depends on which paying symbol is present and how often it appears across the current board.
This rule is distinct from the changing grid: cascades move and refill symbols, while Lightning changes the identity of a selected symbol across the visible grid. In Free Spins, the page describes a full-screen transformation alongside a high multiplier as a potentially stronger combination, not an automatic pairing. The multiplier affects winning cascades; Lightning supplies Wilds that may help create them.
Persistent Free Spins multiplier
Three or more Book Scatters trigger Free Spins, normally ten. A Gamble Wheel may offer a chance to begin with more, but the official description warns that losing the gamble forfeits the feature. The multiplier begins at 1x and rises after each winning cascade. It does not reset between spins, so a win on a later spin can benefit from progress built earlier. The round’s growth therefore depends on producing winning cascades, not merely reaching the bonus.
Where permitted, the page lists a direct entry purchase at 150 times the stake. Local availability can vary, and paying for entry does not guarantee a result. The published 40,000x maximum is likewise only a ceiling. Very High volatility means the theoretical configuration does not imply a predictable short-session pattern.
What the configuration tells us
The official information gives 96.04% RTP, Very High volatility, a 0.20–40.00 bet range, six reels plus tracker, up to 117,649 ways, and a 40,000x maximum win. It does not state fixed paylines. RTP describes a theoretical long-run return; volatility describes the unevenness of outcomes. Neither says when Free Spins will arrive or how many cascades a particular round will produce.
The design’s appeal is the connection between its systems: cascades reshape the board, Lightning converts a selected symbol family, and bonus wins carry multiplier progress forward. Its limitation is the number of conditions between an ordinary spin and that full sequence. Bonus entry alone does not build the multiplier; winning cascades do.
Strengths and weak points
Strengths
Changing reel heights, the tracker, whole-symbol Lightning conversion and a multiplier that persists between bonus spins each have a distinct, explainable effect on play.
Weaknesses
The strongest sequence requires bonus entry and winning cascades to build the multiplier. Very High volatility and conditional feature timing leave no dependable short-session progression.
Our Editor’s View
Merlin’s Secret Maxways has a coherent structure for readers who like following a board as it changes. Maxways links reel height to available ways, cascades keep a spin moving only while fresh combinations form, and Lightning transforms a selected visible symbol into Wilds. Free Spins then preserve multiplier progress between spins, but only winning cascades advance it. These rules make the features feel connected rather than interchangeable, while also setting a clear limit: none guarantees the next win or a large bonus. The Very High volatility profile and conditional multiplier growth make the game less suited to anyone expecting an even pace. Its 40,000x ceiling is a configuration limit, not a likely result.
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