Hottest Online Slots Releases to Try in 2021

S. Stoynova (editor)

Slot machines are among the most popular casino games to ever exist. Every casino, be it land-based or online, offers an abundance of slots. Nowadays, the iGaming industry is oversaturated with online casinos and software companies that go above and beyond to attract the attention of players. Game makers are trying to involve new elements in the games they release to keep casino fans engaged.

It seems that this year software companies are mostly working on slots running on the popular Megaways engine. In October 2020, the industry giant Microgaming penned a deal for Big Time Gaming’s Megaways mechanic and the first Megaways-based slot developed by Microgaming is already on the market. In the lines below, we will discuss some of the latest slot releases that took the online gambling world by storm.

Power of Thor Megaways

Thor is wielding his mighty hammer in the slot game Power of Thor to make the bravest warriors rich. As the name suggests, the slot is inspired by Norse mythology, and more precisely the Ancient Norse God Thor. Its cartoonish style adds a distinct character to the appearance of the game. Being released in April 2021, Pragmatic Play once again demonstrated its creativity.

The game runs on the Megaways engine, expanding players’ ways to win to 117,649. Some of the game’s other exciting features include tumbling reels, stacked wilds, free spins, and a constantly increasing win multiplier.

The game is played on 6 reels that can transform during the gameplay. Perhaps, the most interesting part of the game is the random double wild reel feature. The real action takes place during the free spins round. Players can trigger up to 30 free spins with an unlimited win multiplier that increases by 1 after every win. To unlock the free spins round, slot fans have to land 4 scatter symbols, spelling the name of the god THOR.

You can also purchase your entry in the free spins round. The bonus buy feature is not available to players residing in the UK due to regulations. Once you manage to enter the bonus round, you will receive 10 free spins. Assuming that Lady Luck smiles on you and 4 more scatter symbols land on the reels, you will get 4 extra spins.

Provided that you trigger between 10 and 22 free spins, you will unlock the gamble feature. It will provide you with the opportunity to spin a wheel and try to win extra free spins. But here is the catch – if you lose the gamble, you will have to bid farewell to all of your free spins.

Shamrock Holmes Megaways

Shamrock Holmes is the first Megaways-based slot released by Microgaming in partnership with All41 Studios. The action takes place on 6 reels, with 2 to 7 symbols landing on each of them. This produces up to 117,649 ways to win. The game features medium-to-high volatility and it comes with an average RTP of 96.44%.

Judging from the title of the game, it is not hard to guess that it is based on the classic Irish luck theme. Once you load the game, you will find yourself in the middle of a magical forest. The grid and the symbols are designed in a way to nicely complement the overall theme of the game.

The W symbol is the wild symbol in the game, performing its usual substitution duties. It can appear only on the extra reel located above the main reels. The game comes with 3 special features to optimize players’ winning potential. The first one is the Rolling Reels feature that triggers only after a winning spin. It clears all winning symbols to make space for new ones.

Players need to land 4 scatter symbols on the grid to activate the free spins bonus round. Initially, they will receive 10 free spins. For each extra triggering scatter, players will get 2 extra free spins. The free spins are accompanied by an ever-increasing multiplier that starts at 2x. The multiplier increases by 1 every time a winning combo lands on the reels. The nicest thing is that the multiplier does not reset upon hitting a losing combination.

Madame Destiny Megaways

Pragmatic Play’s slot game Madame Destiny Megaways was introduced to the online gambling circuit in January 2021. The highly volatile game is based on the company’s previous slot Madame Destiny. If you are ready to embark on a mystical gambling adventure, then Madame Fortune Megaways is the right game for you.

A foggy woodland is used for the background of the game. The grid features 6 reels and up to 200,704 ways to win. Visually, Madame Destiny Megaways is a true sight to behold. Every single detail is well thought of to fit the theme of the slot. The top prize here is 5,000x the wager. All symbols are valued differently, but the icons that offer the highest payouts are the owl, the black cat, the heart-shaped potion bottle, the candles, and the tarot cards.

The slot also offers a free spins bonus feature that can be unlocked by landing between 3 and 6 scatter symbols that depict a crystal ball. It is crucial to mention that the scatter symbol not only triggers the free spins bonus feature but also comes with a payout of up to 100x the stake for 6-of-a-kind. Once you unlock the free spins bonus round, you will have to spin a bonus wheel that will determine the number of free spins you will receive and the value of the multipliers, reaching up to 50x.

Players can also buy the feature for 100x their stake as long as they are not from the UK. If you do not want to buy the feature, you can improve your chances of triggering the free spins bonus round by enabling the Ante bet feature that will raise your stakes by 25%.

Rome: The Golden Age

With the launch of the slot Rome: The Golden Age in February 2021, NetEnt once again consolidated its presence on the iGaming market. The game features a strong Ancient Roman theme that is enhanced by the presence of the Colosseum in the background. The game designers included the image of a golden laurel wreath that is a symbol of triumph.

Although Rome: The Golden Age is a highly volatile slot, it offers some nice payouts that can reach up to 100,000x the stake. The slot features 20 fixed paylines and 5 reels. Each reel comes with a different number of symbols. Players can win by lining 3 to 5 symbols on a payline.

The design of the symbols radiates beauty. Lower paying symbols are the card royals from 10 to Ace. The symbols associated with higher payouts are the tiger, the Roman helmet, the gold ring, and Aquila. The slot also features special symbols, including a wild and a scatter. The wild symbol replaces all other symbols on the grid except the scatter. It also comes with a payout of up to 5x the stake.

Only 3 scatters on reels 2, 3, and 4 can trigger the free spins bonus round. Players who unlock the bonus round will receive 3 free spins that can be reset. The free spins round is over when the player has no more free spins in the counter or all positions on the grid are locked.

Gordon Ramsay: Hell’s Kitchen

NetEnt created a branded slot for all fans of the famous restaurateur Gordon Ramsay and his TV show Hell’s Kitchen. The game features a 5×3 grid and 20 paylines, offering a decent maximum winning potential of 1,000x the stake. The slot features crystal-clear graphics and the gameplay is rather straightforward. The symbols can whet the appetite of players who love delicious food. The highest-paying symbols are Gordon Ramsay’s signature dishes.

The master chef is known for throwing objects at other chefs who are negligent of their job. In the game, Ramsay is again throwing objects, but this time at the reels, turning symbols into wilds. Players can receive between 5 and 7 wild symbols. The wild symbol comes into view to substitute all other symbols except the scatter.

The most exciting part of the game is the Team Challenge free spins feature that activates when 3 or 4 scatter symbols land on the reels. Once you unlock the free spins bonus feature, you will see 2 play areas – one for the blue team and one for the red team. You have to select which team you prefer to join. During the free spins bonus round, you will get up to 3 Order Up features that come with a win multiplier.

Once the free spins bonus feature is over, the winning team is declared. Players who joined the winning team or both teams finish with the same result will enter Gordon’s Bonus Game feature. It consists of 15 menus with 3 types of prizes. The bonus game ends when players find all 3 “X” symbols.

The Faces of Freya

Play’n GO is a reputable software provider that recently added yet another title to its extensive portfolio – The Faces of Freya. In Norse mythology, Freya is the goddess of love and war. Her beauty inspired the game makers from Play’n GO to create a slot game, in which she is the main character. The medium-volatility slot offers a top cash prize of up to 5,000x the stake. The action takes place on 5 reels. The grid is set against a beautiful landscape depicting a river and hills.

The medallion is the scatter symbol in the game. If you land 3 scatters on the reels in a single spin, the free spins bonus feature will activate to provide you with 6 free spins. Here, it is crucial to mention that the game offers three types of free spins, each coming with different features such as symbol upgrades, extra wilds, and multipliers.

Provided that today is your lucky day and 4 or 5 scatters appear on the reels, you will get 18 or 19 free spins. In addition, you will be able to benefit from all modifiers associated with the different types of free spins in succession. The last 3 or 4 free spins are played with all three free spins features applied.

Crown of Valor

Earlier this year, Quickspin announced the release of its cluster-pays slot Crown of Valor. Once you load it, the game will transport you back to the Dark Ages in the middle of a castle siege. To provide players with a realistic atmosphere, the game is accompanied by a soundtrack reminiscent of war. The overall feel of the game is rather intense as winning symbols fall from the grid, making space for new ones to fill the gaps. We have to admit that this game shows how talented the game designers from Quickspin are.

The highest paying symbol is the crown. Players have to build a cluster of at least 5 identical symbols to win a cash prize. However, the top prizes associated with each symbol are reserved for those players who manage to create a cluster of 12 or more identical symbols. Winning clusters activate the Burning Wilds feature.

Players need at least 3 scatter symbols on the reels to activate the free spins bonus feature. Depending on the number of scatters to land on the reels, players will get 10, 14, or 18 free spins. Winning tumbles during the free spins bonus round increase the multiplier by 1. Slot fans have to know that the multiplier during the free spins bonus game does not reset.

If a scatter appears on the reels during the free spins round, players will get an extra free spin. The game also allows players to buy the feature. However, this option is not available to players residing in certain jurisdictions.

War of Gods

If you are into Greek mythology, you will certainly be interested in Red Tiger’s slot War of Gods. This high-variance slot is played on a 5×4 grid with the potential to expand to 7×6. The color scheme of the game is rather dark. In the background, slot enthusiasts will see an apocalyptic landscape. The symbols that pay the most are the ones depicting the images of different gods. Pay symbols at the low end are the card suits.

Players have to match at least 3 identical symbols on a payline to win a cash prize. Of course, the more matches you spin, the bigger your prize will be. Upon triggering a bonus feature, players can benefit from multiple respins and a symbol upgrade. The only downside of the game is that it does not offer win multipliers and free spins.

Templar Tumble

Templar Tumble is a highly volatile slot game courtesy of the prestigious software company Relax Gaming. The game is just hot off the press but it already managed to win the hearts of many players who are interested in medieval-themed slots. The design of the game is not cluttered with elements, but that is where its beauty comes from. The two sides of the grid are adorned by the statues of a knight and a griffin. For a better immersion of players, the game features an epic soundtrack.

Although the game offers up to 117,649 ways to win, it does not utilize the Megaways mechanic. The symbol that pays the most is the knight’s helmet. Other symbols that you will come across while playing the game are the heraldic emblems, the tree of life, the Templars’ red cross, and others.

Templar Tumble features tumbling reels, meaning that winning symbols are removed from the grid to make space for new symbols. More importantly, tumbles remove blockers, meaning that extra symbols are added. Central to this slot is the Mystery Reveal feature that is triggered whenever a wild symbol lands on reels 2 to 6. If you unlock this feature, 3 to 8 blocker symbols will transform into mystery symbols to remain on the grid as long as you hit tumble wins.

Players who manage to unlock the blocked symbols on the grid will receive 6 free spins. The grid will then transform to 6×7, meaning that slot fans will be provided with 117,649 ways to win. It is crucial to mention that there are no blockers during the free spins bonus round. Provided that wild symbols land on the reels in the meanwhile, 3 to 6 symbols will morph into mystery symbols.

Miner Donkey Trouble

Play’n GO’s trademark is the slick visuals of its games. Admittedly, the software does a lot to keep players on the edge of their seats. Apart from the Faces of Freya, the game developer launched yet another mind-blowing title earlier this year – Miner Donkey Trouble. Even though mining is a serious job, the game makers took a more lighthearted approach to create this slot game. On the left side of the grid, you will see an annoyed-looking donkey, while the image of an old miner holding a pick-ax is on the right side.

The game features a wild symbol that stands for all symbols except the scatter. On the left side of the grid where the donkey is, players will also see a Donkey Destruction meter. Depending on the number of winning symbols, you will trigger one of the three tiers of the Donkey Destruction feature, each coming with different features. The Golden Nugget symbols do not offer payouts, but these will increase the win multiplier by 1. In the base game, the multiplier resets to 1x at the beginning of a new paid spin.

The dynamite symbol acts as a scatter in the game. Assuming that 3 scatters land on the reels, players will receive 5 free spins. During the free spins feature, the win multiplier does not reset even if you hit a winless combo. It is also possible to win extra free spins up to 20 if more scatters appear on the reels during the bonus game.

Book of Tombs

Booming Games is a relatively new software company that already managed to make a name for itself. Its newest slot game Book of Tombs is among the hottest slot releases for this year. Even though there are hundreds of Egyptian-themed slots, Book of Tombs stands out from the pack with its quality graphics and rewarding payouts. The slot offers a standard 5×3 grid and 10 fixed paylines.

To add extra flavor to the gameplay, the game features free spins round. To trigger it, players have to keep their fingers crossed that at least 3 wild scatters will land on the reels. Initially, slot fans will get 8 free spins and a random symbol is selected to be the expanding symbol. While on the subject, we have to mention that the wild scatter symbol cannot be an expanding symbol.

Upon hitting a winning combo in the base game, slot enthusiasts are provided with the opportunity to double or quadruple their winnings thanks to the gamble option of the game.