Big Bucks Bandits Megaways by ReelPlay offers a familiar Megaways setup and a mix of respins, jackpots, and a gamble feature. The game sticks closely to the format of the studio’s other Megaways releases, using cascading wins and a bonus reel to keep things ticking along but swaps out the usual Free Spins round with increasing multiplier for a respins round with fixed jackpots. It also throws in a shootout gamble feature for good measure.
Unlike other western-themed online slots which are usually set in frontier towns or ranches, Big Bucks Bandit Megaways heads straight out to the badlands. The reels sit in front of rocky cliffs and dry desert ground, and there’s not a sign of water for a hundred miles. There is a soft haze of dust and heat over the background that adds a bit of depth.
The higher-paying characters are classic Western archetypes, including a sheriff and a bandit. Animations are fairly simple, mostly tied to wins and cascading symbols rather than elaborate sequences, except if players opt for the Double Cross Gamble feature, and there;s more on that below.
| Symbol | Payout for 2, 3, 4, 5 of a kind |
|---|---|
| Whisky | -, 0.1, 0.2, 0.4, 0.5 |
| Steer skull | -, 0.1, 0.25, 0.4, 0.6 |
| Cactus | -, 0.15, 0.25, 0.5, 0.7 |
| Stetson | -, 0.15, 0.3, 0.5, 0.9 |
| Boots | -, 0.15, 0.3, 0.6, 1 |
| Pistols | -, 0.2, 0.3, 0.6, 1.2 |
| Horse | -, 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2 |
| Outlaw | -, 0.25, 0.75, 1.5, 2.5 |
| Girl | -, 0.5, 1.5, 2.5, 5 |
| Sheriff | 2, 5, 10, 30, 100 |
Landing six or more money bag symbols triggers the respins feature. This plays out exactly as one would expect: triggering symbols lock into place and the round begins with three respins. Each time a new money bag or trophy lands it also locks and the respin counter resets back to three. The feature wraps up either when the grid fills or when no new symbols land before the respins run out.
During the respins, trophy symbols can appear and award fixed jackpot values. These range from smaller bronze and silver rewards to larger gold and platinum prizes. Some can appear more than once in a round, while others are limited to a single hit.
After the respins feature ends, there is an option to gamble the collected total. Two gunslingers face off, and a wheel spin decides the outcome. Green segments can increase the total by a multiplier, while a losing segment wipes it out.
Big Bucks Bandits Megaways uses a six-reel layout with an additional horizontal bonus reel sitting above the main grid. Each spin can display between two and seven symbols per reel, which means the number of ways to form winning combinations shifts constantly, reaching up to 117,649 ways. Wins form from left to right, and once a combination lands, the symbols involved disappear. New symbols then drop into place from above, creating a cascading effect that can lead to additional results from a single spin.
It’s interesting to see how online casino games developers can put their own twist on a common mechanic, like in these games:
Big Bucks Bandits Megaways keeps things simple while adding a few extras around the edges. The respins feature is the main attraction, especially with the mix of money bags and jackpot trophies building up the total. The gamble option that follows adds another layer, though it may not be for everyone. Overall, we’d say this is a game built with Megaways fans directly in mind, with most of the thought and effort put into the graphics.