Play Monster Quest

Who doesn’t enjoy an action theme in which a knight charges into a castle full of monsters? Monster Quest does just that, however, this title finds an interesting use for the mentioned fantasy idea. Developed by Big Time Gaming, this six-reel slot gives its knight a value that grows whenever he defeats a weaker creature. That battle system runs through the two main bonus features, alongside variable Megaways reels and a maximum win of 99,900x the stake. 

Monster Quest takes place in and around a large stone castle, with distant towers and green hills visible behind the reels. It is a bright, rather cheerful version of medieval fantasy. Regular play takes place in daylight, with symbols displayed on uneven stone blocks between the castle towers. Night arrives for Free Spins, while Hold and Spin shifts the scene into a torchlit arena watched over by two enormous bull statues. The change in setting helps separate the features from the base game. The knight, goblins, horned beasts and golden dragon are all animated during their battles. These brief confrontations also explain what the feature is doing. If the knight is strong enough, he attacks and collects the Monster. If he is not, the larger value remains untouched. It is a simple and useful idea in an online casino game with an unusual collection rule. 

The amounts shown below are multipliers of the total stake. 

The rainbow crystal Wild can replace any regular paying symbol. It cannot stand in for Scatters, the Knight, Monsters or the Dragon. Three shield Scatters award Free Spins, while the character symbols carry values used in the battle features. 

Hold and Spin 

Six or more Bonus symbols appearing anywhere on the base game reels start Hold and Spin. The Knight, Monsters and Dragon all count towards that requirement. Once the round begins, every space on the grid acts as its own small reel. A position may remain blank or reveal another Monster. The Knight enters with a value chosen at random between 8x and 15x the stake, as well as three lives. He can defeat a Monster only when its value is equal to or lower than his own. The defeated creature’s value is then added to his total, allowing him to take on stronger enemies later. One life is removed after a spin in which no new Monster appears and none is defeated. A successful attack restores a life, although the total can never rise above three. The feature ends when the Knight has no lives remaining, the Dragon is defeated or Monsters have occupied every available space. Whatever value the Knight has built by that point becomes the feature prize. 

The ordinary Monsters may be worth between 1x and 1,750x, and the Dragon sits some distance above them, carrying a value from 1,888x to 28,888x. Seeing a large value is therefore only half the job. The Knight still needs enough strength to collect it. 

Free Spins 

Three Scatters award 12 Free Spins, with another two added for each Scatter beyond the third. The Knight starts with a value from 8x to 15x and stays on screen for the whole feature. His role remains the same: he defeats Monsters whose values do not exceed his own, then adds those amounts to his total. Regular symbol wins are also affected by a separate Megaways Win Multiplier. It starts at 1x and increases by one whenever the Knight defeats a Monster. 

Should five or more Monsters arrive on the same Free Spin, Hold and Spin interrupts the round. Monsters defeated during that section contribute to the Knight’s value, but they do not raise the Megaways Win Multiplier. Scatters can retrigger the feature too. Three award four extra spins, followed by two more for every additional Scatter. The Knight’s collected value is paid after the final Free Spin. 

The grid has six reels, with anywhere from two to seven symbols landing on each reel. Its dimensions can change from spin to spin. At full height, the game can produce 117,649 Megaways. Wins normally need at least three identical symbols on consecutive reels, beginning on the far left. Symbol height does not matter, and every possible left to right combination is counted. The Purple Crystal is the exception in the payout table, as it can return a prize from two matching symbols. 

• 3 Wonders Monster Pays: Cartoon Monsters and special prize mechanics offer a similarly playful take on creature-themed gameplay. 
• Return of the Green Knight: This fantasy adventure also follows a knight through a medieval world filled with danger and feature-driven action. 
• Lock & Hit: Red Knight: Knights, castle imagery and a prominent respin feature give this game several points in common with Monster Quest. 

The clever part of Monster Quest is not simply that the Knight collects values. It is that he cannot collect everything in sight. A large Monster may land and remain stubbornly out of reach until the Knight has worked his way through several smaller opponents. That rule gives the features a visible sense of progress, though it can be frustrating when a valuable creature survives to the end. Elsewhere, the game is more familiar. The cheerful castle setting is neatly presented, but fantasy-themed Megaways slots are not in short supply. Free Spins and Hold and Spin also follow recognisable formats. It is the battle system that holds the pieces together and gives this release its own character. Players who enjoy highly volatile games with changing reel layouts may appreciate that added layer, provided they do not expect every displayed Monster value to be collected.