Mayan Riches

Mayan Riches Review

IGT has produced another Mayan themed online slot game, based on the land casino game, to add to the pile. And, it needs to be said, this one is less striking than its counterparts. It is mildly pleasing visually and the gameplay is solid albeit not overly exciting. Still, it is a welcome addition to company’s repertoire and it is always nice to revisit the mighty empire of South America.

Characteristics

Mayan Riches plays out on five reels and has forty paylines and, for sure, the payouts are rather nice because walking out with more than you had prior to playing is not uncommon. So, that’s a plus in our book. The game takes a while before it takes off and it’s an alternating affair of long periods of uneventfulness and brief but hectic period of absolute madness. However, it’s reaching those periods of activity that will demand some patience. Probably the best thing about this game is its willingness to offer some hefty wins during base game – this is best done via stacking wild symbols – four or more of those in succession will pay off nicely. And while we’re on the subject, the symbols are laid out in a usual manner: low symbols are letters and numbers and high-value ones are faces of indigenous people and few Mayan artifacts. Mayan pyramid symbol is a wild while golden bonus symbol unlocks, well…bonuses

The graphics are based on (in)famous Mayan calendar on which the reels are stacked, behind which sits a thick, dark forest. The symbol design is pretty basic and not something we haven’t seen before. This is not a criticism towards developer, it’s just that Mayan theme has been a bit overdone and is becoming a standard – hence, a feel of unoriginality is prevalent. The sounds are decent enough, with flute making the Mayan picture complete.

Special Features

Getting free spins is not an issue, however landing more than five of them is. The prerequisite for this is landing three bonus symbols on the second, third and fourth reel. However, the wins in free spin mode are not big and getting 10 or 15 free spins is devilishly difficult – and the promised total max of 255, well…you need to be really lucky for that.

Conclusion

Even though a lack of unique features throw this game into the bin marked “average”, if you are a fan of Mayan-themed slots and are just in the mood to play it safe, Mayan Riches is not a bad choice altogether. It offers some decent winnings and when things happen – they really do happen big time.