Captain Kraken Megaways: Slot Overview
It’s time to set sail once again, and this time, Pragmatic Play is charting a familiar course across pirate-infested waters in its swashbuckling release Captain Kraken Megaways. Pirate-themed slots are practically a staple in the industry—like plates on a conveyor belt at a sushi restaurant: miss one, and another will circle back around soon enough. This particular voyage throws a fearsome twist into the mix, as the legendary Kraken joins the crew, bringing along a respin feature and a money symbol collection mechanic.
From the very first spin, Captain Kraken Megaways plunges into classic pirate clichés. To the right, a spooky skull-shaped cave lurks ominously; to the left, a cannon fires intermittently, as the action unfolds aboard an old wooden ship cutting through vivid blue waters near a lush, palm-lined island. The scene is unmistakably inspired by the Caribbean, the historical playground of infamous pirates in the 1600s and 1700s.
It’s always curious how romanticized the pirate life has become in pop culture—swigging rum, searching for treasure, and singing sea shanties—while modern-day piracy, which involves hijackings and hostage-taking, is viewed with appropriate disdain. That contrast aside, Captain Kraken Megaways stays anchored in fantasy and entertainment, delivering an adventurous, visually rich slot that leans heavily into the pirate mythos with a Megaways twist.
Captain Kraken Megaways – Mechanics & Paytable
Captain Kraken Megaways sails in with a beefed-up Megaways setup. The outer reels—1 and 6—can display up to 7 symbols, while the inner four reels can stretch up to 8 symbols high. This extended grid allows for a maximum of 200,704 ways to win. Players can set their stakes between €0.20 and €240, or activate the Ante Bet, which doubles the stake in exchange for an increased chance of landing Money symbols, improving the odds of triggering the respin feature.
Regardless of bet type, Captain Kraken Megaways maintains a maximum RTP of 96.55% and is classified as a high volatility slot, meaning it’s capable of delivering big swings—perfect for those who enjoy riskier spins with greater potential.
The low-paying symbols are represented by standard card ranks from 9 to Ace, awarding 0.6x to 1.5x the bet for six-of-a-kind combinations. Premium symbols include anchors, krakens, a fierce female pirate, and the captain himself—all offering between 1.5x and 10x the bet for a full line of six. Wild symbols appear only on reels 2 through 5 and can substitute for any regular pay symbol to help form winning combos.
The game also features a tumble mechanic: every time a win lands, the winning symbols are removed from the reels, making way for new symbols to drop in. This process continues for as long as fresh winning combinations keep appearing, allowing for extended chains of payouts from a single spin.
Captain Kraken Megaways – Features
Captain Kraken Megaways doesn’t sail short on extras, offering a mix of tumbles, Money symbol collection, a Hold & Win respins round, and an optional feature buy for players eager to jump straight into the action.
💰 Money Collect Feature
Money symbols can appear on all reels except the top horizontal reel, carrying values from 1x to 25x the bet, or fixed jackpot prizes:
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40x Minor
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200x Major
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2,000x Grand
To collect these prizes, a Collect symbol must land on the rightmost reel. When it does, it scoops up and awards the values of all visible Money symbols on that spin.
🔁 Respins Feature
If a Respins symbol lands on the rightmost reel and at least one Money symbol is present anywhere on the grid, the Hold & Win respins round is triggered.
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The round begins with 3 respins, during which only blank spaces, Money symbols, and special modifiers can land.
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Any Money symbols from the triggering spin are locked in place and carried over.
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Each new Money or modifier symbol that lands resets the respin count back to 3.
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All newly landed Money symbols become sticky for the remainder of the round.
🧭 The top horizontal reel doesn’t contain normal symbols during the bonus—it’s reserved exclusively for modifier symbols:
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Collect Reel: Collects all Money symbol values on the reel directly beneath it.
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Collect Screen: Collects the values of all Money symbols in view.
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Multiply Reel: Multiplies all Money symbols on the reel below by x2 to x100.
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Multiplier Screen: Multiplies every Money symbol on screen by x2 to x100.
💸 Feature Buy
Players can cut to the chase by purchasing the respins feature directly for 100x the bet, jumping straight into the Hold & Win action with a guaranteed setup.
Captain Kraken Megaways: Slot Verdict
Pragmatic Play has explored kraken-infested waters before, with titles like Release the Kraken, Release the Kraken 2, and Release the Kraken Megaways. While Captain Kraken Megaways feels loosely connected by name and theme, its gameplay takes a different tack. Rather than focusing on roaming wilds and traditional free spins, this release opts for a Hold & Win-style approach centered around Money symbols and collection mechanics.
On the one hand, it’s a shift that might refresh the kraken brand within Pragmatic’s lineup—especially since cash symbol collection is a tried-and-true crowd-pleaser. On the other, Captain Kraken Megaways plays it very safe, offering little in the way of innovation or surprises. Most of the gameplay is comfortably familiar, which isn’t necessarily bad, but it doesn’t push any boundaries either.
The addition of modifier symbols during the respins round—like reel-wide multipliers and screen-wide collectors—does inject some welcome spice. They’re not revolutionary, but they do help elevate the bonus a touch. However, the 5,000x win cap feels underwhelming for a Megaways title, especially when other similar games go far beyond in terms of potential treasure.
Stylistically, Captain Kraken Megaways is up to Pragmatic Play’s usual standards: glossy visuals, pirate clichés, and high-seas atmosphere abound. But despite its polished look, the game doesn’t deliver much in the way of originality or excitement. The result is a solid but forgettable slot—a safe voyage rather than an epic adventure.