Megaways Jack Frost: Slot Overview
If you have a fondness for all things cold, snowy, and wintry, you might find a kindred spirit in Jack Frost, who is traditionally associated with the personification of these elements. In the world of online slots, Jack Frost takes the spotlight in Megaways Jack Frost, a creation by Iron Dog Studio. Interestingly, the title Megaways Jack Frost bears a striking resemblance to another of Iron Dog Studio‘s earlier Megaways slots, Megaways Jack. Given the developer’s history, it was initially assumed to be a clone of that game. However, upon closer inspection, it turns out that Megaways Jack Frost is, in fact, a reskinned version of another Iron Dog slot, namely, Megaways Jack And The Magic Beans.
While its predecessor unfolded in a lush green field with a towering beanstalk, Megaways Jack Frost transforms the setting into a wintry landscape with falling snow, snow-covered trees, mountains, clouds, and a frost-covered house—essentially, a winter wonderland. This thematic shift brings an abundance of snow to the environment. Similar to Megaways Jack And The Magic Beans, Megaways Jack Frost maintains a charming atmosphere. According to Wikipedia, Jack Frost finds his roots in Anglo-Saxon and Norse winter customs, making literary appearances as early as 1734 in ‘Round About Our Coal Fire.’ While this historical context adds depth to the narrative, there won’t be a test on this later—it’s just that some games inspire deeper exploration, either due to intriguing topics or a lack of alternative details. In the case of Megaways Jack Frost, it seems to be a bit of both.
If you can endure the chilly on-screen temperatures, participating in Megaways Jack Frost involves selecting a stake ranging from 10 cents to $/€20 per paid game round. Similar to its forerunner, this is a highly volatile slot machine, featuring an RTP of 96.14% by default, with the potential to increase to 96.5% when opting to buy free spins. Operated by Megaways under license from Big Time Gaming, Megaways Jack Frost’s grid accommodates 2 to 7 symbols on each of its 6 reels, offering a variable number of win ways, reaching up to 117,649.
Following each way win payout, the winning symbols vanish, making way for new symbols to drop down and replace them. This cascading effect continues consecutively as long as new wins emerge on the reels. Exploring the paytable reveals ten symbols inspired by Jack Frost, including 10 through A card ranks as the low pays, a snowflake, frozen fruit, a bird with a bowtie, reindeer, and a boy as the high pays. Achieving a 6-of-a-kind winning way from one side of the grid to the other yields payouts ranging from 0.6 to 1 times the bet for low pays and 2 to 25 times the bet for picture symbols. In the base game, wilds make appearances on reels 2-5, while in the bonus game, they land on reels 2-6. The wild symbol’s primary role is to substitute for any regular pay symbol, aiding in the creation of winning combinations.
Megaways Jack Frost: Slot Features
Aligned with Megaways, there’s a cascading attribute complemented by a distinctive Jack Frost symbol, inclusive of Jack Frost functionalities, complimentary spins, and purchasing alternatives.
Special Jack Frost Symbol
The unique Jack Frost symbol has the ability to activate features both in the standard game and during free spins. During the base game, it ensures a win by forming a winning line with low-paying symbols, high-paying symbols, or wilds. In free spins, it has the potential to initiate a random feature from the Jack Frost Feature list.
Jack Frost Features
The potential features from the Jack Frost Features list, activated per symbol upon landing on the reels, include:
- Awarding additional free spins.
- Granting an extra multiplier.
- Providing an additional locked reel.
- Offering an extra reel for the Jack Frost symbol to land on, progressing from left to right across reels 2 to 5.
- Bestowing high-paying symbols on the reels.
- Substituting high-paying symbols in place of low-paying symbols on the reels.
Following the feature activation, any remaining special Jack Frost symbols on the reels are transformed into wilds.
Free Spins
Achieving 4 scatter symbols initiates the free spins feature. Scatters are found exclusively on reels 2 to 5, limited to one occurrence per reel. Upon triggering the round, the quantity of free spins, the multiplier, the number of locked reels, and the frequency of the Jack Frost symbol are all randomly determined. Additionally, attaining 4 consecutive tumbles bestows an extra +2 free spins, while each successive winning tumble augments the multiplier by +1.
Buy Free Spins
There are three purchasing options available:
- Invest 100 times the bet (RTP 96.5%) to acquire free spins with a randomized number of spins, multipliers, locked reels, and Jack Frost frequency.
- Opt for the 160 times the bet option (RTP 96.3%), securing at least 8 free spins with random multipliers, locked reels, and Jack Frost frequency.
- Choose the 200 times the bet option, which includes an additional minimum x4 multiplier on top of the features provided in the previous purchase.
Megaways Jack Frost: Slot Verdict
Game studios share similarities with individual personalities, each possessing its distinct traits, preferences, and ambitions. While some studios are averse to duplicating releases, others embrace recycling content. Iron Dog Studio falls into the latter category, demonstrating a willingness to reuse elements without hesitation. The debate over whether one approach is superior remains subjective, as the charm of a first experience can sometimes elude its repetition.
In the case of Megaways Jack Frost, a sequel to Megaways Jack And The Magic Beans, the familiarity with its predecessor may evoke satisfaction among Magic Beans enthusiasts. However, the sequel fails to surpass the original. Despite offering decent Megaways gameplay, especially for those who enjoy wintry themes, Megaways Jack Frost lacks the unique appeal of the initial encounter. It essentially reproduces the Magic Beans experience with a snowy twist.
One noteworthy feature in these games is the random allocation of free spins components at the commencement of a bonus round—a feature appreciated as much here as it was in the Magic Beans game. The potential for a substantial 25,000x the bet maximum win adds excitement, especially when more free spins components are awarded. However, Megaways Jack Frost ultimately fulfills expectations set at the beginning of the review—it’s not a bad game, but it fails to make a significant impact as yet another reskin by Iron Dog Studio.