Riches of Midgard: Land and Expand – Slot Demo & Review

Riches of Midgard: Land and Expand – Slot Review

Riches of Midgard: Land and Expand serves as a reminder that NetEnt is a Swedish studio that infrequently draws inspiration from its Nordic heritage. A glance at their previous works reveals more druids or Egyptian gods rather than Norse deities. Perhaps, after the success of Hall of Gods, the team felt that the genre needed no further exploration. Nonetheless, mythology enthusiasts can once again express their gratitude to NetEnt for reintroducing Odin, Thor, and Freya to the spinning reels, wielding hammers and conjuring lightning in Riches of Midgard: Land and Expand.

The game begins with a captivating sight – a large and peculiar wooden contraption housing the reels at the center of the screen. Set against the backdrop of an idyllic Midgardian landscape, the grid features 3 reels and 9 paylines, embraced by the fertile fields and majestic mountains of Scandinavia. For those unacquainted with Norse mythology, Midgard is one of the Nine Worlds, where humans reside alongside a colossal serpent. Its creation is attributed to the all-father Odin, accompanied by his siblings Ve and Vili, who triumphed over the giant Ymir. The tales surrounding this realm continue to captivate popular culture, particularly within the realm of slots.

NetEnt has skillfully approached this theme, opting for a charming cartoon aesthetic instead of the typical intense portrayal. The outcome resembles the delightful style often seen in Relax Gaming slots such as “Ramses Revenge” or “Marching Legions.” The soundtrack adds an intriguing element – the reels creak and grind as they spin, accompanied by powerful sound effects.

Riches of Midgard is available on all devices, offering players a wide range of betting options, from as low as 10 p/c to a maximum of £/€200 per spin. During test runs, the mathematical model proved to be quite challenging, requiring perseverance to uncover the game’s true potential. However, once ignited, it didn’t turn out to be anything extraordinary. Nonetheless, with a respectable RTP rating of 96.03%, one can expect a balanced outcome in the long run.

Interestingly, for a three-reel slot, the symbols pay out in combinations of two or three, particularly the high-paying ones. The low-paying symbols, on the other hand, require a full line of three for a payout. In total, there are 10 pay symbols, ranging from 10 to A, followed by a hunk of meat, a horn, Freya, Thor, and Odin. If you manage to land three premium symbols on a line, you can expect a reward ranging from 1 to 15 times your stake.

Theme And Graphics

Riches of Midgard is an online slot game set in a medieval-themed world, featuring a charming cartoon-style aesthetic. NetEnt, known for their diverse design choices in slot games, has recently released titles like Dark King and Divine Fortune Megaways with a more serious tone. Therefore, it’s refreshing to see NetEnt embrace their signature upbeat style of graphics in this game.

Riches of Midgard: Land and Expand Slot RTP, Details & Wager Limits

The Riches of Midgard: Land and Expand slot game features 3 reels, 3 rows, and 9 paylines. To form a winning combination, land 3 low-value symbols on a payline or 2 to 3 high-value symbols across any of the 9 paylines, starting from the leftmost reel.

You can embark on your Midgard adventure with a spin cost ranging from 10p to £200. Simply click on the coins icon beneath the reels to select your desired stake level. For convenience, there is a quick play option that allows you to enable autoplay. You have the flexibility to choose between 10 and 1,000 autospins. Additionally, an Advanced Settings button is available, which allows you to stop autoplay on a win, when your balance changes by a specific amount, or when the free spins feature is triggered.

The Riches of Midgard: Land and Expand has an RTP of 96.03%, which falls within the acceptable range. With low to medium variance, you have the chance to win up to 435 times your total stake in a single spin. This exciting potential can be unlocked in the Free Spins feature, where you can enjoy spinning across 29 paylines or ways to win.

Riches of Midgard: Land and Expand – Slot Features

The slot starts off small but becomes larger during the features – the ‘Expand’ in the tile is there for a reason. The gameplay mainly revolves around the Hot Spot Reels, which can trigger respins in both the base and bonus games.

The wooden device features single position reels attached to its side, known as the Hot Spots. While spinning simultaneously with regular reels, Hot Spots do not contribute to line wins. Their primary function is to activate Respins. If matching symbols land in the two Hot Spots, as well as on two or more regular reels, the Land and Expand feature is triggered, granting a Respin. The symbols responsible for activating the respins then expand to cover the entire reel and remain locked in place for the duration of the respin. If a matching symbol appears during the respin, it too expands to fill the entire reel. Should all three reels display the matching symbol from the outset, no respin is granted; an expanded reward is immediately awarded. During the base game, Hot Spots only contain high-value symbols or blanks, whereas in the bonus, they switch between high and low symbols.

No Thor slot would be complete without his iconic hammer. In Riches of Midgard, Mjolnir takes on the role of the scatter symbol. Land 3 Mjolnir scatters on the reels and you’ll be rewarded with 8 exciting free spins. During these free spins, each Mjolnir scatter on reel three not only grants you two additional free spins (with no limit), but also expands the grid by adding a new row at the top or bottom of the reels. This expanded grid not only adds more excitement but also increases the number of bet lines. Once the reels reach their maximum height of 7 rows, a total of 29 bet lines will be activated. And that’s not all! During the free spins, a wild symbol will make its appearance, ready to substitute for any symbol that lands on the right Hot Spot from its position on the left Hot Spot. Get ready for an electrifying adventure with Thor and his mighty hammer!

Bonus Features in Riches of Midgard: Land and Expand

The Riches of Midgard: Land and Expand slot puts a spotlight on the Hot Spot Reels, positioned on either side of the main reels. While they don’t directly contribute to wins, these reels spin alongside the regular ones and serve as triggers for re-spins in the base game and free spins. During the latter, scatters open up additional opportunities for winning. Experience the riches that await in this captivating slot!

Land and Expand feature

By landing matching symbols on both the Hot Spot Reels and 2 regular reels, you will activate the Land and Expand feature, granting you a free re-spin. During this re-spin, all triggering symbols expand to cover their entire reel and remain locked in place.

Even if the 2 regular reels are not adjacent (i.e., they pay scatter style), you will still receive a payout. Additionally, if you obtain a matching symbol on the last regular reel, all reels will display the matching symbol in every position.

Free Spins feature

Keep an eye out for another important symbol – Thor’s hammer, which acts as the scatter. When you land 3 Thor’s Hammer scatters in the base game spin, you’ll activate the Free Spins feature and receive 8 free spins. During this feature, landing Thor’s Hammer on reel 3 will not only reward you with 2 additional free spins each time but also expand the reel, adding extra rows at the top or bottom. With a maximum of 7 rows per reel, this offers you up to 29 ways to win! Additionally, wild symbols make an appearance during the free spins, matching all other symbols and appearing on the left Hot Spot reel. If you trigger the Land and Expand feature, get ready for a free re-spin that could potentially fill the entire screen with the same symbol.

Riches of Midgard: Land and Expand – Slot Verdict

The Riches of Midgard offers a truly unique and captivating gaming experience, combining a variety of features that work together in an intriguing manner. While it incorporates some familiar elements, such as expanding symbols reminiscent of Book of Ra, it also introduces its own innovative mechanics.

One notable feature is the frequent triggering of respins through the Hot Spots, ensuring that the base game remains engaging. The presentation of these Hot Spots on the tottering wooden frame is not only visually appealing but also well-designed.

Although triggering the free spins can be more challenging, the addition of extra rows brings excitement and expands not only the reels but also the game’s potential for big wins.

In summary, the Riches of Midgard offers a captivating gameplay experience with its unique combination of features, visually appealing design, and potential for substantial rewards.

However, the irregularity of free spins didn’t seem to significantly impact their value, as it often tended to be on the lower side. It’s certainly not on the same level as Hall of Gods, which holds a reputation as one of the highest paying slots of all time. In comparison, Riches of Midgard is more modest. The maximum win from a single spin reaches up to 435 times the bet when the grid is fully expanded during the bonus round. So, while Midgard may not be overflowing with riches, the game is set in a time before corporate-led governments fueled the capitalist frenzy we find ourselves in today. Perhaps NetEnt aimed for a certain level of historical accuracy.

In conclusion, Riches of Midgard offers a touch of uniqueness, although its animated visuals somewhat diminish the typically thrilling nature of Norse-themed slots. While this alone may not be a deal-breaker, the game’s requirement for patience to unlock its most rewarding features can sometimes result in frustration outweighing excitement.

Riches Of Midgard: Land And Expand FAQs

Charles Watson

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