Shamrock Holmes Megaways

Shamrock Holmes Megaways slot REVIEW

Shamrock Holmes Megaways ReviewInstead of injecting one of their popular titles with the Megaways steroids in their first effort, Microgaming has decided to allow All41 to create a brand new game instead. This is pretty much the opposite strategy of what NetEnt did, when they allowed Red Tiger to “go to town” on their flagship title. Microgaming is merely testing the waters with their debut release, instead of dumping a colossal rock into it.

That being said, Shamrock Holmes Megaways is a pretty strong debut, not least due to the hard-hitting potential and the interesting Respins feature. Still, we cannot wait for Microgaming to convert some of their mega hit games, and perhaps in an even more daring way than the game at hand. You will not see anything truly new in Shamrock Holmes, but the ingredients are mixed together well for some thrilling moments.

A screen of the Shamrock Holmes Megaways playing space

Shamrock Holmes Megaways Features

The Megaways engine combined with Rolling Reels makes each spin unpredictable, but the real fun starts when you trigger the Magic Forest Respins feature in the base game. There are several ways to trigger this feature, and each Respin mode comes with a different number of guaranteed Megaways.

You will need a combination of gold shamrock coin scatters and other symbols as follows:

3 scatters + Pixie symbol on the top reel gives you a 10,000 guaranteed Megaways Respin.

3 scatters + Shamrock Holmes on the top reel gives you a 32,400 guaranteed Megaways Respin.

3 scatters + Pixie + Holmes on the top reel gives you a 117,649 guaranteed Megaways Respin.

You get 1 respin, but the Rolling Reels feature might prolong the round for you. This can be quite lucrative with plenty of winning ways guaranteed. As long as you keep landing winners, the winning symbols are removed to be replaced by new symbols dropping from above.

The Free Spins Bonus Round is triggered when you land at least 4 scatters anywhere on the same spin. You start with 10 free spins here, and you will benefit from an unlimited win multiplier that starts at 2x. You also get 2 extra spins per scatter above 4 that triggers the feature, and each winning combo you land increases the multiplier by +1.

The multiplier does not reset on losing spins, and there is no upper limit as to how high it can go. You can get 3 or 4 extra free spins added to your tally during the feature, and this happens whenever you land 3 or 4 scatters on the top horizontal reel.

The 200 Spins Shamrock Holmes Megaways Experience

Perhaps you’re eager to see how all these features play out by now, and we can hardly blame you. We had a good taste of them in our 200 spins test session, and you can check it all out in the highlights video below. Only the fun parts have been included, so you don’t have to suffer through the base game grind too much.

Review Summary

While NetEnt partner, Red Tiger, went “all in” and gave the flagship title, Gonzo’s Quest, the Megaways treatment in their debut, Microgaming partner, All41 Studios, has decided to play it a bit more safe in their first utilization of the Megaways licence. Shamrock Holmes Megaways comes with a fairly standard bonus round with unlimited win multiplier, but the 28,000x potential beats a lot of competitor games out there.

What makes this game stick out a bit, except for the combined Sherlock Holmes and Leprechaun theme, is the Respins with guaranteed megaways. Bigger wins are certainly possible from this feature, and it helps keep you on your toes while waiting to trigger the bonus round. The rather high 35.34 % hit rate takes the edge of the otherwise brutal volatility, and longer periods of dry spells is therefore not all that common here.

Pros

Microgaming’s (All41 Studios) Megaways debut

Respins feature with guaranteed Megaways

Bonus round with unlimited progressive win multiplier

High volatility, high hit rate and 28,000x max win potential

Cons

Max bet is “only” £20 per spin (not uncommon for Megaways games)

If you love Shamrock Holmes Megaways you should also try:

Rainbow Riches Megaways - is a pretty simple, yet highly popular, Barcrest powered title that also comes with a bonus round with unlimited win multiplier. The base game offers a Super Gem mystery symbol, and payouts up to 10,000x your stake is possible in this medium to high variance Irish luck title.

Gonzo's Quest Megaways - is the Megaways debut from NetEnt (Red Tiger), and it’s only natural to compare the 2 giants' first venture with this popular engine. The Avalanche multiplier keeps the base game interesting, while a boosted version in the bonus round can create winning combos up to 21,000x your stake.

Bonanza - is the Megaways title that gave the engine its mainstream breakthrough, and it’s still among the most popular games many copycat titles later. The main attraction is the bonus round with unlimited win multiplier, and you can win up to 10,000x your stake here.

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Shamrock Holmes Megaways Slot FAQs

What is the Return to Player of Shamrock Holmes Megaways slot?

The game’s RTP is 96.44 %, which is a bit above the industry average.

How volatile is Shamrock Holmes Megaways?

This is a highly volatile game for sure, but it’s balanced out by an equally high hit frequency. Breaking even (more or less) over time is not uncommon here, just like with Bonanza.

What is the biggest win possible?

You can win up to 28,000x your stake in Shamrock Holmes, which is a more solid potential than many other megaways engine slots out there. The max payout is still limited by the £20 max bet, but then again, many Megaways games come with a max bet of only £10.

How does the Magic Forest Respins feature work?

As a “consolation prize” when you land 1 scatter short of triggering the bonus round, you can get 3 different free re-spin modes with guaranteed megaways up to the maximum of 117,649.

Is there a free spins mode in Shamrock Holmes Megaways slot?

Yes, you get 10 spins and a starting multiplier of 2x. The multiplier increases +1 per win with no upper limit, and you can also get extra spins during the feature.

How many winning ways are available?

You will play with up to 117,649 ways to win here, which is fairly standard for the megaways engine.

Can I play Shamrock Holmes Megaways for free?

Yes, you can try the free Shamrock Holmes Megaways demo at the very top of this page (UK players must verify their age first). Check out our list of scanned casinos up there also, and find a suitable welcome offer to play with.