Merkur (aka Edict) is a German gaming company that operates as a part of Gauselmann Group, creating table games and slot machines for international markets. From the moment they were launched, Merkur Gaming has been considered an industry trendsetter. Their games are a unique mixture of innovation and tradition, merging the tech advancements of today with the traditional elements and drawing from the experience the company has acquired manufacturing land-based casino gaming machines.
The developer has so far produced hundreds of games with different themes and with the return to the player percentage that can reach up to 98%. As of November 2018, Merkur Gaming has joined Euromat, the European Gaming & Amusement Federation, becoming one of their corporate members, along with Lowen Entertainment, JVH gaming, Faro Games, and others.
Out of more than 200 releases which can be categorized according to the number of paylines and reels, the following releases have earned the highest user ratings:
1. 221B Baker Street - 221B Baker Street is a 20-payline video slot inspired by the world's greatest detective and Arthur Conan Doyle's immortal character, Sherlock Holmes. Mr. Holmes is the Wild icon while his greatest nemesis, Professor Moriarty, is the Scatter. The symbol with both of the characters will trigger the Duel Bonus which offers up to 200,000 coins payout, and the Big Ben icon initiates up to 20 Free Spins with multipliers.
2. Dragon's Treasure – this slot is a somewhat older release, launched in 2011 and featuring a medieval fantasy theme. The Dragon icon is both the Scatter and the Wild – at least three of those will start the 10 bonus rounds with a selectable special icon. The highest paying icons are the two knights which can generate payouts of 100 – 100,000 coins, depending on the symbol and the number of icons within a combination.
3. Double Triple Chance – Double Triple Chance is a traditional-looking fruit slot with 95.6% RTP and medium variance. The 7s are the highest payout icons, closely followed by Watermelons and Bells. Although slots that replicate classic editions are usually pretty basic, this one introduces a bonus feature. When 9 matching icons land on the reels, the Rewin feature will be activated, with a potential to reset up to 6 times.
4. Eye of Horus – this is one of the most popular releases by Merkur, launched in 2016. The slot is played on 5x3 reels grid and 10 adjustable paylines. The main symbol, Horus, can expand across 3 reel positions and replace all other icons, except for the Pyramid. This symbol triggers 12 Free Spins, and any Horus icon that appears in the bonus rounds will be upgraded.
5. Magic Mirror – another Merkur Gaming slot that draws inspiration from medieval legends, Magic Mirror is a 10-payline, high volatility release, that returns 95.94% of your bet on longer gameplay sessions. The noble Lady is the highest value symbol, producing a payout of up to 50,000 coins. Stone Lion is the Scatter, triggering 10 Free Spins, and all the wins can be doubled by means of Gamble Feature (Card Game or Ladder Gamble).
Merkur games can be filtered according to the reel structure (1-7) and the number of paylines:
Classic – Slots with up to 10 paylines (Coin Cash, Blazing Star...);
Multi – Slots with 15 paylines (Amazing Mr. Sevens, Asian Challenge, Cash Line 27...);
Power – Slots with 40 paylines (Achilla, Beat the Devil, Brynhild...)
Flex Lines – games where the number of lines is selected by the operator (Aerik with 40 – 100, lines, Age of Machines with 30 – 100 paylines, Ancient Riches 10 – 30 paylines, etc);
Casino games are a part of Merkur Gaming portfolio as well, however, the offer is limited to Roulette only.
Games produced by Merkur are available on over 40 gaming sites including 888 and Mr Green, both owned by veteran operators. Mr Green has been open for business since 2007, operating under UKGC and MGA. 888 Casino is even older, founded in 1997 and available online since 2013; apart from Merkur games, their catalogue includes hundreds of live and casino games provided by some of the best developers in the industry.