Get ready for an exciting journey back in time to the days when the ancient Mayan civilization ruled Central America in NetEnt’s release titled Rise of Maya. A beautifully-designed 5-reel game promises an unforgettable playing experience and numerous chances to scooping handsome prizes. Players have a lot to look forward to as the maximum payout can go up to 2,500x their wager. Playable on all devices, Rise of Maya comes packed with rewarding features such as Wilds (both regular and expanding ones), Scatters, respins and the bonus round. It also boasts a nice Return to Player (RTP) of 96.42%.
The game’s reels are set in an ancient Mayan temple, with a dark and a bit mysterious feel to it. You’ll need at least 2 matching symbols to start receiving payouts, with winning combinations formed on adjacent reels from left to right, starting from the leftmost reel. The action takes place on the 5-reel 3-row reel set, with a total of 10 fixed paylines on offer. Wagering starts as low as $0.10, with the maximum stake set at $75 per spin. However, using the Bonus Bet option, players will be able to double the size of their stake, which increases the size of the maximum bet to $150.
In terms of visuals, Rise of Maya is a well-designed game, although its looks will not sweep you off your feet.
The design of the game symbols perfectly matches the slot’s Mayan theme, which means that players will encounter the usual set of low-value playing card symbols – albeit Mayan styled – as well as 5 Mayan masks, with the most generous one awarding a payout worth 250x the bet for all 5 on a payline. There are 4 different Wilds in play – one regular, 2 expanding and one appearing stacked. In addition to standing in for other icons, the stacked one will be able to cover an entire reel. The Scatter symbol triggers the Free Spins round whenever 3 or more of them land anywhere on the grid.
It’s all about Wild symbols in Rise of Maya, as there are four of them in play: one regular, one stacked and two expanding. All 4 of them will be able to substitute for other icons, although their roles will vary.
Expanding Wilds can cover one or more reels, while stacked Wilds will make their appearance only during the Free Spins bonus round.
Triggering the Free Spins feature is quite easy – all you need are 3 or more Wilds or Scatters. Once the round starts, players will have 15 spins on their count, with triggering symbols turning their columns into Hot Reels. But that’s not all, as landing stacked Wild will turn a Hot Reels column fully Wild, significantly boosting the round’s win potential.
Another interesting addition to the list of features is the Scatter nudge feature, available whenever a spin doesn’t end in a win. It will nudge scatters and wilds, helping players trigger the bonus round or add more spins to the count if the round has already been unlocked.
Last, but certainly not the least is the Bonus Bet option, which increases the chance of getting Wilds or Scatters, while at the same time doubling your stake. Landing 2 Wild or Scatters will activate respins.
Rise of Maya is a well-designed game, although not as visually stunning as some other NetEnt releases. It does offer plenty of in-game features, which not only create a more exciting playing experience but also have rewarding prizes on offer. If the ancient gods smile upon you, you can end up taking home payouts of up to 2,500x the wager – on each spin!
