Merlin’s Moneyburst

Merlin's Moneyburst is a fantasy-themed video slot from Light & Wonder built around a distinctive 60-payline reel configuration: four smaller 2x2 reels feed into three larger reels holding four symbols apiece, rather than the standard uniform grid most slots use. The result is a game that looks unusual the moment it loads, with wilds, respins and a Merlin-led free spins round layered on top of that reel structure.

Theme-wise, the game drops players into an enchanted, moonlit forest guarded by a cast of cartoonish royal card symbols - A, K, Q, J and 10 - each drawn with wide, googly eyes that track the cursor as it moves across the screen. Alongside them sit hourglasses, money bags and potion bottles, with a spell-book acting as the top regular-paying symbol. It's a bright, slightly whimsical presentation that leans into the "friendly wizard" side of the Merlin legend rather than anything dark or brooding, and the animation work around the wizard himself carries a lot of the game's personality.

Merlin appears as the wild, substituting for everything except the scatter, and stacks of him across a payline can produce some of the biggest regular-game wins available. The studio's own SuperBet system also sits alongside the base game, letting players opt into an additional wager that adds multipliers whenever a Merlin wild lands, layering extra volatility on top for anyone who wants it. A free spins round themed around Merlin himself rounds out the feature set, giving the reel-in-reel structure room to do something a little different from a standard tumble or hold mechanic.

On the numbers, Merlin's Moneyburst returns a solid 96.75% RTP, which sits above the industry norm and gives players a reasonably fair long-run return relative to many modern slot releases. Volatility is rated medium-to-high, so sessions should swing between quieter stretches and sharper upward jumps rather than settling into a flat, predictable rhythm - useful to know going in if you prefer steadier, more frequent smaller wins.

At the top end, the game can pay out up to 10,000x the triggering stake, giving the free spins round and SuperBet multipliers genuine teeth for players chasing a big single hit. Stakes are flexible too, running from 0.30 up to 62.50 per spin across desktop and mobile, so both cautious and more aggressive players can find a comfortable entry point without needing to adjust much else about how they play.

Overall, Merlin's Moneyburst is a solidly built, family-friendly fantasy slot that stands out mainly through its unusual reel layout and above-average RTP rather than flashy visuals. It won't be for everyone - the cartoonish art style is more playful than premium - but the mechanics underneath are sound. Worth spinning up in demo mode at johnessyslots to see the reel formation in action before deciding whether to back it with real stakes.