Magic Mirror Deluxe II (Merkur): Overview

Magic Mirror Deluxe II is the sequel to the hugely popular Magic Mirror slot that first arrived online in 2012, itself adapted from a classic land-based cabinet found largely across Germany. At its core, the two games play very similarly, but this follow-up adds a key tweak that has helped it become far more appealing to online players.

To start with the basics of Magic Mirror Deluxe II, Merkur has built it as a 5 reel, 3 row video slot, a format most slot fans will instantly recognise. On this grid, the game runs with 10 fixed paylines where you can set your stake anywhere from 20 c/p up to 20 €/$ per spin.

As for the visuals in Magic Mirror Deluxe II, you’ll notice a castle wall positioned to the left of the reels, framed by rich green countryside and woodland. The five reels are filled with symbols, starting with the standard playing card ranks: the purple 10, then the yellow J, green Q, blue K and red A. You’ll also find a medieval ring symbol, which can pay 75 times your stake for five of a kind, and the shield symbol offers the same. Next come the white horse, and finally the striking blonde maiden, who can deliver 500 times your stake for five across a full payline.

Magic Mirror Deluxe II (Merkur): Features

Although Merkur hasn’t packed this slot with a huge list of bonus mechanics, there are still a couple of features that add value for players. The first is the signature magic mirror, which functions as both a scatter and a wild. In its wild role, it can replace any other symbol in the game to help complete winning combinations. On top of that, if it appears in five different positions, it can award a top payout of 200 times your stake. Because it’s a scattered wild, it doesn’t have to land on a payline to pay out.

The mirror symbol also triggers the game’s Free Spins feature. If 3 or more of the scattered wild land anywhere on the reels, you’ll receive 10 free spins. Before the round begins, one Expanding Symbol is selected at random to be active during the feature. Each time that chosen symbol lands on a reel, it expands to fill all three spaces on that reel, increasing your chances to hit wins. Even better, if you re-trigger the free spins by landing 3 or more scattered wild symbols again, an additional symbol will be selected to expand alongside the first.

The final feature included in Magic Mirror Deluxe II is the Gamble Round. There are actually two versions available. After any winning spin in the base game (as long as it doesn’t include a Wild), you can choose either the card game or the ladder game to try to boost your payout. In the card option, you simply guess the colour of the next card that will be revealed; if you’re correct, the win from the triggering spin is doubled. If you pick the ladder game instead, a ladder with different prize values is shown, and you must stop the flashing light on a higher value to raise your win to that amount.

Magic Mirror Deluxe II (Merkur): Verdict

There’s plenty to appreciate here, even if it’s clearly a more straightforward slot by modern standards. It’s certainly not the presentation that makes it stand out. What keeps players coming back are the fundamentals: the high variance, the strong maths, and the excellent upside that can produce wins of up to 5,000 times your stake from a single spin during the bonus round.

Today, you can find multiple titles with very similar mechanics, potential and feature sets, including Novomatic’s Book of Ra Magic and Rise of Merlin from Play’n GO, but Magic Mirror Deluxe II remains the original and the preferred pick for many gambling purists. If you enjoy high variance swings and true all-or-nothing gameplay, it’s well worth a try. Just keep in mind it can be punishing on your bankroll, and a $100 bankroll doing $1 spins can disappear very quickly.