Merlin’s Moneyburst: Review

Being part of the Scientific Games family must be pretty convenient. When inspiration runs low, you can always stitch together a Frankenstein-style slot from mechanics already used elsewhere—something NextGen Gaming clearly hasn’t resisted. In the studio’s third, or maybe fourth (who can tell), entry in the Merlin series, the Moneyburst engine has been lifted from sister brand WMS to serve as the base. Anyone who’s been around the block will immediately be reminded of classic WMS games like Bruce Lee, Fire Queen, Glitz or Queens Knight II the moment Merlin’s Moneyburst appears on screen.

And yes, it arrives with 60 paylines and that same unusual reel setup: 4 single reels in a 2×2 formation, followed by 3 reels showing 4 symbols each. Available across all devices with stakes from 30 cents t0 62.50€ per spin, this somewhat kiddie-looking fantasy slot still packs a good variety of action, including respins, wild modifier add-ons, and a free spins round where Mr Merlin himself turns up.

Even more than earlier entries, Merlin’s Moneyburst feels like an educational PC title made for 6-year-olds learning their ABC’s. Just look at the cartoon royal symbols with their goofy eyes that track your mouse as you move it—your toddler will be entertained. Presentation-wise it’s fine, though it does feel a bit dated, particularly thanks to the awkward wizard animations.

Set in a magical forest under moonlight, the reels feature A, K, Q, J and 10 royals (complete with eyes), plus hourglasses, money bags and potion bottles. The spell-book pays best, with 5 across a full payline awarding 8,33 times your stake. As expected, Merlin is the wild and replaces everything except the scatter. Hit 5 of him on a payline and you’ll collect 83.33 times your stake.

Merlin’s Moneyburst: Features

Using the studio’s own in-house SuperBet option, players can pick from extra wager tiers that apply multipliers. This becomes relevant when the Merlin wild lands, as it can enhance winning lines with boosts of up to 10x. Here are the bet levels available:

• Bet Level 1: play from 60 cents t0 15€ per spin – any winning combination that includes a wild symbol will receive a 2x multiplier boost (95.75% RTP).
• Bet Level 2: play from 1 t0 25€ per spin – any winning combination that includes a wild symbol will receive a 4x multiplier boost (96.00% RTP).
• Bet Level 3: play from 1.50 t0 37.50€ per spin – any winning combination that includes a wild symbol will receive a 6x multiplier boost (96.25% RTP).
• Bet Level 4: play from 2 t0 50€ per spin – any winning combination that includes a wild symbol will receive a 8x multiplier boost (96.50% RTP).
• Bet Level 5: play from 2.50 t0 62.50€ per spin – any winning combination that includes a wild symbol will receive a 10x multiplier boost (96.75% RTP).

Altogether, Merlin’s Moneyburst includes 3 features. The least exciting is Merlin’s Held Respins, which also happens to trigger the most often. It activates when the 2×2 reel formation shows matching symbols. You begin with 5 respins, keeping the symbols in the 2×2 block locked while the remaining 3 reels keep spinning. On top of that, Merlin can appear at random, turning regular symbols into wilds. Landing 3 scatters during the feature adds another 5 respins to your total.

The next most appealing trigger is the Merlin’s Free Games feature, activated by landing 3 claw scatter symbols on reels 3, 4 and 5 in the same spin. You start with 10 free spins, during which Merlin may show up randomly to place stacked wilds on reels 3, 4 and 5. The feature can also retrigger, awarding another 10 free spins. It’s also possible to set off the Merlin’s Held Respins feature within this mode.

The standout in Merlin’s Moneburst is Merlin’s Wild Spins. Among streamers, this uncommon bonus is often nicknamed the “Double Bonus”, and it has produced some genuinely massive wins on Bruce Lee over the years. Merlin’s Wild Spins triggers when you hit matching symbols in the 2×2 reel formation and also land 3 scatters, all on the same spin. Once activated, every symbol in the 2×2 formation becomes a wild, while Merlin appears on each spin to add stacked wilds on the other 3 reels. This feature can retrigger too, adding another 10 wild spins to your total.

Merlin’s Moneyburst: Final Verdict

Merlin’s Moneyburst is essentially a straightforward mash-up of the classic Bruce Lee mechanics with the Merlin theme. At its core, the two play very similarly, though the SuperBet option does push Merlin into noticeably higher volatility. Also, while Bruce Lee typically runs at an RTP of around 96%, Merlin’s Moneburst sits at just 95.50% when SuperBet is turned off. Raising the SuperBet level increases RTP, but it also ramps up volatility and makes each spin pricier.

As with Bruce Lee, there’s plenty of upside potential here. The Respins feature and the Free Spins Game often don’t pay anything spectacular, but if you manage to land Merlin’s Wild Spins, you can very realistically expect a 1000x-4000x feature. Stack the 10x SuperBet on top and, well, you can work out the rest. All in all, Merlin’s Moneyburst is a solid rework of Bruce Lee that keeps the original’s strengths, while adding extra punch for players who prefer a tougher ride. If you can tolerate the toddler-targeted look and vibe, it’s a capable slot.