Moriarty Megaways: Slot Overview

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s legendary sleuth Sherlock Holmes is a fictional icon who keeps turning up across all kinds of entertainment. Naturally in books, but also in films, TV, and—of course—slots. It makes sense: who can resist a Victorian/Edwardian dash through London’s rougher corners, particularly when Holmes is hunting his arch-rival Professor James Moriarty? That’s exactly the setting for iSoftBet’s flagship slot Moriarty Megaways.

Interestingly, Moriarty wasn’t actually a major presence in the original Holmes stories, showing up in only two novels. These days, because every hero needs a true nemesis, Moriarty has become far more prominent in later versions. One standout example is Andrew Scott, who played the villain with delicious menace in a BBC series—often feeling like he was perpetually a step ahead of our deerstalker-wearing, pipe-smoking detective.

Luckily, the master of deduction had Dr Watson on hand to help where possible, and the duo work together to strong effect in iSoftBet’s Moriarty Megaways. The two leads bring plenty of charm, and each is tied to their own dedicated features. Behind it all sits a moody take on Baker Street, London, around the turn of the 20th century. Big Ben may be slightly misplaced for that neighborhood, but that’s creative freedom for you. iSoftbet consistently delivers striking visuals when their top team is involved, and Moriarty Megaways ranks among their best. Moriarty himself also stands out—an impeccably dressed super-villain. Modern criminals may aim for bigger scores, but very few can pull off a full beard and top hat with the same suave menace as this debonair scoundrel.

Playable on any device, Moriarty Megaways comes with stakes from 20 p/c, rising to $/€20 at the top end, hinting at a high-potential slot thanks to the comparatively low max bet. At the time of writing, official figures weren’t available, but as with other iSoftbet Megaways titles, the RTP is expected to sit around 96%, with volatility likely on the higher side. The crime-busting action unfolds on a Megaways engine featuring 6 main reels showing between 2 to 7 symbols each, plus a top tracker reel displaying 4 symbols. The configuration changes every spin, so outcomes stay unpredictable—ways to win included. These can reach 117,649 in the base game, expanding to 352,947 in the bonus. It’s a familiar Megaways setup, but it still does the job brilliantly.

The symbol set blends character-themed items nicely. Low pays run from 10 through to Aces, followed by higher-value chess pieces, a signet ring, and Jim Moriarty as the top symbol. Hitting 6 of a kind on premium symbols pays 2 to 50 times your stake. All symbols need at least three to pay, except Moriarty, who pays from two or more. The villain’s pocket watch acts as the wild, replacing any pay symbol to help form winning combinations. It can land on reels 2, 3, 4 or 5, on the top tracker.

Moriarty Megaways: Slot Features

Alongside Holmes in this case is the voice of reason, Dr Watson. Here, he takes a leading role with his own mechanics—Watson Reels and Watson Mystery Symbols. On top of that, players can also trigger Sherlock Reels, Sherlock Max Megaways, Free Spins, cascades, and a progressive multiplier.

As with most Megaways slots, cascades activate after every win, clearing winning symbols from the reels. Fresh symbols then fall into place, allowing back-to-back combinations. Cascades keep going until no further wins land.

While the base game can deliver some solid returns, Moriarty is really focused on the free spins, triggered when 3 or more bonus symbols appear. This grants 15 free spins, plus 5 extra for each additional scatter—up to 30. At the start, the feature includes a standard progressive win multiplier beginning at x1 and increasing by one after every cascade. The round can be extended when 3 scatters land on the top tracker reel, awarding five more free spins.

In addition, during the bonus the layout of the screen changes, shrinking the main grid while introducing two counters at the bottom—one for Watson and one for Holmes. Each time a Holmes or Watson symbol lands, the relevant counter drops by one. Once 3 are collected, that counter converts into a mini slot with its own dedicated feature;

• Watson Reels grant one spin where mystery symbols land to ensure a win. All mystery symbols then change into the same matching symbol. Cascades can still occur, and any wins will raise the multiplier.
• The second counter tracks Holmes symbols. Every time three are collected, Sherlock Reels are awarded. This is one spin on a mini-slot where a guaranteed 117,649 Megaways are active. Cascades here also contribute to increasing the win multiplier.

Depending on location, players may be able to use a bonus buy option called a Moriarty Bet. For 150x the stake, at least 3 scatters will land on the next spin, activating the feature.

Moriarty Megaways: Slot Verdict

When iSoftBet really commits, they can produce truly beautiful Megaways titles, and Moriarty Megaways is a standout example. It suits the Twisted Tales series perfectly, and it’s a genuinely fun game to spin. Individually, the features in Moriarty Megaways aren’t necessarily groundbreaking. But paired with the strong presentation and theme integration, the overall package feels far greater than the sum of its parts. It’s proof you don’t need a radical new idea to create something highly enjoyable.

The fresh twist is how Sherlock and Watson Reels are triggered during free spins. Some players might feel the separate mini grids beneath the main set are a bit unnecessary, and they can look small on mobile. In practice, though, the layout is tidy and the mechanic adds more than it subtracts. The fact that wins on the smaller grids can cascade and boost the multiplier is a real plus. When those features start landing well, Moriarty Megaways can deliver up to 37,500 times your stake.

Overall, Moriarty Megaways is a strong entry in the Twisted Tales lineup. The visuals are excellent, creating a compelling setting to chase down Moriarty while taking a shot at big wins. iSoftBet once again squeezes plenty out of the Megaways format, resulting in one of the better Holmes-themed slots available.