Magpie Mayhem

As slot reviewers, believe me, we come across games of all types and genres. And, we thought we had seen everything there is to see, that was until an online slot game going by the name of Magpie Mayhem made it over to the review desk. Of course, hundreds if not thousands of titles out there use wildlife as their source of inspiration. It’s natural, as everyone loves animals. But we have never seen magpies become the focal point, and if we’re honest, we think it’s an excellent idea as they’re known to be cunning and mischievous.

Now the big introduction about our amazement at such an out-there theme is over and done with; we can tell you that the development team behind this slot, in particular, is CR Games. They have been responsible for hit titles such as The Chase Slot and I Love Puppies over the years and are recognised as one of the most versatile and out of the box thinking studios around. So yes, in this release, you may suggest the five reels and ten paylines is a classic combination, but then you have a gamble feature and Magpie Mega Reels too.

The long and short of it is that the online casino developer doesn’t want to give players the same tired old content. They want to include components different from the norm to add a freshness. There are also advantages for high rollers, so there’s a desire to make this an accessible title. If you see this game at an online casino and get the opportunity to play it, one thing is for sure; you won’t be left thinking it’s similar to other slots you have spun the reels of before. And there is a lot to like about these feelings if you have been around the block where slot machines are concerned.

When you’re spinning the reels of an online slot in this day and age, you ideally want the theme to be reflected in some way through the symbols. And while you will see royal icons – J, Q, K and A – there is still some element linking to the magpie idea to enjoy.

Alongside the playing card icons, there are five other symbols mostly made up of shiny and glittering jewellery such as earrings and rings. There is also a sparkling diamond, the top payer, with 5 in a combination worth £50. These images tie into the magpie theme because these are the type of items that magpies will generally steal because they’re shiny.

Following on from the last line of the above section, if you want to enjoy some free spins in Magpie Mayhem, you must hope that the magpie has been successful in its quest to steal all the shiny goods. The scatter icon in this CR Games release is a nest complete with stolen jewellery, and three of these in view on the reels simultaneously will lead to ten free games. Four scatters is worth fifteen free spins. Five will net twenty, so it’s a case of the more, the merrier.

During the free spins feature, as far as we understand, you won't be seeing any royal icons, which is fantastic. If the lower-paying icons are gone, and you have the maximum number of free games to play through, it means there are some excellent wins which you can pick up.

We also feel it’s worth mentioning at this juncture that if you choose to spin with one of the high roller stakes - £20, £30 or £50 – you can net some excellent advantages such as extra scatters and wilds, each way pays, and so on. Things like this make this a game to check out because it’s something else we haven’t seen before as reviewers.

Some people can be put off video slots that aren’t made by the most recognisable names, such as your NetEnts and Microgamings of this world. But, credit where credit is due, CR Games come up trumps in many respects here because they think outside the box with the theme, features and even the betting range. Play this and other casino games at Foxy Bingo.