Dragonz 2

Dragonz 2: Slot Overview

Back before Microgaming made the identity shift to Games Global, the casino game maker dropped the slot Dragonz, an entertaining release featuring 4 dragons, each one linked to its own bonus round. That was 2016. Fast forward the clock 8 years, and partner studio Hammertime Games has been tapped to do a sequel. Not for the first time, either. Mega Magic Spell is another Microgaming sequel carried out by the Hammertime Games team, which wasn’t as mega as it was made out to be, so here’s hoping Dragonz 2 has a bit more zing.

One thing Dragonz 2 has had is a graphical update. The scenery behind the reels is actually quite beautifully drawn, and the see-through reels themselves look more up to date than the original’s thick black colouration. Music is a highlight, too, but arguably the most important part of the audiovisual deal is the 4 dragons, Flint, Switch, Frost, and Gobble, who look about the same as they did before, providing a sweet link to the past. The growable jackpots to the side of the reels are new and are a feature that the Games Global family of studios are wont to use. They’re either a neat addition or the bane of your existence.

If you squint and look at the bottom of the grid, you’ll see the number 243, indicating the number of ways to win on the 5-reel, 243 payline game space. Three RTP configurations have been designed; all are highly volatile, and the highest return value of the trio is 96.3%. All take bets of 20 c to $/€20 per spin and pack sizable winning potential.

Five shiny gemstones appear at the lower end of the paytable, followed by a mountain scene, a waterfall, and a sunset. These symbols pay 1 to 2.5 times the bet for a 5-of-a-kind hit. After them are the 4 dragons, paying 3-4.5 times the bet for a 5 OAK winning combination. Wilds also appear on all reels. They can substitute for any pay symbol and make an award of 5 times the bet for hitting a 5 OAK wild win. Dragonz 2 also benefits from the Rolling Reels mechanic, which removes winning symbols and replaces them with falling new ones until no new win appears after a Roll.

Dragonz 2: Slot Features

The original Dragonz slot had a bunch of features, and so does Dragonz 2. The list is made up of Wildstorm, the Wildstorm Multiplier, Character Jackpots, a Jackpot Wheel, various wild abilities, 4 pickable free spins rounds, and up to two bonus buy options.

Wildstorm & WildStorm Multiplier

Landing 2 Wildstorm symbols triggers the Firestorm feature and a payment of 1x. This can occur from the base game or the Jackpot Wheel. A single spin occurs on expanded reels, providing 1,024 ways to win that can turn up to 5 reels wild. Rolling Reels do not occur in this feature. Landing 1 Wildstorm symbol can randomly increase the Wildstorm Multiplier by +0.5. The Wildstorm Multiplier applies to all wins from the Wildstorm feature only. After the Wildstorm feature completes, the WildStorm Multiplier resets to a random value.

Character Jackpots

Character Gems may appear on character symbols and are collected at the end of the spin when they do. Character Gems increase the corresponding Character Jackpot when collected. Characters and their jackpot ranges are: Flint – 20x to 1,500x the bet, Switch – 10x to 200x the bet, Frost – 5x to 75x the bet, and Gobble – 5x to 50x the bet.

Jackpot Wheel

The Jackpot Wheel may randomly trigger when Gems are collected. When activated, the Wheel awards one of the Character Jackpots or triggers Wildstorm. The Jackpot Wheel only triggers from the base game.

Wild Multipliers & Locking Wild Symbols

Wilds that contribute to wins in the base game and in Gobble’s free spins can apply a multiplier. The multiplier increases per Roll up to a max of x6 in the base game. The multiplier applies to any win the wild is part of. Locking wilds, meanwhile, remain on the reels for the duration of a Roll series and are removed at the start of each spin. Locking wilds appear anywhere in the base game except the leftmost reel. They appear on reel 3 in Frost’s free spins and do not appear in Switch’s or Flint’s free spins.

Free Spins

Hitting 3, 4, or 5 scatter symbols pays 1x, 5x, or 25x the bet, respectively, and sends players to the bonus round. Once in, the free spins selection is triggered.

• Gobble Free Spins – 12 free spins, where wild multipliers and locking wild multipliers increase by x3 per Roll up to a maximum of x18. Landing 3 or more scatters awards a further 12 free spins.
• Frost Free Spins – 12 free spins where locking wilds landing on reel 3 remain for Rolls and are removed on each spin. Locking wilds on reel 3 also spawn 2 extra locking wilds on the same reel, creating a wild reel. Per Roll, the locking wilds on reel 3 can increment a wild multiplier on a random wild up to x3 for the Rolls’ duration. Landing 3+ scatters awards 3 extra free spins.
• Switch Free Spins – 12 free spins where 2, 3, or 4 reels can sync together. Synced reels occur on each free spin. Identical symbols land on each synced reel and symbol Rolling will be identical as well. Landing 3+ scatters awards 3 extra free spins.
• Flint Free Spins – 12 free spins where stacked sticky mystery symbols can change to coin values or any symbol except scatters. Stacked sticky mystery symbols remain through Rolls and are removed on each spin. Coin prizes range from 1 to 25 times the bet. A multiplier trail, which applies to coin prize wins, increases on each Roll to a maximum of x6. The multiplier trail resets on each spin. Landing 3+ scatters awards 3 extra free spins.

Feature Buy

100x the bet buys the free spins feature, triggered by 3 or more scatter symbols. After 1,000 spins, it becomes possible to buy the Wildstorm feature for 100x the bet.

Dragonz 2: Slot Verdict

Sequels made long after the original came out is a phenomenon by no means confined to online slots. Just ask Game of Thrones fans how long they’ve been waiting for ‘The Winds of Winter‘ to finally be published. The GOT television series wrapped up years ago, and in the books, Stannis is still alive, and Tyrion has yet to properly meet Daenerys (at the time of review). The gambling world has turned since Dragonz first swooped on the scene, and in some ways, Dragonz 2 is a reflection of what certain bands of gamblers may consider hot and others, well, not so much.

For whatever reason, enough punters are sweet on them presumably, Games Global studios love to make a local jackpot game (which we suspect appeal to some markets more than others). In one form or another, they are a regular feature of the GG crew. Great if you’re the sort of gambler who wants prizes dangled in front of their face while trying their luck; dog mess for players who’d prefer the RTP squeezed elsewhere. Ah well, Dragonz 2 has got them, that’s that. It’s also got the four endearing dragons who don’t look like they’ve aged a day. They’ve returned with their own features for players to trigger, and they are quite different to the features they granted the first time around. To put a positive spin on it, variety is no bad thing, and Dragonz old-timers might get a kick out of ticking each dragon’s free spins round off their list.

Possibly more desirable still is the Wildstorm feature. The reason why is that the game advertises wins of up 15,000x the bet – in Wildstorm. Outside of Wildstorm, there’s a possible 1,500x from the Flint Jackpot, but apart from that, it’s hard to definitively comment on non-Wildstorm/Jackpot winning potential. Ay well, Dragonz 2 might not have the same spark as the original, and some gamblers might have preferred it if bits of the gameplay had gone in a different direction (or been omitted), but there are elements here that manage to reproduce some of the original’s magic.

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