Rise of Merlin – Play'n GO Slot with Expanding Magic Orb Wilds
Rise of Merlin is a high-volatility slot by Play'n GO set in the Arthurian world of Merlin the wizard. The game runs on a 5×3 grid with 20 paylines and is built around the Magic Orb Wild — a glowing crystal orb that expands to fill an entire reel when it lands, converting all three positions on that column to wilds. Multiple Magic Orbs can expand across multiple reels simultaneously, and when all five reels are simultaneously covered, the game's title feature activates. Free Spins increase Magic Orb frequency and open extended windows for multi-reel wild coverage. Available in the slots section at ElaBet.
ElaBet holds licences from the Hellenic Gaming Commission (ΕΕΕΠ): Type 1 HGC-000032-LH and Type 2 HGC-000033-LH. Minimum play age is 21+.
Game Information
| Provider | Play'n GO |
|---|---|
| Reels / Rows | 5 × 3 |
| Paylines | 20 |
| Wild | Magic Orb Wild (expands to fill entire reel; substitutes all except scatter) |
| Scatter | Scatter (triggers Free Spins) |
| Special Features | Expanding Magic Orb Wilds, Rise of Merlin feature, Free Spins |
| Volatility | High |
Theme and Visual Design
Rise of Merlin draws on the Arthurian legend cycle, placing the wizard Merlin at the centre of the game's mythology and visual identity. The setting is a mystical forest clearing at night — ancient stones, glowing runes, and the magical energy of the medieval world form the backdrop. A crystal ball radiating magical light is the central visual object, linking the theme directly to the Magic Orb Wild that defines the game's mechanic.
Merlin himself appears as the game's primary high-value symbol, rendered in rich detail with robes, staff, and an aura of arcane power. Other high-value symbols include a magical grimoire, an enchanted staff, a wizard's potion, and other artefacts from the Arthurian magical tradition. Lower-value positions are occupied by styled playing card ranks rendered in the game's deep blue and gold colour palette. Animations on Magic Orb expansions and win events carry the magical visual language through the evaluation sequence.
Magic Orb Wilds
The Magic Orb Wild is the engine of Rise of Merlin. When a Magic Orb symbol appears on a reel, it does not behave as a standard single-position wild — instead, it expands to fill the entire reel column it landed on, converting all three positions on that reel to wild symbols. The expanded wild then substitutes for all non-scatter symbols across all 20 active paylines that pass through the covered reel.
The significance of the expansion mechanic is that a single Magic Orb landing on any reel covers three payline positions simultaneously, potentially completing multiple combinations at once. When Magic Orbs land on two or more reels in the same spin, the coverage multiplies — two fully-wild reels create conditions for wins across every payline that passes through both covered columns. Three expanded reels increase coverage further, and the interaction between expanded wild reels and regular symbol positions determines the scale of the resulting win.
Rise of Merlin Feature
The Rise of Merlin feature is the game's peak event. It activates when Magic Orb Wilds expand on all five reels simultaneously within a single spin. When this occurs, all 15 positions on the 5×3 grid are wild — every symbol position on every active payline is covered, producing wins at maximum payline coverage across all 20 lines for the highest-value symbol on the grid.
The rarity of this event — five independent Magic Orb landings required in a single evaluation — means it does not occur in most sessions. When it does occur, the combination of full-grid wild coverage and all 20 paylines simultaneously evaluating against the top wild substitution produces the game's highest possible single-spin outcome. The visual and audio sequence accompanying the Rise of Merlin activation is the game's most distinctive moment.
Free Spins
Free Spins are triggered when three or more scatter symbols land anywhere on the reels during the base game. The number of free spins awarded scales with the number of triggering scatters — three scatters awards the base free spin count, with additional spins for four or five scatters. During Free Spins, Magic Orb Wilds appear with greater frequency than in the base game, increasing the probability of multi-reel wild coverage on individual spins within the bonus round.
The enhanced Magic Orb frequency during Free Spins also raises the probability of the Rise of Merlin feature occurring within the bonus. Multiple consecutive free spins with expanding wild coverage can produce compounding win sequences across the round. Retriggers are possible if additional scatter symbols land during Free Spins, extending the bonus window further.
Volatility
Rise of Merlin is a high-volatility slot. The base game delivers regular low-value payline wins from standard symbol combinations and single-reel Magic Orb expansions, but the most impactful outcomes require multi-reel wild coverage — particularly three or more simultaneous Magic Orb expansions — or the Free Spins bonus delivering extended high-orb-frequency spins. The Rise of Merlin feature, requiring all five reels to simultaneously expand, is a rare event.
Set a session budget before play and treat each spin as an independent event. Refer to ElaBet's responsible gambling tools if you need support.
How to Play
- Open Rise of Merlin in the slots section at ElaBet. The 5×3 grid with 20 paylines is displayed.
- Set your stake per spin using the bet controls. Refer to the in-game paytable for minimum and maximum bet limits.
- Press Spin. The five reels evaluate against all 20 active paylines from left to right.
- If a Magic Orb Wild symbol lands on any reel, it expands to fill all three positions on that reel. The expanded reel then acts as a full-column wild, substituting for all non-scatter symbols across every payline that passes through it.
- If Magic Orb Wilds expand on two or more reels simultaneously, wins are evaluated across all active paylines with the multi-reel wild coverage applied.
- If Magic Orb Wilds expand on all five reels simultaneously, the Rise of Merlin feature activates — all 15 grid positions become wild and all 20 paylines evaluate at maximum coverage.
- If three or more scatter symbols land anywhere on the reels, Free Spins are triggered with enhanced Magic Orb landing frequency throughout the bonus round.
- Refer to the in-game paytable for full symbol values, scatter trigger counts, free spin award numbers, and retrigger rules.
Related Games
The following titles from Play'n GO's Merlin series are available at ElaBet:
- Lord Merlin and the Lady of the Lake — Play'n GO slot expanding the Arthurian universe to include the Lady of the Lake. Shares the Merlin mythology and Play'n GO's high-volatility design philosophy with a distinct mechanic from Rise of Merlin.
- Power of Merlin Megaways — The Megaways variant of the Merlin series by Play'n GO. Up to 117,649 ways to win per spin on a dynamic reel configuration — the same Arthurian theme delivered through a Megaways engine.
- Merlin and the Ice Queen Morgana — Play'n GO slot featuring Merlin and his antagonist Morgana in an ice-and-magic setting. Expands the Arthurian universe with a winter visual register and a mechanic driven by the Merlin vs. Morgana conflict.
- Rich Wilde and the Tome of Madness — Play'n GO high-volatility slot from the Rich Wilde adventure series. Features the Portal mechanic and a distinct bonus delivery system available at ElaBet.
21+ | EEEP licensed (HGC-000032-LH / HGC-000033-LH) | Play responsibly.