Elemental Gems Megaways is one of the few Megaways titles built on subtraction rather than addition. Released by Pragmatic Play in February 2022, it strips the format back to three reels, a dedicated multiplier reel, and up to 512 ways to win — with no bonus round, no free spins, and no respins to wait for. It’s a direct follow-on to Aztec Gems, swapping that game’s fixed 3×3 grid for the Megaways mechanic so reel heights vary on every spin. The core feature stays the same: a fourth reel spinning alongside the main three, landing a random win multiplier between x1 and x100 that applies to any win.
Whether that simplicity works for you comes down entirely to what you want from a session. The 96.51% RTP, medium volatility, and 5,000x maximum win are all competitive on paper. In practice, the game’s only path to a big payout is lining up a strong symbol combination at the same time as a rare high multiplier — and there’s nothing to trigger in the meantime.
Theme and Design
The setting is ancient China filtered through a five elements lens — fire, water, earth, and air each represented by coloured gemstones, with two tiers of fire gems at different pay values. A golden-red pagoda tile is the highest-paying standard symbol; a Yin-Yang Wild appears in gold and silver against deep blue-purple reels. Two large purple dragons flank the grid, and a traditional Chinese soundtrack provides atmosphere without becoming intrusive.
The visual execution is clean and competent, though firmly in familiar territory for Pragmatic Play’s portfolio of Asian-themed releases. The layout clarity — few symbols, high contrast, minimal animations outside of wins — suits the straightforward mechanics well.
How the Multiplier Reel Works
The grid is a 3×8 (+1) structure: three main reels each showing between two and eight rows per spin, with the Megaways engine selecting heights randomly. When all three reels fill to eight rows, the game reaches its maximum of 512 ways to win. Unlike most titles in our Megaways collection, there are no cascading reels and no tumble mechanic — wins are settled once, then the reels spin fresh.
Stacked symbols load on every spin, so a reel at eight rows can show the same symbol in all positions. Wins form when three identical symbols land across all three reels left to right. The Yin-Yang Wild substitutes for all symbols, pays 2.5x for three-of-a-kind, and can land stacked. There are no scatter symbols — every spin resolves independently.
The multiplier reel — the fourth reel to the right of the main three — displays only multiplier values. The value landing on its centre row, anywhere from x1 to x100, is applied to the total win on that spin. The x1 result is the most common; high multipliers arrive infrequently and unpredictably, with no carry-over between spins. The 5,000x maximum win is reached when the strongest symbol combination aligns with the x100 multiplier.
Elemental Gems Megaways Strategy Tips
Because there’s no bonus round to build toward, every spin is equivalent — no escalating state, no feature to open up. Flat betting is the most rational approach; sizing up won’t increase your chances of hitting a high multiplier, as the multiplier reel’s outcome is entirely independent of stake.
The 96.51% RTP keeps this firmly among the top-paying slot games in Pragmatic Play’s catalogue. Combined with medium volatility, you’ll see more small-to-medium returns rather than long dead stretches punctuated by rare big hits. Set a session limit before you start and treat any high multiplier as the outlier it is — the math won’t “warm up” over time.
Our Verdict
Elemental Gems Megaways is a very specific kind of slot: fast, simple, feature-free, and honest about all three. The multiplier reel is the game’s entire feature set, and it does what it promises — randomly amplifying wins by up to 100x with no prerequisites.
- Pros: RTP 96.51% is genuinely strong; medium volatility delivers more frequent wins than high-volatility alternatives; minimal rules with no learning curve; 5,000x max win despite no bonus structure
- Cons: No bonus round, free spins, or respins — sessions can feel monotonous; 512 max ways is very low for a Megaways title; all variance comes from a single random reel, which can feel passive
Players who prefer clean base-game play without the start-stop rhythm that bonus rounds introduce will get the most from this title. If you’re getting started with slots and want clear rules and predictable pacing, Elemental Gems Megaways is a reasonable starting point. If you want feature depth or the tension of a bonus trigger building, look elsewhere in the Megaways catalogue.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why doesn’t Elemental Gems Megaways have free spins or a bonus round?
It’s an intentional design choice carried over from Aztec Gems. Pragmatic Play kept the stripped-back multiplier reel format and added the Megaways engine for variable rows rather than layering in a bonus structure. The result is a simpler experience — appealing to players who want uninterrupted base-game play, less so for those seeking feature-driven action.
Does the multiplier reel apply on every spin, or only when you win?
Only when there’s a win on the three main reels. On spins where no matching combination lands, the multiplier reel’s value is irrelevant — there’s nothing to apply it to. The x1 result is the most common outcome regardless, so the multiplier only changes the session meaningfully when a higher value lands alongside an actual win.
How does Elemental Gems Megaways compare to Aztec Gems?
Both games share the same core format — three main reels and a dedicated multiplier reel showing x1–x100. The key difference is the Megaways engine: Elemental Gems Megaways uses variable reel heights (2–8 rows per reel, up to 512 ways), while Aztec Gems runs a fixed 3×3 grid with 27 ways to win. The theme shifts from Aztec to ancient Chinese, and medium volatility is consistent across both titles.
