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Four years after the original, Pragmatic Play has returned to the well. 5 Lions Megaways 2 takes everything that made the first game work, the Megaways grid, the tumble system, the eight free spins options with ascending wild multiplier ranges, and pushes the numbers significantly higher. More ways to win, a wild multiplier that now reaches 100x, a higher win cap, and three new free spins tiers that didn’t exist before. Whether that makes it a meaningfully different experience or just a louder version of the same song is the honest question this review sets out to answer.
After every winning spin, all winning symbols are removed from the grid and replaced by new symbols falling from above. Tumbles continue until no further winning combinations form. Wins from each tumble are added to the total. The same symbol count is maintained throughout each tumble cycle.
The golden lion Wild substitutes for all symbols except the Scatter, Super Scatter, and Level Up Coin. It appears on all reels and carries a random multiplier whenever it forms part of a winning combination. In standard play, possible multiplier values are 1x, 2x, 3x, 5x, 8x, 10x, 15x, 20x, 30x, 40x, or 100x. That 100x figure being the key upgrade over the original game’s 40x upper end.
Two scatter types are in play. The standard Scatter (Yin-Yang symbol) pays directly on landing: 6 of a kind returns 100x total bet, 5 returns 25x, 4 returns 5x, 3 returns 3x. Landing 3 or more standard Scatters anywhere triggers the regular Free Spins feature. A combination of regular and Super Scatter symbols (minimum one Super Scatter) triggers the Super Free Spins. If the triggering combination contains only Super Scatter symbols (no regular Scatters), the round becomes Max Free Spins.
Before the regular Free Spins round begins, select from eight configurations. Each trades the number of spins for wild multiplier strength. Fewer spins mean higher multipliers are active.
A special symbol that can appear randomly during any Free Spins round. All Level Up Coins that land are tracked in a meter. Collect 3, and the round advances to the next level. Three additional spins are awarded, and the lowest possible wild multiplier is permanently removed from the range for the rest of the round. This process repeats up to level 4, progressively concentrating the wild multiplier values at the higher end. After level 4, collecting 3 more Level Up Coins just awards 3 additional spins.
Triggered by landing a combination of regular and Super Scatter symbols, with at least one Super Scatter present. Before the round starts, 1 to 10 extra spins are randomly added on top of the chosen option, and the round can randomly begin from level 2 rather than level 1.
The highest tier, triggered when only Super Scatter symbols (no regular Scatters) form the triggering combination, or via the Buy Mystery option. The round starts with 35 free spins and a fixed 100x wild multiplier throughout. There is no level up during Max Free Spins, but every 3 Level Up Coins collected still awards 3 additional spins.
An optional stake modifier that increases the total bet to 2.5x its standard value. In return, the probability of triggering the Free Spins feature naturally is seven times higher. The Ante Bet disables the Buy Free Spins option while active. All RTP settings remain the same.
Three purchase options are available where permitted. Buy Free Spins costs 100x the total bet and guarantees at least 3 regular Scatter symbols on the triggering spin, entering the standard Free Spins feature with the choice of setup. Buy Super costs 150x and guarantees at least one Super Scatter in the combination, entering Super Free Spins. Buy Mystery costs 500x and randomly awards a regular Free Spins feature, a Super Free Spins feature, or Max Free Spins with a 100x wild multiplier. All three options carry the same 96.50% RTP as standard play.
5 Lions Megaways 2 plays on a 6-reel grid where each reel can display between 2 and 8 symbols per spin. The number varies randomly on every spin, producing up to 262,144 ways to win. Wins pay left to right on adjacent reels starting from the leftmost reel, and all wins on multiple payways in a single spin are added together. Only the highest win is paid per winning combination on the same payway.
Standard bets run from $0.20 to $240.00 per spin. With Ante Bet active, the bet multiplies to 2.5x, extending the effective range up to $600.00. The wild multiplier applies to all winning combinations in which the Wild is involved, including combinations across tumbles within the same spin.
| Option | Free Spins | Wild Multiplier Range |
|---|---|---|
| Silver Lion | 25 | 2x, 3x, 5x, 8x |
| Red Lion | 20 | 3x, 5x, 8x, 10x |
| Pink Lion | 15 | 5x, 8x, 10x, 15x |
| Blue Lion | 13 | 8x, 10x, 15x, 20x |
| Gold Lion | 10 | 10x, 15x, 20x, 30x |
| Green Lion | 7 | 15x, 20x, 30x, 40x |
| Purple Lion | 5 | 20x, 30x, 40x, 100x |
| Mystery Lion | Mystery | Mystery multipliers |
Values at a $2.00 total bet. All wins are multiplied by the base bet.
| Symbol | ×6 | ×5 | ×4 | ×3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dragon (top premium) | $50.00 | $8.00 | $4.00 | $2.00 |
| Phoenix | $10.00 | $5.00 | $2.50 | $1.50 |
| Frog | $10.00 | $3.00 | $1.50 | $1.00 |
| Koi Fish | $5.00 | $2.50 | $1.00 | $0.60 |
| Turtle | $5.00 | $2.00 | $1.00 | $0.60 |
| A / K | $2.50 | $1.00 | $0.60 | $0.40 |
| Q / J / 10 / 9 | $2.00 | $0.80 | $0.40 | $0.20 |
5 Lions Megaways 2 is an upgrade in the ways that matter. More ways to win, a wild multiplier ceiling lifted from 40x to 100x, a higher max win, and three free spins tiers (Super Free Spins, Max Free Spins, and the Level Up Coin) that add meaningful structure to the bonus round. The honest caveat is that visually and sonically it's nearly identical to the original. Pragmatic Play have made no real attempt to differentiate the look or the soundtrack, and after a while the music recedes into the background entirely. For players who already have a relationship with the first game, this is a clear step forward. For players new to the series, it's a very good Asian-themed Megaways slot that doesn't offer much beyond what several others in the genre provide.
The first thing to address is how this game relates to 5 Lions Megaways. The original had up to 117,649 ways to win, a 40x wild multiplier top end, a 5,000x max win, and seven free spins options with no level up system. This sequel pushes ways to win up to 262,144, raises the wild multiplier to 100x, increases the max win to 8,000x, and adds the Level Up Coin mechanic plus two new free spins tiers. The Ante Bet cost has also changed. The original doubled the stake for double the free spins chance; this version charges 2.5x the stake for a seven times higher trigger frequency. It’s a better ratio at a higher cost. On paper, every headline number is better in the sequel.
The audio and visual presentation tells a different story. The soundtrack is recognisably the same composition with minor variations, and the background (ornate blue framing, golden reels, Asian cultural symbols) is essentially unchanged, except for a shimmering wave effect across the lower portion of the screen. After a while, the music faded into the background entirely. That’s not necessarily a flaw, but it means the game doesn’t feel like a new experience in the way a proper sequel might. Pragmatic Play has opted to improve the maths and leave the surface untouched.
We tried out the Buy Mystery option during our session at a $10 stake ($1,000 entry), landing the Super Free Spins tier with 3 additional spins awarded before the round began. The 5 free spins with 20x/30x/40x/100x multipliers option was selected. The round returned $196.10, a net loss on the buy-in. That’s a reasonable demonstration of how the high volatility plays out in practice: the framework for a very large return was present, but the multipliers that landed didn’t combine with sufficient symbol coverage.
For players who enjoyed the first game and want more of it, this delivers exactly that. The Level Up progression in particular turns each bonus round into something with a shape and direction rather than a flat series of spins. Whether that’s enough to make 5 Lions Megaways 2 feel like a genuinely distinct slot or just a stronger version of the same one depends on what you’re looking for.
Choose from 8 options before the free spin round begins.
Our final result was not even a fifth of the Mystery Bonus purchase price.
