Merry Xmas is a delightful and visually warm online slot from the leading software provider, Play'n GO Games, designed to capture the cozy and generous spirit of the Christmas holiday. This game, released to provide a high-quality seasonal gaming experience, is a classic example of Play'n GO's ability to blend simple, accessible gameplay with rich, thematic visuals and solid payout potential. It features Wild Multipliers, a classic Pick-and-Click bonus game, and an optional Gamble Feature, offering players a medium volatility experience with a maximum payout of 500x the bet. The slot remains a popular choice within the Play'n GO catalog for players seeking a festive theme coupled with reliable and straightforward video slot mechanics.
The Cozy Cabin Setting and Slot Structure
The Merry Xmas slot is set within a traditional, warmly decorated winter scene, likely a cozy cabin, with snow falling softly outside and festive lights adorning the reels. The game uses a standard 5-reel, 3-row layout and, importantly, allows players the flexibility to choose between 1 and 15 adjustable paylines, catering to different betting strategies and bankroll management preferences. The symbols are entirely thematic, featuring high-value images associated with Christmas giving and celebration: a Candle, a Reindeer, Bells, and Festive Ornaments. The lower-paying symbols are various pieces of Christmas Candy. The entire aesthetic is designed to evoke a traditional, nostalgic Christmas feeling, making it a perfect seasonal offering among online slots. The overall simplicity of the structure allows for easy access to the features and payouts.
The Gift Box Wild: Multiplier Riches
The central symbol of excitement in the base game is the Gift Box Wild. As the Wild, it substitutes for all regular paying symbols to help complete or extend winning combinations across the active paylines. However, the Gift Box Wild is also a powerful Multiplier Wild. Any winning combination that uses one or more Gift Box Wilds will have its payout automatically doubled (2x). This simple yet highly effective multiplier mechanism significantly boosts the value of Wild-assisted wins, ensuring that the base game remains dynamic and capable of delivering solid slot payouts. Landing five Wilds on a payline results in the game's highest standard payout, before multipliers are applied.
The Scatter Symbol and the Bells Bonus
Unlike many modern slots where the Scatter triggers the Free Spins, the main Scatter symbol in Merry Xmas is represented by a pair of Christmas Bells. Landing three, four, or five of these Bells Scatter symbols anywhere on the reels provides an instant cash prize payout based on the total bet. This direct cash award is a classic video slot feature that offers immediate gratification and keeps the player's balance topped up as they hunt for the main interactive bonus game. The Scatter payouts are generous, with five Scatters offering a substantial multiple of the total wager.
The Present Pick-and-Click Bonus: The Main Event
The primary interactive bonus game in Merry Xmas is a classic pick-and-click feature, triggered by landing three Present Bonus symbols simultaneously on the reels. These Bonus symbols must land on an active payline, rather than anywhere on the screen, adding a layer of strategic importance to the payline selection. Once triggered, the player is transported to a separate screen displaying a field of wrapped Christmas Presents. The objective is to select one of the presents to reveal a guaranteed cash prize. This bonus round is designed to be simple, instantly rewarding, and highly thematic, delivering a focused burst of excitement and an immediate slot payout before returning the player to the base game.
No Dedicated Free Spins, But High-Frequency Payouts
It is a notable design point that Merry Xmas does not include a dedicated Free Spins feature, which sets it apart from many contemporary Play'n GO Games. Instead, the game concentrates its bonus action into the high-frequency base game features: the 2x Wild Multiplier and the guaranteed win of the Present Bonus. This design choice contributes to the game’s medium volatility and focus on balanced, accessible payouts, appealing to players who prefer more immediate action over the high-stakes variance of a traditional Free Spins round. The frequent cash payouts from the Scatter symbols further reinforce this design philosophy.
The Gamble Feature: Injecting High Variance
For players who do crave higher risk and reward, Merry Xmas includes the popular Play'n GO optional Gamble Feature. After any standard line win, the player can choose to enter a mini-game to multiply their winnings. They can attempt to double their win by correctly guessing the color (Red or Black) of a hidden playing card, or attempt to quadruple their win by correctly guessing the card's suit. This feature offers a 50/50 chance for a double-up and a 1-in-4 chance for a quadruple-up, allowing for aggressive but optional risk management. Utilizing the Gamble feature transforms a low-value base game win into a potential large payout, injecting a personal choice element of high variance into the overall online gambling session.
RTP, Volatility, and Max Win Potential
The Merry Xmas slot maintains a strong position with a high default RTP (Return to Player) rate, typically around 96.35%. As with other Play'n GO Games, this figure is subject to multiple configurations available to the online casino, so players should always verify the specific rate they are playing at. The game is rated as medium volatility, reflecting the balanced nature of its features: consistent wins are supported by the Wild Multiplier, and the guaranteed bonus game offers satisfying payouts without the extreme variance of accumulating features. The maximum payout potential is capped at 500x the bet, which is a modest but achievable target that aligns perfectly with the game's relaxed, festive theme and medium volatility profile.
Strategic Play and Adjustable Paylines
The flexibility of Merry Xmas lies in its adjustable paylines (1 to 15). For players employing careful bankroll management, playing with fewer paylines lowers the total cost per spin but also reduces the probability of a win and the chance of triggering the crucial Present Bonus (which requires a bonus symbol on an active payline). A recommended roulette strategy for players aiming for the bonus is to keep all 15 paylines active to maximize the chance of triggering the bonus game, as this is the best source of high-guaranteed payouts. Given the medium volatility, players should select a stable bet size that allows for a significant number of spins to reliably hit the pick-and-click feature.
Merry Xmas in the Play'n GO Portfolio
Merry Xmas represents a key part of Play'n GO's seasonal slots series. While it may not feature the groundbreaking complexity of their flagship grid slots, it showcases the provider's excellence in thematic execution and feature focus. The game successfully creates a classic video slot
FAQ
The maximum win potential in the Merry Xmas slot is 500x the player's total stake. This potential is mainly achieved through high-value line wins that are boosted by the 2x Multiplier Wild during the base game or through the guaranteed payout in the Present Pick-and-Click bonus feature.
No, the Merry Xmas slot does not include a dedicated Free Spins bonus round. Instead, the game concentrates its excitement into the 2x Wild Multiplier feature in the base game and the guaranteed cash prize awarded during the Present Pick-and-Click bonus game.
The Present Pick-and-Click bonus feature is triggered by landing three Present Bonus symbols simultaneously on an active payline. Once triggered, the player selects one of the displayed Christmas Presents to reveal an instant, guaranteed cash prize.
The Gift Box Wild symbol acts as a substitute for all regular symbols. Its special function is that it is a Multiplier Wild, automatically applying a 2x multiplier to any winning combination it helps to complete, effectively doubling the payout.
The Merry Xmas slot is rated as a medium volatility game, offering a balanced payout frequency. The default RTP (Return to Player) rate is typically around 96.35%, providing a competitive and fair return over the long term.
The highest paying base game combination is achieved by landing five Gift Box Wilds on an active payline. Since the Wilds act as the highest paying symbol themselves, and they substitute for regular symbols, this provides the largest non-feature payout before any potential Gamble Feature increase.
The ability to adjust paylines (1 to 15) is significant for players' bankroll management and betting strategy. While fewer paylines lower the cost per spin, activating all 15 paylines is generally recommended to maximize the probability of triggering the line-dependent Present Pick-and-Click bonus and hitting more winning combinations.
In Merry Xmas, the Bells Scatter symbol does not trigger a bonus round but instead awards an instant cash prize payout. The size of the cash prize is determined by the number of Scatters landed (three, four, or five) and is calculated as a multiple of the player's total bet.
A player can achieve a 4x multiplier on a win by successfully using the optional Gamble Feature. They must correctly guess the suit (e.g., hearts, spades) of a hidden playing card, which carries a 1-in-4 probability for that quadruple-up payout.
The unique requirement for triggering the Present Pick-and-Click bonus feature is that the three Present Bonus symbols must land on an active payline, not just anywhere on the reels (as is common for Scatter triggers). This is why activating all 15 paylines is generally recommended.
