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21 June 2024 
Druid’s Magic Slot Review 2024
While ancient civilizations remain a hugely popular source of inspiration in the online casino world, Druids are not exactly first in line when game makers are looking to wind back the clock.
Typically, you’re more likely to encounter Ramses, Tut and co. reluctantly giving up their precious treasures, boisterous Vikings pillaging their way through Scandaniva, or some Mayan chieftain guarding the reels of his sacred land.
Roaming around large swathes of the UK, France, Belgium, and Germany as far back as the third century BC, the mysterious Druids have their place, however, and have been brought back to life by industry veteran NetEnt courtesy of Druid’s Magic.
This isn’t the studio’s first dabble with the Celtic folk. Released a full decade ago – a lifetime in this industry – Secrets of the Stones went on to receive critical acclaim and remains one of NetEnt’s most enduring creations.
Fast forward to 2023, and Druid’s Magic attempts to replicate much of that religious magic with the use of various Wilds and Free Spins.
Time to imagine ourselves as cult-leading, bearded priests and check out the game’s finer points.
Druid’s Magic Base Game and Features
First impressions are largely positive. Wandering through a picturesque forest we discover the slot’s 5×3 gaming grid affixed to the front of a wooden cottage zig-zagged by 20 paylines. Esoteric carved stones lie on either side, while autumnal leaves fall in the background and a set of antlers support the game logo above the reels. It’s a wholesome scene that gives off a mystical vibe at the same time.
Onto the paytable, where four rune stones have been chosen to represent the low pays, while premiums are depicted as four woodland-dwelling creatures: a raven, owl, wolf, and a bear. Combos of 5 bears dish out 10x the stake; fill the entire grid and that figure rises to 200x.
- Wilds feature prominently in Druid’s Magic, with no fewer than five separate variants making their presence felt in the following ways:
- Stacked – Look out for stacks containing 3 Wilds landing
- Expanding – This type of Wild expands to cover an entire reel
- Random – Between 1 and 9 Wilds land in random positions on the grid
- Linked – Should more than one Linked Wild land on a reel, it transforms all symbols in between into Wilds
- Colossal – Colossal Wilds are blocks that land 2×2 in size, either fully or partially in view
Druid’s Magic Free Spins
Catching a full-size scatter on reels 1 and 5 during a base game spin activates the game’s bonus round, which sees you begin with 10 Free Spins.
One of the above five Wilds is randomly selected to remain active throughout the feature, while retriggers, awarding 5 extra spins, are possible by landing 2 further scatters in full view across the same two reels at once.
This also brings one of the remaining Wilds into play, with retriggers a possibility until all Wilds are active. If you manage to get at least 2 Wilds in play at once, the Stacked kind activates first, followed by Colossal, before the rest all join in together.
Druid’s Magic: Bonus Buy
Those outside the UK will benefit from a Bonus Buy option. NetEnt has granted players access to the Free Spins round for 150x your bet.
Druid’s Magic: Our Verdict
It’s a little mystifying that we don’t see Druids populate the reels a lot more often. Besides, this religious lot brings hearty doses of magic, mystique, and jolly warm environments in which to set up shop for a few spins, all without the barbarism associated with many folks from antiquity. A recipe, you’d think, tailor-made for gaming.
Don’t they pack as much of a punch as other competing civilizations jostling for reel space? Are we really a blood-thirsty society, our appetites whet by the prospect of raining down gore on the reels?
Anyway, NetEnt felt the need to revive the ancient Celts and has done so to decent effect in this October 2023 release, filling the game with a pleasant, spiritual ambiance and a variety of Wilds that all bring something different to the table. None offer anything particularly innovative and there was little in the way of interplay, but they do help to mix up the gameplay to varying degrees.
Max win, a few pips shy of 3,000x the bet, may not set industry tongues wagging, but when combined with the middling volatility and tastefully executed theme, feels pitched about right for a less demanding audience.
It’s safe to say this entry won’t leave anywhere near as much of a mark as Secrets of the Stones, did, but, helped by some captivating audio-visuals and a magical game world, Druid’s Magic delivers charm in spades if that’s what you’re after.
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