Merlin and The Philosophers Stone Slot Review
Merlin and The Philosophers Stone is a 5×3 Arcadem slot with 10 paylines, 95.95% RTP, and medium volatility. Expanding Wilds, respins, and Free Spins give this fantasy release a compact but feature-led play style.
This review focuses on the Starburst-style reel behavior, the medium-risk payout profile, and the version mismatch around release year and top-win figures.
Merlin and The Philosophers Stone key information
| provider | Arcadem |
| release date | 05.02.2021 |
| RTP | 95.95% |
| volatility | Medium |
| max win | x1250.00 |
| reels | 5×3 |
| paylines/ways | 10 |
| min/max bet | 0.01 / 10 |
| theme | Fantasy and alchemy |
| bonus buy | Not specified |
Cross-checked public listings broadly agree on the 5×3 format, 10 paylines, and 95.95% RTP, but release year and top-win figures vary across sources. The supplied brief uses 05.02.2021 and x1250.00, while some database pages list 2022 or materially higher win ceilings, so version differences should be kept in mind.
How Merlin and The Philosophers Stone works
Merlin and The Philosophers Stone uses a standard 5×3 frame with 10 paylines, so the base game stays readable from the first spin. What separates it from a plain line slot is the way expanding Wilds and respins can suddenly turn a simple hit into a stronger screen-wide sequence.
The supplied feature profile points to a Starburst-style rhythm rather than to a layered bonus machine. Most of the momentum comes from stacked symbol coverage, expanding Wild behavior, and the chance to move into Free Spins, which keeps the game focused on reel action instead of on side features.
Main features
- 5×3 layout with 10 fixed paylines
- Wild symbols that can expand across reels
- Respin element tied to the expanding-Wild flow
- Free Spins listed in the supplied feature set
- Fantasy-alchemy theme with Merlin-led symbol design
Who this slot suits
- Players who like medium-volatility slots instead of extreme jackpot hunting
- Users who enjoy expanding-Wild mechanics more than dense bonus menus
- Fans of fantasy, magic, and alchemy themes
- Arcadem players comparing older 10-line titles with the studio’s 25-line releases
Even with a Medium volatility label, much of the value here is concentrated in expanding-Wild sequences rather than in steady low-risk hits. Set a stop point before the session, especially because public sources do not fully agree on the top-end win profile.
Bonus structure and payout profile
Merlin and The Philosophers Stone keeps its feature map fairly compact. There is no bonus buy in the available data, and the supplied mechanic list is built around Wilds, expanding reels, respins, Free Spins, and stacked-symbol behavior rather than around multiple nested rounds.
That makes this slot easier to read than many newer video slots, but it also caps the sense of scale. The supplied max win of x1250.00 is respectable for a medium-volatility 10-line game, yet it sits well below the ceiling of Arcadem’s bigger feature-driven releases. This is a better fit for players who want controlled fantasy-slot sessions than for players chasing very high upside.
Similar Arcadem slots to compare
| slot | provider | format | RTP | max win | why compare |
| The Hatters Mad Tea Party | Arcadem | 5 reels, 25 paylines | 96.11% | x10000.00 | Another Arcadem fantasy-style slot, but with a larger 25-line setup, heavier volatility, and a much higher ceiling. |
| Evil Elf | Arcadem | 5 reels, 25 paylines | 96.03% | x10000 | A useful comparison if you want the same provider with Free Spins and a more aggressive payout profile than Merlin and The Philosophers Stone. |
For a broader comparison set, the Slots hub and the Arcadem provider page are the most relevant internal next steps.
You can review our broader scoring logic on Review & Rating Methodology, and any real-money slot session should still be framed within the limits discussed on Responsible Gambling.
FAQ
The supplied game data lists Merlin and The Philosophers Stone at 95.95% RTP, and that figure is also repeated across several public slot databases.
Yes. Free Spins are included in the supplied feature set, although public source pages do not describe the round in exactly the same way across versions.
No. The supplied version is positioned as a Medium volatility slot rather than as a high-volatility release.
No bonus-buy feature is specified in the available game data, so the review treats it as a standard base-game and feature-trigger slot.
Game Screenshots
