NetEnt have created a very pretty slot with Magic Portals. With its fantasy theme and great graphics even on a mobile device the slot makes up for the fact that it does not have huge payouts. Magic Portals is played over five reels and twenty five fixed paylines, like many other NetEnt slots. It does not have a progressive jackpot, but the standing jackpot of 64 000 coins is not bad. It does feature a wild and free spins, but has put a new twist on the idea that has been welcomed by some and scorned by others.
The game is powered by the NetEnt platform, which means that it is available on both Windows and Mac platforms for desktop users. NetEnt has also made it a part of their Touch Mobile package which makes it playable on both Android and iOS systems. ON both of these mobile operating systems the game is clear and concise, and does not lose anything on a smaller screen.
Fantasy Theme and Magic Symbols
Of course the theme of Magic Portals is a fantasy one, full magical balls of light, potions, wolves and sorceresses. The graphics really are very good. They are modern and would not look out of place in a really decent video game. The overall feel of the slot is dark, with a black background and some pretty angry looking characters.
The buttons at the bottom are an acid green, which in fact look really nice against the black background and the dark reels. All the symbols are done in bright colours and really stand out. The layout is easy to follow, with all the info you need at a glance. The layout and graphics of this slot will make a great one for beginners. The symbols are all typically mystical, with owls and wolves and witches and warlocks, and of course the Magic Portals themselves.
The highest paying symbols in the game are the red clad sorceress with the alluring eyes, below her comes the green wizard and then the blue witch.
Different Take on Wilds and Free Spins
NetEnt has taken a bit of a gamble in Magic Portals by making the wild and the free spins symbols work in a slightly different way to how we would expect them to. This is where the actual magic portals themselves come into play. The portals themselves appear on reels one and five in the middle row. There is one portal per reel.
These portals are just as their name suggests. When symbols land on them they transform into something else. So if any two identical symbols land on the portals in either free spins or regular mode, they transform into wilds, and all other matching symbols on the reels turn wild too. Alternatively, when two identical free spins symbols land in the portals, ten free spins are triggered initially, while more can be won during the free spins mode if more free spins icons land in the portal again.
When the free spins round is launched, two more portals will appear on reel five as well, making the chances of a retrigger or hitting a wild much greater. This whole system has been widely criticised as well as widely praised. Some say that it makes hitting the special features much more difficult; while others say that it makes the game much more exciting. You will have to try it for yourself to decide.