Ocean vibes and Kraken legends: what Octopays is all about!
Set deep below the ocean's surface, Octopays slot features reels framed by weathered driftwood with a sunken ship looming quietly in the background. The symbols fit the mood perfectly: hammerhead sharks, anchors, diving helmets and chests of treasure.
However, the real star of the Microgaming slot is the Kraken, the mythical sea monster that hides in the depths. It appears in the Free Spins round, dropping Wilds across the reels and sometimes doubling wins. Unlike many modern slots, which rely on flashy side features, Octopays sticks to a single well-designed bonus feature that makes the build-up worthwhile.
This focus, plus the entertaining Wake the Kraken feature, gives Octopays a distinctive character among Microgaming's older 243-ways slots.
How to play Octopays slot: rules, layout and ways to win
Octopays is a 5-reel, 3-row slot with 243 ways to win. This means that you don't need to worry about paylines — wins are formed by matching symbols on adjacent reels from left to right, regardless of where they land on those reels.
Here’s the gist:
- Betting: You set your total stake and all 243 ways are active by default.
- Wilds: The baby octopus symbol acts as a wild in the base game, but only lands on reels 2 and 4.
- Feature trigger: Land a Wild on reels 2 and 4 in the same spin to wake the Kraken and secure your place in the bonus round.
The game is easy to grasp, even if you’ve never played a ways-to-win slot before.
Octopays slot symbols – from treasure chests to baby octopuses!
The paytable is classic Microgaming, offering a blend of high-value themed symbols and lower-value card icons. Here’s what to look out for when spinning:
- Treasure Chest: up to 8,000 coins for 5-of-a-kind
- Diving Helmet: up to 6,000 coins
- Hammerhead Shark: up to 4,000 coins
- Anchor: up to 2,000 coins
- A/K: up to 1,500 coins
- Q/J: up to 1,200 coins
- 10/9: up to 1,000 coins
On top of these:
- Baby Octopus Wild substitutes for everything else and lands only on reels 2 and 4 during the base game.
- The Kraken Wild appears only in the bonus on reel 3 and doubles wins when part of a combination.
The Kraken Awakens: understanding the Octopays bonus features
At the heart of Octopays lies its one big bonus: the Kraken Feature. Unlike most slots, where you need three Scatter symbols to trigger Free Spins, the setup here is a little different — and, honestly, a bit more fun. You need to land Baby Octopus Wilds on reels 2 and 4 in the same spin. When that happens, the screen shakes slightly, the Kraken stirs and you’re pulled into the depths for a round of Free Spins.
Here’s what makes it exciting:
- 12 free spins guaranteed: You always get a block of 12 spins. There are no retriggers, so you’re locked in for one straight run. This might sound limiting, but it also means that you get everything up front with no waiting around for more spins.
- Tentacle Toss Wilds: Before each of the 12 spins, the Kraken hurls up to four extra Baby Octopus Wilds onto random reels. Sometimes it’s just one, sometimes none at all, but when three or four land on the same spin, the board can light up.
- The Kraken Wild on Reel 3 feature sees the Kraken itself appear as a special Wild symbol in the centre reel. Any winning combination that uses it is automatically multiplied by two. This can transform an ordinary win into a substantial one, especially if it connects with the Wilds tossed in from the tentacles.
- Wild restrictions: Tentacle Wilds never land on Reel 3 because that is reserved for the Kraken Wild. This may seem limiting at first, but it actually makes the reel setup more balanced — the middle reel is your multiplier reel, while the others are your Wild reel playground.
- Unpredictable spin-to-spin drama: One spin might give you no extra Wilds at all, resulting in a total dud, while the next spin could be stacked with three extra Wilds, plus a Kraken in the middle to double everything. It's this unpredictable, "anything could happen" vibe that gives the bonus its punch.
While it’s not overloaded with complicated mechanics, the Kraken Feature delivers tension and excitement with every spin. The fact that the Wilds appear before the reels spin makes it even more thrilling — you experience that moment of anticipation: will these new Wilds form a winning combination?
When the tentacles align, the potential winnings can be substantial, even with smaller stakes. And if the Kraken Wild appears at just the right moment, you know you've truly awakened the beast.
Smart tips for playing Octopays slot
Although slots are games of chance, there are a few practical tips you can keep in mind to help you enjoy Octopays to the fullest:
- Budget for the feature. The base game provides regular smaller wins, but the Kraken Feature is where the real action is. Give yourself enough spins to trigger it at least once per session.
- Manage your expectations. Sometimes the Kraken drops four wilds at once, and sometimes it barely shows up. That's part of the charm — but also the volatility.
- Bank your winnings wisely. Since Free Spins cannot be retriggered, consider cashing out or reducing your stake after a successful Kraken round.
- Lower your bet for longer play. Octopays has a medium volatility level, so pacing yourself with smaller stakes can extend your playing time and increase your chances of triggering a feature.
And, of course, remember the golden rule: play for fun, not to chase losses.
Octopays slot: Dive into Microgaming’s undersea adventure!
Octopays isn’t a modern slot game with a dozen features, but that’s part of its charm. It keeps things simple with 243 ways to win and a clear focus on one exciting bonus round. The fun undersea theme is anchored by the Kraken.
If you enjoy medium-volatility games where Free Spins carry most of the excitement, this one’s still worth a spin. Just remember — the Kraken can be generous, but he’s also moody. When he decides to help, though, it’s thrilling.Octopays slot FAQs
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