A Deep Dive Into Big Time Gaming’s New Release, Max Megaways 3

February 19th, 2025 marks the official release of Big Time Gaming’s brand new Max Megaways 3. In the words of the developer, it’s "Shaken, stirred, and stacked with coin-dropping action!" But you don’t have to take their word for it. Claudia Hartley, writer from popular casino directory, All Slot Sites, has already spun the reels and can confirm, it delivers.

Design: A Classic Spy Story Setting

There’s always a healthy dose of scepticism when a beloved series gets a new release. Are they just cashing in on previous success, or are they bringing something new to the table? In this case, in terms of design, they definitely are. In the previous two instalments of the Max Megaways series, we’ve been taken to a secret island, and to outer space. For Max Megaways 3, we’re firmly back on Earth, this time in a hidden location, tucked away in a snowy, mountainous lair. It feels like you’re walking into the opening scene of The Spy Who Loved Me. In short, it’s just as crisp, clean, and imaginative as we’ve come to expect from this series.

The Megadozer: The Marmite of Mechanics

The gameplay is the most divisive element of this slot. Previous Max Megaways releases focused on, as the name suggests, Megaways. But here, there’s a brand new mechanic that’s registering as a bit of a ‘marmite’ one amongst reviewers, the Dozer.

This gadget was first seen in Bonanza Falls, where it received rave reviews. Here it works almost identically. It’s a swivelling contraption that sits above the reels. On any spin (including reactions) it can drop Bonus Coins. These work like so:

Gold Coins: Instantly expand all reels to 7 symbols high.

Silver Coins: Trigger one of the following bonuses:

• Win Multiplier: the multiplier begins at x2 and increases by +1 for every additional coin that falls. This multiplier applies to all winning combos. 
• Symbol Upgrade: A low-pay symbol is chosen and all of those symbols are upgraded to the same higher-paying one.
• Stacked Symbol: A random symbol with a multiplier lands, whatever the number signifies how many times that symbol counts towards multipliers
• Wild Reel: Every symbol on a reel is replaced by wilds.

This mechanic has an arcade feel. For some it’s love at first spin, for others, it’s a frustration. After all, sometimes winning spins don’t result in any coins. This feels like wasted potential, but on the other hand, it boosts the base game, and nobody is playing the Max Megaways series for its low volatility! 

The Free Spins Round: Explained

While the Megadozer is the mechanic that shines throughout the game, we should take a look at that free spins bonus round a little more closely too. You can trigger the free spins in two different ways:

• Land 2 or more gold scatters: Begin the round with 10 free spins (+2 more for every additional gold scatter).
• Land 1 gold scatter (or more) plus a diamond megascatter: Begin the free spins round with 15 free spins (+2 for every additional gold scatter).

Before you begin the free spins round, you need to select two magic doors from a possible five. Each door will reveal a bonus from the list below. 

• Bonus Wild: a wild with a multiplier up to 10x is added to the reel.
• Multiplier Symbol: a random multiplier symbol is added to the reel, it’s number denotes how many symbols in a win will be counted by that multiplier.
• Increase Multiplier: increases the win multiplier by +1.
• Extra Spins: collect 3 extra spin coins for 2 more spins.
• Increase Ways: the reel increases to 7 symbols. If it already has 7 then nothing more happens.

It’s important to note that these bonuses only happen when bonus coins drop. Otherwise, the round starts with the win multiplier set at 1x, which increases after every reaction. 

Max Megaways 3: The Stats

The Max Megaways series is known for enormous max wins, and blisteringly high variance. In this respect, Max Megaways 3 doesn’t deviate from the rule book. It has high variance and a 101,830x max win. It’s played on a 6 reel Megaways set up (with between 2 and 7 symbols per reel) giving 117,649 ways to win. The RTP is a more than respectable 96,35%.

How Max Megaways 3 Stacks Up Against Previous Instalments

Without a doubt, the Megadozer mechanic is the biggest change from previous instalments. But the keen fans of this series may have noticed some slight tweaks to the stats. Below you’ll find a table comparing the three instalments so far.

Max Megaways 3 does have a lower max win than the other two instalments. While this is a bit of a negative, it still sits at about 100,000x the bet, which represents enormous potential by anyone’s standards. It also has the lowest RTP of the bunch, but again, it’s about 96% which is what we’d generally consider fair.

Those looking for stats above all else would do best on Max Megaways 2, offering the highest RTP and highest potential max win. However, if gameplay and setting are factored in, there’s really nothing to choose between these three, especially with the increased base game engagement thanks to the Megadozer.

Max Megaways 3 Final Verdict: An Ingenious Reworking of a Classic

The Megadozer is the stand-out feature here, bringing much added thrills and spills in the base game and coming to life in the free spins round too. Also, the random and powerful controlling modifiers have the potential to drive up the wins in exciting ways and the theme remains as fresh and fun as always. And whilst the slightly lower stats might put off some players, Max Megaways 3 still falls amongst some of the highest paying slots out there. In short, both fans of the original games and those new to this trilogy, will have a lot to enjoy.