Avalon II: The Quest for the Grail
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The original Avalon online slot game is one Microgaming’s most beloved releases; but at more than a decade old now, it is starting to look a little dated compared to the new wave of online pokie games coming out. Avalon II: The Quest for the Grail is a welcome update that brings King Arthur and co. charging into the 21st century with all-new features, improved graphics, and more chances to win.
3D Animated Graphics
The first thing you will notice about the Avalon II virtual slot is the quantum leap in audio-visual quality compared to the original. The graphics are razor sharp, from the reels and symbols to the gameplay interface, and the sound effects and background music combine beautifully to create an epic medieval atmosphere.
243 Ways to Win
Avalon 2 comes with a 243 ways payout system spread across five reels – a vast improvement on the 20 paylines available in the old Avalon video pokie. Rather than needing to connect symbols in preset patterns in order to strike a winner, we just need three or more matching panels to appear anywhere on adjacent reels from left to right.
With the all-ways payout system, we don’t need to pick and choose individual bet lines to wager on. Each one of the 243 possible winning combinations is covered by default on every spin, no matter how little or how much you bet. We can gamble up to five coins per turn, with coin sizes ranging from 0.01 up to 0.05.
With a minimum cash bet of $0.30 and a maximum wager of $7.50 per spin, Avalon II is highly accessible and will appeal to most Australian punters. But even hi-stakes pokie players will find that this feature-rich video slot machine has plenty to offer, given the enormous array of bonus rewards in play.
Grail Bonus Quest
The Grail Bonus Quest feature is far and away our favourite aspect of the Avalon II real money pokie game. Land three or more Holy Grail scatter symbols to embark on an incredible adventure that consists of no less than eight interactive bonus rounds, all of which are loaded with free spins, random cash jackpots, and more special features. These bonus games are as immersive as they are rewarding, providing a real incentive to keep playing in the hope of progressing to the next round.
Misty Vale – 15 free spins means you get money for nothing here, but that’s not even the best part. You also get to choose one character to transform into a 2x wild multiplier – so if you choose Lady Guinevere, for instance, she can then substitute for any other symbol and double your winnings in the process.
Forest Falls – Reach the fourth stage of the Quest, and you will score 20 free spins. These bonus spins introduce the trailing wilds feature, which fills the reels with strings of several connected wild symbols.
Dusky Moors – This round features various sets of battle helms. Pair up two of the same design, and you will snag a special multiplier bonus.
Hall of Shadows – In the penultimate round, we go toe-to-toe with our mortal foe: the Black Knight. Collect cash prizes and special rewards for each blow you land in armed combat.
Isle of Avalon – Our heroic journey in search of the Holy Grail culminates here, at the mystical Isle of Avalon. Spin the Wheels of Avalon to complete the quest with one final, great windfall.
Character Symbols & Gameplay Features
Most of us are familiar with the characters and themes involved in the story of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table – even if only through the canonically questionable works of Monty Python. The image below shows the payouts for all the character panels and standard poker symbols when playing the maximum bet.
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- Merlin can appear at any time to award bonus payouts and random multipliers
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- Lady of the Lake is an expanding wild that can cover all positions on the third reel for additional wins
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- Holy Grail is a scatter symbol that pays from any position and unlocks the Grail Bonus Quest when you land three or more
- Avalon II is a wild feature that can substitute for all other symbols except Lady of the Lake and Holy Grail
Why Everyone Should Try Avalon II: The Quest for the Grail
This is a must-play online pokie for all Australian punters. The graphics and sound effects are superb, while the bonus features are out of this world. Off the top of our heads, we can’t think of another Web slot that boasts anywhere near the eight unique side-games on offer in the Grail Bonus Quest.
On the downside… honestly, there’s not much. This is not a progressive jackpot pokie, so you won’t win millions of Aussie dollars in a single spin here. Also, a $7.50 bet limit doesn’t leave a lot of room to manoeuvre. However, you can rake in 1,200,000 coins on the free spin games alone, and the amount of features and random payouts available more than makes up for the lack of a progressive jackpot or high-stakes betting (in our humble opinion, at least).
All told, we think the Avalon II real cash pokie is one of Microgaming’s very best Internet slot titles – and that’s saying something, given the enormous scope and quality of the MG catalogue.
