#1 Avalon II Pokies Site: www.RoyalVegasCasino.com
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 Internet 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.
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.
The highlight here is the set of 3D animation sequences that come up for certain winning combinations. For instance, when you win with three or more King Arthur symbols, the mythical monarch will leap off the reels and flash his sword right under your nose. And then there’s the bonus levels, which take the graphic quality to a whole new level. This cinematic element really brings the game to life and makes Avalon 2: The Quest for the Grail one of the most engaging Web pokies for Australians.
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.
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.
Lake of Legend – Roll the dice to reclaim fragments of King Arthur’s fabled blade, Excalibur. There are cash rewards on offer for each shard you save, including a big bonus prize if you manage to collect all the pieces and forge the sword anew.
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.
Whispering Woods – Here we meet the White Knight, who will ask you to select one of five shields. Behind each shield is a random prize.
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.
Morgan’s Keep – More free spins here, with another 20 chances to make hay without risking a single cent. The unique Rolling Reels feature allows us to snare several paying combos per spin, with a moving multiplier that increases in value after each consecutive win.
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.
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.
Special features:
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 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.
