Pirate Pays takes to the seas with a Megaways format built around a bottom extra reel, cascading reactions and a face-off with the Kraken. Released in October 2021 by Big Time Gaming, the game stands out above all for its Compass Wild and for a bonus offer where the number of spins and the multiplier are negotiated before setting sail.

The grid features 6 reels that can display up to seven symbols each, for a maximum of 117,649 ways to win. The BTG spec sheet announces an RTP of 96.23%, high volatility and a maximum win of 104,400× the bet. This potential comes with an irregular rhythm, typical of a machine designed to concentrate a significant portion of its excitement in special sequences.

Six Megaways reels and a bottom extra reel

On each spin, the height of the reels varies between two and seven symbols. The number of ways to win therefore changes with the displayed configuration. Combinations are read from left to right on adjacent reels, without requiring a fixed line. When a win is formed, the symbols involved disappear and a reaction causes new symbols to fall, which can extend the same spin without a new bet.

Below the main grid, an extra Secondary Reel serves reels 2 to 5. It adds an extra symbol to each of them and also participates in reactions. This row gives Pirate Pays a different silhouette from a classic Megaways: you have to keep an eye on both the variable heights above and the symbols coming from below, particularly the Wilds that can feed multiple connections.

The Compass Wild transforms the grid in one direction

The central symbol of the game is the Compass Wild. When it appears at the start or during a reaction, the compass points north, south, east or west. Symbols placed in that direction are then converted into basic Wilds. The transformation can cross part of the grid and create multiple connections where an ordinary Wild would have replaced only a single symbol.

The excitement comes from the sequence: an initial conversion can form a win, the reaction removes the winning symbols, then a new Compass Wild can modify the next state. No direction is guaranteed and the high volatility remains, but the mechanic is still easy to follow visually. The extra reel can also place a Wild under the grid and reinforce the central reels.

MegaDeal and Kraken Bonus: choose before the Free Spins

Pirate Pays uses two Scatters. The standard Scatter appears on reels 1 to 5, while the purple Megascatter is reserved for the sixth reel. Three or more Scatters open the Feature Offer. If at least one of them is a Megascatter, the sequence becomes a Mega Feature Offer, with a more favourable proposition when facing the Kraken.

The MegaDeal sequence presents successive chests. Each offer associates a number of free spins and an initial multiplier; it is possible to accept it or proceed to the next chest. The rules provide for 6 to 25 Free Spins with a starting multiplier of between 1× and 10×. During the free spins, this multiplier increases by 1 after each winning reaction and has no announced cap.

The choice to reject an offer increases the tension without automatically improving the final result: the next value always depends on the draw. Where the option is allowed, the Bonus Buy costs 120× the bet and accesses the sequence directly. The rules assign it the same theoretical RTP of 96.23%. This is a shortcut to the feature, not a change in volatility or a guarantee of a win.

RTP, bet and hit frequency

The reference BTG version displays a betting range of €0.20 to 20 per spin and an RTP of 96.23%. The announced hit frequency reaches 37.22%. This frequency includes returns of any size and does not describe their value. It therefore does not turn Pirate Pays into a regular paying game: a frequent win can still be lower than the bet, while the strongest sequences remain rare.

The official cap of 104,400× puts the potential very high, but it must be read as a mathematical limit and not as a common goal. High or extreme volatility implies noticeable differences between sessions. The bet setting and the chosen duration therefore have more practical importance than the maximum displayed value alone.

Which player profile is Pirate Pays aimed at?

Pirate Pays is particularly suitable for Megaways fans who want an easy-to-recognise feature amidst the variable reels. Reactions keep the spin going, the compass creates directional transformations and the Kraken introduces a decision before the Free Spins. On the other hand, players looking for a stable distribution of wins or a bonus without intermediate choices will find a more erratic rhythm here.

Verdict: a readable Megaways despite its high potential

The comparison with White Rabbit shows two different uses of Megaways by Big Time Gaming. White Rabbit expands its reels during the Free Spins and can go up to 248,832 ways to win; Pirate Pays retains six reels, adds a secondary bottom row and relies more on the directions of the Compass Wild and then on the Kraken offer.

The slots catalogue helps to place this profile against fixed-line games, clusters and less volatile formats. Here, the real distinguishing feature remains the combination of the extra reel, the directional compass and a Free Spins offer that can be accepted or extended.

Pirate Pays thus succeeds in giving a clear identity to a busy Megaways format. Its figures are ambitious, but its mechanics remain understandable: observe the direction of the Compass Wild, follow the reactions, then choose how far to push the Kraken offer. It is this progression, more than the pirate theme, that truly defines the game.