Hydra's Lair - Review, Demo Play, Payout, Free Spins & Bonuses

Introduction

Enter a surprisingly calming and serene fantasy world where the monstrous hydra is no longer an enemy but actually the source of potentially multiplying wild symbols. This Mascot Gaming slots game uses a 5x4 set-up with 20 paylines that offer a unique “risk’n’buy” feature after every spin - a variation on the buy feature option that lets you use your winning toward the price. 

If you want to find out more about this high-variance online slots title, read on for our full Hydra's Lair slot review.

Theme, Graphics & Soundtrack 

Set in a mountainous fantasy landscape with glimpses of a ruined castle and withered trees, this is an evocative design that stands out for its atmosphere amongst free casino slots. The music is unexpectedly calming and makes for a rather peaceful gaming experience. Symbols including chalices, skulls and intricate swords are clearly displayed on an easy-to-read reel set-up, while the titular hydra makes for a striking wild appearance if you’re lucky enough to find it in free spins. 

If you’re looking for something a little more dazzling and less fantasy, you may prefer Who Wants to be a Millionaire Megaways game, which also comes with a superior 96.24% RTP.

Hydra's Lair RTP and Variance

This online slots title has an RTP of 95.19%, which is disappointingly below the current industry average of 96%. The variance is also high, so be prepared for a higher level of risk than lower-variance online slots. 

How to Play Hydra's Lair

Get ready to face the monster with our quick-start guide to this free casino slots game. 

1. Start with the three-line menu button on the left that will give you paytable and game rule information.
2. Your current bet is on the left and can be set by clicking the coin stack symbol.
3. Your remaining balance is over on the right - keep an eye on this throughout gameplay.
4. Autoplay can be set using the ‘A’ button to the left of the main spin button, which offers a comprehensive choice of win and loss limit functions.
5. The hare to the right of the spin button will speed up animations.
6. Use the central spin button to spin once. This will also offer you the “risk’n’buy” feature after every single spin, offering the option to buy free spins or risk your winnings to do so. 
7. Always play free casino slots responsibly by setting a budget and sticking to it throughout gameplay. 

Min & Max Bets + Top Wins 

This game has an unusually small bet spread for online slots. They go from minimum 0.20 to maximum 2.00, which is possibly to place emphasis on the “risk’n’buy” option, which costs in the region of around x50 the bet.

Top single wins for matching symbols go to the spiked helmet, which pays out x25 the bet for five of a kind. 

Hydra's Lair Bonus Features 

While not a huge variety, there are some unusual variations on some familiar features in this game.

Wilds 

The regular wilds substitute for all symbols except the scatters to help form winning combinations. They also get some interesting variations in the free spins bonus.

Infinite Free Spins

The scatters are both your friend and enemy in the deceptively titled “infinite” free spins feature. If you find two scatters, which only appear on reels 1 and 5, during the base game you’ll be entered into the free spins bonus round. You also have the option to buy this after every spin using the “risk’n’buy” feature.

Once in the bonus round, free spins will continue until two scatters appear on reels 1 and 5, which then ends the bonus. This is why it is certainly not infinite but does offer an interesting variation on the standard method in online slots of giving set numbers of free spins. 

During the free spins game you can also find hydra wilds, which turn all adjacent symbols into wilds. If a symbol is next to two or more hydra wilds, this will add a multiplier to the symbol. Any regular wilds next to hydra wilds will also receive a multiplier, while hydra wilds next to each other become x5 multipliers. 

Hydra's Lair Review: Our Verdict 

While we enjoyed the fantasy world setting and unexpectedly calming combination of gentle music and moody atmosphere in the base game, we have to say that the core gameplay actually feels quite light on features, and the deceptively titled “infinite” free spins is a case in point for high-variance, high-risk games with lower RTPs - i.e., it rarely triggers and often doesn’t pay out once triggered. Perhaps best enjoyed as a free casino slots title first to get a realistic sense for the mechanics.