Big Time Gaming – a moniker familiar to both seasoned online casino aficionados and casual players alike. This recognition amplifies when we mention the term “Megaways” – a groundbreaking mechanic that has become synonymous with blockbuster slots. To say Big Time Gaming (BTG) has shaken up the iGaming world would be an understatement, particularly after the release of their flagship game, “Bonanza,” in December 2016.
Founded by Nik Robinson in 2011, BTG’s initial years were spent as a contractor for other game studios. Robinson’s deep-rooted iGaming experience, dating back to the 90s, gave him a unique perspective on the market’s potential. After serving as Creative Director at OpenBet in 2005, Robinson set out to pioneer his own venture.
Robinson’s vision led him to gather a diverse team of seasoned developers and fresh talent. He chose Sydney, Australia, as the home base for his burgeoning venture, which was poised to revolutionize the online casino industry. This humble beginning laid the foundation for what would become one of the most buzzworthy game developers in the casino community, pushing the boundaries of online slot gaming with every release.
It wasn’t until 2015 that BTG took the leap to independently release their games, marking their debut with ‘Diamonds’ and ‘Vegas Dreams’. Though these initial releases didn’t make a significant impact on the casino players’ community, the scenario was about to take a dramatic turn.
In 2016, Big Time Gaming unveiled a ground-breaking slot called ‘Dragon Born‘, powered by a novel game engine – Megaways. This inventive engine transformed the gameplay by dynamically changing the number of ways to win on each spin. This could fluctuate in a completely random pattern, varying from 64 to a whopping 117,649 possibilities.
The introduction of the patented Megaways engine heralded a new era in the world of online slots. It catapulted BTG into the limelight, capturing the attention of casino players for the first time and marking a significant milestone in their journey.
‘Queen of Riches Megaways’ and ‘Starquest Megaways‘ were the next to join BTG’s portfolio, yet they still weren’t the mega hits every game developer yearns for. The turning point arrived in December 2016 with the release of ‘Bonanza’, a game that proved to be a seismic shock in a market saturated with largely generic slot games.
‘Bonanza‘ leveraged the Megaways engine across six reels and introduced a horizontal extra reel on top that displayed four additional symbols with each spin. BTG further enriched the gaming experience with reactive wins, a feature where winning combinations explode after the payout, making way for additional symbols and the potential for subsequent wins.
The real thrill peaks in the free spins round, where each reaction bumps the win multiplier by x1, with no upper limit. ‘Bonanza’ quickly became a fan favorite, sparking chatter across numerous casino sites, forums, and within the broader gaming industry. The scatter combination spelling ‘GOLD’, which triggers the bonus round, has created a level of online buzz akin to the introduction of the 243-ways game engine.
‘Bonanza’ hurled BTG into the limelight and ignited a creative spark that led to the launch of several innovative games. Titles like ‘Extra Chilli‘, ‘Lil’ Devil‘, and ‘Monopoly Megaways‘ are just a few examples of the extraordinary creativity demonstrated by Nik Robinson’s team.
The success of the Megaways mechanic led to other game studios seeking a license to incorporate it into their own creations. Soon, industry heavyweights like Blueprint Gaming, Relax Gaming, iSoftBet, and Pragmatic Play hopped onto the Megaways bandwagon, with the list of games featuring this mechanic swiftly approaching and soon surpassing the century mark.
New BTG Games and Mechanics
Never one to bask in past successes, Nik quickly shifted focus to the next gaming frontier: grid slots. This venture led to the development of an innovative mechanic called Megaclusters. In this system, symbols from a winning combination split into four smaller symbols on the subsequent cascade, potentially escalating the size of a winning cluster up to an astounding 256 symbols.
The introduction of ‘Star Clusters Megaclusters‘ in June 2020 suggested that Nik and his BTG team were ready to ignite another wave of excitement similar to the Megaways revolution. This continued innovation reaffirms BTG’s position as an avant-garde force in the online casino industry.
