Shady Spells by Tinex Games fills a five-by-five board with matching runs that can be read inward from different sides. Left-to-right wins are available from the start, while WILD + can open more directions before the result is evaluated. Multiplier Wilds give those connections another layer, especially when they stay on the board during a bonus.
Quick take: Follow which sides of the board are open, then check whether a matching run passes through a multiplier Wild.
Theme and Gameplay
The dark spellcasting setting suits a board whose boundaries are part of the action. A fresh arrangement arrives one column at a time. Three, four or five matching symbols can pay along a direction's traced shape, beginning at its outside edge and continuing inward with no gaps.
Left is open from the start. Top, Right and Bottom need WILD + to activate them. A matching group in the middle of the board therefore is not enough by itself: it must connect from the starting edge of an open direction. The same shape can be read from opposite ends when both directions are active.
Slot Features
WILD + substitutes for winning symbols and opens one to three additional directions, working clockwise from Top. This happens before the wins are settled. The extra directions close again when the next spin starts, making the current set of open sides worth checking on every result.
MULT WILD has a different job. Its printed value multiplies the win it joins, and two or more in the same win multiply their values together. An individual Wild's number matters more than recognizing its artwork. During a bonus, multiplier Wilds stay where they land for the rest of the feature.
Three, four or five FS symbols award ten Feature Spins in Shadow Hex, Bound Sigil or Full Circle. Shadow Hex increases WILD + appearances; Bound Sigil guarantees one each spin; Full Circle keeps all four directions open. Extra FS symbols during a bonus can add spins.
The purchased Dark Ritual mode instead starts with two sticky multiplier Wilds and all directions open for twelve Feature Spins. Its entry is through the feature menu, giving it a different route from the three FS-triggered modes.
Feature focus: Check the open directions before reading a matching shape. WILD + changes which edges can start a win, while MULT WILD changes the value of a win it joins.
RTP and Win Potential
The game can evaluate up to 76 direction-lines across its four sides. Each way pays its highest winning interpretation, and separate wins are added together. Multiplier Wild values in the same win multiply together; they are not added. A larger multiplier still needs a paying connection.
My Thoughts On This Slot
Opening another side changes how the same board can be read. That is Shady Spells' most distinctive idea: WILD + can make a direction matter before any wins are counted, while a multiplier Wild gives a successful connection more value. The two symbols have different jobs that become easier to distinguish as you follow them.
Sticky multiplier positions make the bonus a further change of pace, and the modes differ in how consistently extra directions are available. This should suit someone who likes a board with several things to track. A player who wants one fixed reading direction and a quick result may find the edge changes and mode choices demanding.
Final Take: A directional matching game whose two Wild types change where wins can begin and how much a successful connection is worth.