Editorial note: this is a general guide to how Ariana works. Slot rules, feature availability and RTP can vary between operators and game versions, so always check the in-game information panel before you spin. Slots are games of chance — nothing here is a prediction of results, and no strategy changes the odds.
Ariana slot review
Microgaming released Ariana in May 2015, an underwater slot named after the mermaid at its centre. It plays on five reels and three rows with 25 fixed paylines. Its main feature depends on reel 1: when a premium symbol fills that reel, every matching symbol on the other reels expands to fill its reel too.
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How Ariana plays
All 25 lines are fixed, so every spin covers them all. The key symbols are:
- The Ariana symbol, the wild, which substitutes for every symbol except the scatter.
- The starfish, the scatter, which pays anywhere, from 1x the total bet for two up to 100x for five.
- Premium symbols, which can land stacked in the base game.
Those stacks are what the game is built around. If a premium symbol covers all three rows of reel 1, the matching symbols on reels 2 to 5 expand to cover their reels as well, so one full stack can turn into several full reels of the same symbol.
Free spins
Three or more starfish scatters anywhere in view award 15 free spins, and three or more during the round add another 15. Stacked and expanding symbols are part of the free spins too, so the reel 1 rule carries on working in the bonus.
Ariana is a 2015 game and keeps to a simple layout. Nearly all of its interest comes from that single reel 1 rule, which makes it easy to follow: watch the first reel, and you know straight away whether the other reels can expand.
Game information
| Provider | Microgaming (now Games Global) |
|---|---|
| Released | May 2015 |
| Reels and lines | 5 reels, 3 rows, 25 fixed paylines |
| Volatility | Medium |
| RTP | Shown in the game’s information panel |
| Stake per spin (UK) | From 25p. UK stakes are capped at £5 a spin (£2 for players aged 18 to 24) |
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All values (Bet Levels, Maximum Wins etc.) mentioned in relation to this slot game are subject to change at any time.
Frequently asked questions
Who makes Ariana?
Microgaming released it in May 2015, and its catalogue is now part of Games Global.
How do the expanding symbols work in Ariana?
When a premium symbol fills all three rows of reel 1, matching symbols on reels 2 to 5 expand to fill their reels. It works in the base game and the free spins.
What slots are similar to Ariana?
Mermaids Millions Cashingo, Mermaid Win & Spin and Atlantis Megaways also have underwater themes. The tiles at the top of this page show them, and you can play them at Fortune Games.
What is the RTP?
The game’s information panel shows it. RTP can differ between operators and game versions, so check the panel in the version you play.
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