BGaming
Aztec Clusters
Compare persistent cluster cellsMerge Up combines symbol-level upgrading with 128× Free Spins cells. Aztec Clusters uses Dig-up symbols, 10× cells and multiplier Sticky Wilds.
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Merge Up
Merge Up keeps part of a winning cluster on the board and promotes it. Repeated merges can reach the ninth-level Scatter, linking ordinary gem progression to bonus entry. Free Spins add a second memory: the cells where clusters have already won.
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Know this game
Merge Up at a glance
Gem level changes what symbol you have; the bonus cell multiplier changes what a position contributes. Follow those separately as clusters merge and refill.
Inside the game
How Merge Up works
The merge ladder and the persistent bonus grid are related systems with different rules.
Cluster Pays
Four or more identical symbols touching horizontally or vertically form a winning cluster. Diagonal contact alone does not count.
After the award, some cluster symbols disappear and others upgrade to the next level. New symbols fall into empty spaces; the resulting board can form another cluster.
Nine symbol levels
There are nine levels in the symbol system. A payout depends on the symbol level and the cluster size, so a larger cluster and a higher-tier gem are separate ways the paytable can change the award.
Upgraded symbols can take part in later clusters during the refill sequence. A win therefore changes what is available for the next evaluation.
Scatter creation
Scatter is the ninth-level symbol. It can land directly, and a winning cluster of eighth-level gems pays before creating one Scatter.
This makes bonus entry part of the merge ladder as well as a separate symbol landing. Reaching a Scatter through merging does not itself guarantee enough Scatters to start Free Spins.
Free Spins trigger
Four, five and six or more Scatters start 15, 18 and 20 Free Spins respectively. Both retained first-party sources agree on those starting awards.
The sources disagree on retriggers: the overview says three or more Scatters add five spins, while the linked rules use four or more with 5/8/10 additions. Check the opened game’s Free Spins panel for its retrigger schedule; the starting awards below are consistent.
| Scatters | Free Spins |
|---|---|
| 4 | 15 |
| 5 | 18 |
| 6+ | 20 |
Cell Multipliers in Free Spins
A Free Spins cluster marks the cells it uses. When a marked cell belongs to another winning cluster, it gains a 2× multiplier; subsequent qualifying use doubles it up to 128×.
A newly obtained multiplier applies to the next qualifying win, not retroactively to the win that created it. When several multiplied cells contribute to one cluster, their multiplier values are added.
The marked cells remain until the bonus ends even as the symbols occupying them change. The board’s developed positions are therefore distinct from the gem levels moving through them.
Buy Bonus
Buy Bonus purchases a Free Spins entry, with the price adjusting to the selected stake. Changing the bet in the purchase panel also changes the main-game stake.
Buy Bonus and Chance ×2 cannot be active together. Confirm the displayed price before purchasing; the retained rules do not establish one universal buy-cost multiple.
Chance ×2
Chance ×2 is an optional increased wager for improved Free Spins access. It is not the same action as buying a bonus outright.
The official rules make Chance ×2 and Buy Bonus mutually exclusive. The exact surcharge is shown in the opened game, rather than established by the generic “slightly increases” description.
RTP, volatility and maximum win
The saved rules screen states 97.25% for normal play, Buy Bonus and Chance ×2 individually. These values belong to that captured configuration.
BGaming classifies Merge Up as Very High volatility, lists a 5,000× maximum win and dates it to 26 October 2023. The provider page’s unlabeled frequency numbers are not treated as a verified hit or bonus rate.
Common misunderstandings
Merging preserves upgraded symbols
Winning clusters do not simply vanish; part of the cluster advances a level.
Cell effects belong to positions
A new gem can occupy an already marked cell during the bonus.
128× is a cell limit
It is separate from the 5,000× provider maximum payout.
Retrigger details depend on the rule version
The retained overview and linked rules give different schedules, so neither is presented as universal.
Player fit
Merge Up suits players who enjoy reading how one cluster changes the next. The upgrade ladder makes the base game more than a sequence of disappearing gems, while the bonus adds persistent positions.
The main learning point is timing: a cell’s newly raised multiplier helps a later qualifying win. If you prefer immediate line payouts with little board history, that extra layer may be less appealing.
03 / The details
Merge Up RTP, volatility & max win
Catalog figures and in-game observations.
Settings may differ by version and casino.
Payouts & risk
- RTP
- 97.25%Provider listing
- Volatility
- Very high
- Maximum win
- 5,000× betProvider listing
- Minimum cluster
- 4Official configuration · Saved official game rules
- RTP · Buy Bonus
- 97.25%Official configuration · Saved official game rules · Buy Bonus
- RTP · Chance x2
- 97.25%Official configuration · Saved official game rules · Chance x2
Reels & wins
- Reel layout
- 6 × 6
- Win system
- Cluster pays
- Game type
- Slots
Release & devices
- Release date
- 26 October 2023
Provider data and saved official rules describe specific game configurations. They do not certify the active RTP, controls or availability at every casino.
04 / The SlotsCollector take
Merge Up: our take
Merge winning gems into higher levels, then build persistent cell multipliers in Free Spins.
Merge Up’s best feature is the connection between ordinary wins and bonus entry. Promoting gems can eventually create a Scatter, so the merge ladder has a clear purpose beyond visual variety.
Free Spins introduce a different kind of progression. Symbols evolve, but marked cells stay in place and become useful again. The delayed application of new multipliers makes the board history important.
The saved 97.25% configuration is clearly documented across three modes. The retrigger schedule is the one unresolved rule detail: the first-party descriptions differ. That does not prevent explaining the merge system or the agreed starting awards, but it does make the in-game retrigger panel worth checking.
05 / Inside the game
Merge Up screenshots
Tutorial, reels and game rules.
Select any image to enlarge.
06 / Find your next game
Slots like Merge Up
Compare the feature, not just the theme.
How do you win in Merge Up?
Four or more identical symbols must connect horizontally or vertically to form a cluster.
What happens after a cluster wins?
Some cluster symbols disappear and the remaining symbols upgrade to the next symbol level. New symbols fall into the gaps and further clusters can form.
How many symbol levels are there?
Nine.
How do Scatters appear?
Scatters can land directly and can also be created through the highest stages of the gem-merge progression.
How many Free Spins do Scatters award?
Four Scatters start 15 spins, five start 18 and six or more start 20.
Can Free Spins retrigger?
Yes, but the retained provider overview and linked rules disagree on the required Scatters and extra-spin schedule. Check the Free Spins rules in the version you open.
How do Cell Multipliers work?
Winning cells become marked in Free Spins. Repeated wins on those cells increase their multipliers, with a maximum of 128× per cell, and the marks persist through the feature.
Can you use Chance ×2 and Buy Bonus together?
No. The official rules describe the two features as mutually exclusive.
What is the RTP?
The saved game rules state 97.25% for normal play, Buy Bonus and Chance ×2 separately. This identifies the captured configuration, not every casino version.
What is the maximum win?
BGaming lists 5,000× bet.
What is the volatility?
The retained provider document lists Very High.
Sources & data verification
How we verified Merge Up
We reviewed first-party game documents and provider material. The facts below retain their source and configuration; this review does not certify a current playable demo.
Provider sources checkedBGaming
Provider material reviewed
View checked sources3
Technical verification details
Inspection coverage
- Retained first-party rule material — Saved official game documents reviewed; no renewed runtime observation.
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