Mega Joker

Mega Joker Slot Review

Mega Joker is a classic fruit machine from NetEnt built around a dual reel set system that sets it apart from almost every other slot you will find in a casino lobby. The lower reels play like a traditional three-reel fruit machine, while winning big on those reels feeds coins into an upper Supermeter game that runs at a dramatically higher RTP. It is that upper game where Mega Joker earns its reputation: with maximum coins in Supermeter mode, the theoretical return to player reaches 99%, making it one of the highest-RTP slots ever made.

Released in 2012, the game is a direct descendant of the land-based Mega Joker cabinet that was a fixture in Swedish amusement arcades for decades. NetEnt brought it online without stripping out the mechanics that made it interesting. This review covers how the two reel sets work, what the Supermeter actually does, and what kind of player it suits.

Mega Joker at a Glance

• Provider: NetEnt
• Release year: 2012
• Lower game reels / rows: 3 x 3
• Upper game reels / rows: 3 x 3
• Paylines: 5 (lower game) / 5 (upper Supermeter game)
• Base game RTP: 76.9%
• Supermeter RTP (max coins): 99%
• Overall published RTP: 89%
• Volatility: High
• Bet range: £0.10 - £10 per spin (lower game)
• Max win: 2,000 coins
• Features: Supermeter mode, Mystery Win, Progressive Jackpot

Theme and Visuals

Mega Joker leans fully into the classic Vegas fruit machine aesthetic. The symbol set is exactly what you would expect: lemons, grapes, watermelons, oranges, bells, sevens, and the joker himself as the top-paying icon. There are no animated bonus characters, no expanding wilds with cinematic sequences, no narrative progression. The screen is split vertically - lower reels on the bottom half, upper reels on the top half - and the visual presentation is deliberately faithful to the physical cabinet it came from.

The colour palette is bright without being garish. Gold, red, and green dominate. The joker symbol pays the highest amount in both reel sets. For players who find modern video slots overwhelming, the stripped-back design is a feature in itself. There is nothing here to distract from the core mechanic.

How the Dual Reel System Works

This is the part of Mega Joker that you need to understand before playing, because the two reel sets operate under completely different rules.

The lower game runs on the standard 3x3 grid with 5 paylines. You bet a coin amount per spin (from 1 to 10 coins at your chosen denomination). When you land a win, you are given a choice: collect the coins to your balance, or send them up to the Supermeter. That second option is what makes the game interesting.

When coins go up to the Supermeter, they are added to a running total displayed above the upper reels. Once you have coins in the Supermeter, you spin the upper game. The upper reels also run on a 3x3 grid with 5 paylines, but the payouts are substantially larger and the RTP climbs sharply. The more coins you have staked in the Supermeter, the higher the return rate goes. At maximum stake in the upper game, the RTP reaches 99%.

Wins in the upper game are paid in coins and those coins stay in the Supermeter until you either collect them or lose them. If you spin and lose in the upper game, the staked coins are gone. You can collect at any point, dropping your balance back to the lower game. The cycle then starts again.

There is also a Mystery Win feature in the lower game - a random cash prize that can trigger on any spin, independent of the reel outcome.

The Supermeter and the 99% RTP

The 99% figure is the headline claim, and it is real but it comes with an important caveat. It only applies when you are playing the upper game at the maximum coin level. The overall published RTP across both game modes is 89%, which reflects the fact that most spins happen in the lower game at 76.9%.

To actually benefit from the high-RTP Supermeter, you need to feed coins into it and then spin at maximum stake. That requires a run of lower-game wins that you choose not to collect, which means a degree of risk. If you collect every win from the lower game immediately, you are playing a 76.9% RTP slot, which is below average. The game's design rewards the player who cycles their winnings up into the Supermeter and plays it aggressively.

In practical terms, Mega Joker is high volatility despite its retro appearance. The frequent small wins from the lower game can mask long losing runs in the Supermeter, where stakes are higher and a losing spin wipes out whatever you have accumulated. There is also a progressive jackpot, funded by a share of every base game bet and awarded randomly on any spin - the current pot is displayed on screen. This adds an extra layer of upside beyond the Supermeter ceiling.

Betting and Controls

The betting setup is coin-based rather than line-stake based, which fits the arcade cabinet origin. You set a coin value and a number of coins per spin. The lower game accepts 1 to 10 coins per spin, and the Supermeter game is played with whatever you have accumulated there.

Total bet per spin in the lower game ranges from £0.10 at the minimum to £20 at the maximum (10 coins at the highest denomination). There is a Gamble feature on lower game wins that lets you risk the win on a 50/50 guess - coin or joker - rather than collecting or sending it to the Supermeter. This is an optional risk/reward mechanism that adds a third path for every base game win.

Autoplay is available for the lower game, though the Supermeter requires manual spins each time coins are waiting there. That keeps you engaged with the upper game mechanics rather than running it on autopilot.

Mobile Performance

Mega Joker was built in Flash originally and has been updated to HTML5 for modern browser compatibility. The layout adapts to mobile screens by stacking the lower and upper reel sets, though the split-screen design was clearly conceived for desktop. On smaller phones, the two grids are compact but readable. The symbol set is simple enough that nothing gets lost at reduced scale.

The controls work cleanly on touchscreen. If you primarily play on mobile and want the Supermeter experience, it functions without issue - the manual spin requirement in the upper game actually feels natural as a tap rather than a click.

Who is Mega Joker For?

Mega Joker suits a specific type of player. If you want high variance, massive multipliers, or bonus rounds with dramatic animations, this is not your game. If you want one of the few online slots where disciplined play genuinely affects your long-run return, and you are comfortable with a retro aesthetic, it makes a strong case.

The 99% Supermeter RTP is the closest thing online slots have to a near-break-even game. No slot actually gives the player an edge, but 99% is close enough that bankroll can last a very long time in the upper game if variance stays neutral. It is a game for session players who want extended play rather than a shot at a life-changing jackpot.

It also has historical significance. Mega Joker and NetEnt built their early reputation partly on this title, and it remains one of the developer's most distinctive releases. It does not look or play like any other slot in a modern casino lobby, and that distinctiveness is earned rather than manufactured.

Verdict

Mega Joker is a genuinely unusual slot. The dual reel architecture and the Supermeter mechanic give it a strategic layer that most online slots do not have. The 99% RTP in Supermeter mode is the game's defining feature and the reason it still appears on casino lobbies more than a decade after launch.

The trade-off is that reaching and sustaining the high-RTP Supermeter requires patience and a willingness to cycle winnings upward rather than collecting them immediately. The base game on its own is a below-average experience at 76.9%. This is a game where knowing how the mechanics work changes the value of playing it. Read the rules, understand the Supermeter, play it with the upper game in mind - and Mega Joker rewards you with one of the most favourable theoretical returns available in online slots.

Where to Play Mega Joker

These online casinos carry NetEnt games including Mega Joker. Read our Donbet review or browse all casino reviews.

Mega Joker RTP and Variance

Mega Joker has an RTP of 99.00%, which is well above average. See our highest RTP slots for the best returning games. High volatility means wins come less often but tend to be significantly larger. Explore our high volatility slots guide.

At the minimum bet of £1.00 per spin, a £10 deposit gives you 10 spins with a statistical expected return of £9.90. Read our slot betting strategy guide for tips on managing your bankroll.

More NetEnt Slots

If you enjoy Mega Joker, try these other NetEnt games available at the same casinos.