Once Again Upon a Time

Once Again Upon a Time is Betsoft‘s sequel to their classic Once Upon a Time slot, returning players to a medieval fairy tale kingdom where a brave knight battles a dragon to rescue a captive princess. Built on a 5-reel, 3-row grid with 25 fixed paylines, this sequel replaces the original’s bonus mini-games with a modern Hold & Win feature backed by five jackpot tiers, Boost amplification, and a dual Buy Bonus system offering both Free Spins and Hold & Win access.

The visual presentation is among Betsoft’s finest work. A sunlit fairy tale kingdom stretches across the background, with a winding path leading to a distant castle, stone pillars framing the grid, and an open treasure chest beside the reels. The high-paying symbols (the Princess, the Knight, a Bag of Gold, a Sword in the Stone) are rendered in Betsoft’s signature hand-painted 3D style, with smooth animations bringing the knight’s sword slashes and the dragon’s roars to life during wins and bonus triggers.

Mechanically, Once Again Upon a Time delivers a 96.11% RTP, High volatility, and a massive 12,285x max win ceiling, making it the highest-ceiling slot in the Betsoft catalogue. The betting range spans from $0.25 to $30, and two separate Buy Bonus options let players purchase either the Free Spins round (50x) or the Hold & Win feature (65x). Combined with Stacked Mystery Symbols, the Royal Fortune random trigger, and retriggerable Free Spins on a premium-only reel set, this fairy tale packs genuine depth behind its storybook charm.

For fans of fairy tale themes, Hold & Win mechanics, or anyone seeking Betsoft’s highest max win potential, the quest begins here. Let’s turn the page.

The foundation of Once Again Upon a Time is a 5-reel, 3-row grid with 25 fixed paylines. Wins form when matching symbols land on adjacent reels from left to right across an active payline, requiring 3 or more matching symbols. The Knight’s Shield serves as the Wild symbol, substituting for all regular symbols except the Bonus, Boost, and Scatter.

The paytable features medieval fairy tale-themed symbols in two tiers. Low-paying card ranks (A, K, Q, J) fill the base positions, while premium symbols include the Sword in the Stone, the Bag of Gold, the Knight, and the Princess as the top payer. Five jackpot values are displayed above the reels: Grand (10,000x), Mega (2,000x), Major (150x), Minor (50x), and Mini (20x), all achievable through the Hold & Win feature.

The Stacked Mystery Symbol system operates in the base game only. Each reel contains stacked mystery positions that are replaced by a single randomly selected regular symbol before the spin resolves. All mystery positions across the grid are filled with the same symbol per spin, which can create full-reel matches across multiple reels for substantial payline wins.

The Royal Fortune is a random feature that can activate during both the base game and Free Spins. When triggered, Bonus symbols scatter randomly across the reels until the grid contains either 6 Bonus symbols or 5 Bonus symbols plus 1 Boost symbol, which then immediately triggers the Hold & Win feature. This random trigger provides an alternative entry path into the bonus that bypasses the standard Bonus symbol landing requirements.

The Hold & Win Feature triggers when 6 or more Bonus symbols land on the grid, or when 5 Bonus symbols plus 1 Boost symbol appear simultaneously. All triggering symbols lock in place and the player receives 3 respins. Each Bonus symbol carries a random cash value or one of five fixed jackpot prizes: Mini (20x), Minor (50x), Major (150x), Mega (2,000x), or Grand (10,000x). Every new Bonus, Boost, or Mystery Bonus that lands resets the respin counter back to 3.

The Boost symbol amplifies all locked Bonus values on the grid when it lands during respins, excluding Mega prizes. Multiple Boost landings compound this amplification, progressively inflating the total prize pool. The Mystery Bonus symbol appears exclusively during Hold & Win and transforms at the end of the round into a random prize: Mini, Minor, Major, Mega, or Boost. If it transforms into Boost, all existing Bonus values receive one final amplification before payout. Filling every grid position awards the Grand prize of 10,000x.

Landing 3 Dragon Scatter symbols on reels 2, 3, and 4 triggers 8 Free Spins plus a 2x bet instant win. During Free Spins, all low-paying card rank symbols are removed from the reel strips, leaving only high-paying symbols, Wilds, Bonus symbols, and Boost symbols. This premium-only reel configuration dramatically increases the average value of each winning combination. Free Spins can be retriggered by landing additional Scatters during the round, and the Hold & Win feature can also trigger from within Free Spins via standard Bonus symbol landings or the Royal Fortune random feature.

Once Again Upon a Time offers a dual Buy Bonus system, a rare feature in the Hold & Win genre. Players can purchase the Free Spins round for 50x the bet, which guarantees 3 Scatter symbols on reels 2, 3, and 4 for the standard 8 Free Spins on the premium reel set. Alternatively, the Hold & Win feature can be bought for 65x the bet, which randomly generates either 6 or more Bonus symbols or 5 Bonus symbols plus 1 Boost on the triggering spin. This dual access lets players choose between the steady value of Free Spins and the jackpot-chasing potential of Hold & Win.

The 12,285x max win is the highest ceiling in the entire Betsoft catalogue, surpassing The Neighbor Wars (12,000x) and Mamma Mia 2 (10,000x). This ceiling is achieved through the Hold & Win feature when Boost symbols repeatedly amplify locked Bonus values across extended respin sequences, culminating in jackpot tier landings. The combination of the Grand prize (10,000x), Boost amplification, and additional Bonus values on remaining grid positions pushes the total beyond the Grand prize alone.

The 96.11% RTP is consistent across standard play and both Buy Bonus options. The High volatility means wins are concentrated into the Hold & Win and Free Spins features rather than distributed evenly across base game spins. The betting range of $0.25 to $30 is standard for the Betsoft catalogue. At maximum bet, the 12,285x ceiling represents a potential $368,550 payout from a single Hold & Win session. The retriggerable Free Spins with Hold & Win access from within the feature creates a layered bonus-within-bonus pathway that gives this fairy tale genuine long-term replay value.

Once Again Upon a Time is a polished and feature-rich sequel that successfully modernizes Betsoft’s classic fairy tale slot for the Hold & Win era. The transition from the original’s mini-game bonus rounds to a full Hold & Win system with five jackpot tiers and Boost amplification gives the sequel significantly more top-end potential, while the retriggerable Free Spins on a premium-only reel set provide a secondary feature path that adds variety to the bonus experience.

The dual Buy Bonus system is a standout design choice that few competitors offer. The ability to choose between a 50x Free Spins purchase and a 65x Hold & Win purchase lets players tailor their approach based on session goals: consistent value through premium-reel Free Spins or jackpot-chasing through Hold & Win amplification. The Royal Fortune random trigger adds a welcome surprise element that can launch the Hold & Win from any spin, keeping the base game engaging during longer sessions.

With a 96.11% RTP, High volatility, the highest max win in the Betsoft catalogue at 12,285x, five jackpot tiers up to Grand (10,000x), Boost amplification, retriggerable Free Spins on premium reels, a dual Buy Bonus system, and the Royal Fortune random trigger, Once Again Upon a Time is the strongest all-around recommendation in the Betsoft catalogue. The fairy tale theme is executed with Betsoft’s trademark cinematic quality, and the mechanical depth justifies repeated play. Try the free demo on this page to begin the quest without committing real money.