Dia de Los Muertos: original and sequel mechanics compared

Endorphina’s Dia de Los Muertos titles share a respectful Day of the Dead visual theme but use different mathematical structures. The original is a 3×3, five-line game with 20 Free Games and a transforming Catrina Wild. Dia De Los Muertos 2 is a 6×5 scatter-pay game with cascades, 15 Free Games and accumulating multipliers.

Putting both on one page prevents a searcher from applying the sequel’s rules to the original. Every fact below remains attached to its exact supplier page and check date.

Version table

Field	Dia de Los Muertos	Dia De Los Muertos 2
Grid	3×3	6×5
Win model	5 lines	Scatter payouts
Provider RTP	96.04%	96.05%
Volatility	Medium-high	High
Bet reference	€0.05–€200	€0.20–€20
Feature trigger	3+ Scatters	4+ Catrina Bonus symbols
Starting Free Games	20	15

These values are public provider evidence. They do not establish New Zealand operator availability, account currency or a deployed RTP.

Original: compact line game

The first title evaluates five fixed paylines on three reels and three rows. Ordinary symbols need to match on a listed path, while the sunset Scatter counts anywhere. Save the line map before reconstructing a result.

Three Scatters trigger 20 Free Games and are listed as paying 10× base bet. The ghost girl is the highest ordinary symbol at 100× base bet for three of a kind. Use current help for the rest of the table and for whether four or more Scatters alter the award.

The small grid makes every coordinate visible, but it also makes assumptions easy. A row of similar symbols outside one of the five paths is not an ordinary line win.

Original: Catrina transformation

During Free Games, Catrina transforms into a Wild symbol. Record her original positions and every line completed through substitution. The Wild role applies in the feature; do not automatically assign it to the base game.

The provider says Free Games can be won again at the current bet. Capture the retrigger count and updated counter. If the loaded help uses a different symbol name or allocation, identify the game version rather than combining it with the sequel.

Because the original has no published cascade mechanic, a symbol replacement animation should not be interpreted as another tumbling win unless the current rules explicitly introduce it.

Sequel: scatter payouts and cascades

Dia De Los Muertos 2 uses six reels and five rows. Eight or more matching ordinary symbols anywhere on the screen form a scatter-pay win. Winning symbols disappear and new symbols fall into the empty positions, creating another evaluation within the same paid spin.

Use one cascade ledger per paid spin. Record starting grid, winning symbol, count, paytable award, removed cells and replacement grid. Continue until a grid produces no new win. Only then is the cascade sequence complete.

“Scatter payouts” here describes the count-anywhere win model; it should not be confused with the Catrina Bonus trigger. Keep ordinary cluster/count wins and feature symbols in separate columns.

Sequel: 15 Free Games

Four or more Catrina Bonus symbols trigger 15 Free Games. During the feature, three or more Bonus symbols add five games. Preserve both the trigger count and the post-trigger counter because a cascade can affect when symbols are evaluated.

The official page describes multipliers from 2× to 500×. They activate at the end of a winning cascade and apply to that cascade win. They do not cause another tumble by themselves.

Record every landed multiplier, the sum activated at cascade end and the prize it multiplies. A multiplier visible during an unproductive grid is not automatically applied.

Persistent multiplier total

During Free Games, activated multipliers accumulate into a total multiplier. When a winning cascade ends with no new multiplier present, the stored total remains but does not apply to that cascade according to the provider description.

Build three fields: newly landed factors, stored total before the step and factor applied to the current cascade. This distinction prevents the visible accumulated number from being attached to every win indiscriminately.

If several multipliers land, confirm that the interface adds them rather than multiplying them together. The official wording says they are accumulated into a total; current help should provide the exact arithmetic.

Why RTP and volatility differ

The original publishes 96.04% RTP and medium-high volatility; the sequel publishes 96.05% and high volatility. The 0.01 percentage-point difference does not predict which title will pay more in a short session. Each figure belongs to a long-run configured model.

The wager references also differ sharply. Do not use the original’s €200 upper reference for the sequel, and do not convert either range into an asserted NZD limit.

If a live deployment lists another RTP, record title, version, jurisdiction and check time. Never merge the two values or select the higher number because the artwork looks similar.

Risk Game and Bonus Pop

Both pages list the Classic Risk Game, which can allow up to ten doubling decisions after an eligible win. It follows settlement and should not be inserted into the cascade or Free Games ledger.

Bonus Pop appears in the provider feature list. Its availability can depend on the casino and jurisdiction. If visible, save its price, feature state and any changed RTP shown by live help. Do not present it as universal or call it a free route.

Mobile and demo checks

The official pages offer demo links and describe cross-device play. Demo access can explain rules but does not prove that a New Zealand real-money account carries either version.

On the original, make sure the five-line map and Catrina transformation are readable. On the sequel, a phone must show all 30 cells, cascade counter, Free Games counter, stored multiplier and current total. Test orientation changes before concluding that a symbol was absent.

For a settlement query, save the exact title, version, RTP, stake, currency, trigger screen, cascade sequence, multiplier events, feature total, round ID and history credit.

Two sample ledgers

For the original, one row can contain line number, three coordinates, Catrina positions, substitution and line credit. Scatter awards are recorded separately. During Free Games, add remaining spins and any retrigger.

For the sequel, one paid spin may require several rows: initial grid, cascade one, cascade two and terminal grid. Each row needs symbol count, removed positions, ordinary award, new multipliers and applied multiplier. This format reveals whether an apparent missing credit belonged to a later settlement stage.

Do not compare raw feature totals without stake and version. Twenty spins in a five-line game and fifteen spins in a cascading game are not equivalent units of opportunity.

Cultural presentation and editorial scope

The games use marigolds, decorated skulls, Catrina imagery and remembrance motifs associated with Mexico’s Day of the Dead. A review should describe those visual cues without turning the tradition into generic horror shorthand.

Our artwork is an original editorial interpretation and not supplier material. The practical analysis stays focused on game rules, version identity and evidence, not on claims about cultural authenticity beyond what the products visibly present.

Version-switch checklist

When moving between the original and sequel, close the first game completely and reopen help after the second title loads. Record the 3×3 or 6×5 grid, the RTP line and the name of the feature symbol. This avoids carrying a cached help overlay or screenshot into the wrong evidence folder.

For the original, the minimum useful packet is the five-line map, sunset Scatter rule and Catrina transformation. For the sequel, it is the scatter-pay threshold table, cascade order, multiplier accumulator and retrigger wording. Store those packets separately even when the operator groups both games under one search result.

If only one version appears in an account, report that observation with date and location; do not infer that the other is prohibited or unavailable everywhere in New Zealand. Catalogue presence, supplier certification and operator listing are different questions. This boundary keeps the comparison helpful without turning an absent lobby tile into a regulatory claim.

Common errors

• Applying the sequel’s 6×5 scatter-pay rules to the 3×3 original.
• Giving the original a persistent multiplier mechanic.
• Using the original €200 reference ceiling for the sequel.
• Treating eight ordinary matching symbols as the Bonus trigger.
• Applying stored sequel multipliers when the rule does not activate them.
• Multiplying multiplier symbols together without support.
• Calling the two RTP figures interchangeable.
• Claiming New Zealand availability from a supplier demo.

Final assessment

The original Dia de Los Muertos is a compact line-and-transformation game: three Scatters, 20 Free Games and Catrina as Wild. The sequel replaces that rhythm with scatter payouts, cascades, a four-symbol trigger and an accumulating multiplier state.

The provider pages establish the headline settings and feature sequence. Live help must confirm the actual deployed version, RTP, stake ladder, Bonus Pop conditions and account access.

Official and related sources

• Dia de Los Muertos official product page
• Dia De Los Muertos 2 official product page
• Endorphina catalogue guide
• Responsible gambling guide
• Corrections policy

How to verify the version you can actually open

A provider page proves that a title exists and describes the supplier's intended rules. It does not prove that a casino accepts players in New Zealand, that the title is enabled for a particular account, or that the highest published RTP is the version in the lobby. Treat availability, operator eligibility and product configuration as three separate checks.

Start with identity, then configuration

Open the game only through the authenticated casino lobby. The information or help panel should identify Endorphina, the exact title and the active mathematical return. Compare the reel or grid layout, paylines or cluster rules, named features and symbol behaviour with the official product material. Similar artwork or a matching title is not enough when the help file is missing or inconsistent.

When the supplier publishes several RTP values, report all of them as configurations. Do not assume the highest option is deployed. RTP is a theoretical long-run measure across a very large number of rounds; it is not a refund rate for one player and cannot predict the next result. Volatility is different: it describes how unevenly results are distributed on the provider's scale.

Read stake controls as money, not interface decoration

Provider sheets often quote a reference range in euros. That range does not establish New Zealand-dollar support or the limits in a specific account. Before a paid round, identify the total amount that will leave the balance. If the interface separates denomination, coins and lines, verify the combined total. If Extra Bet is active, calculate its full cost before pressing spin.

Feature-buy prices are multiples of the current bet, not promised returns. A 100x purchase at a $1 stake costs $100; at a $2 stake it costs $200. Availability can vary by market and some mathematical configurations may not support the control. If the live help does not explain the price, delivered feature and active RTP, leave the option unused.

Keep simulation figures in their proper scope

A game sheet may publish a maximum result observed in a large simulation. That is not automatically the contractual maximum payout and never describes a likely session. Preserve the provider's wording, sample size and configuration. Check the live rules for a binding cap and the operator terms for any separate payout limit. Do not turn an extreme result into a promotional headline.

Audit a disputed round

If an animation freezes or a connection drops, do not repeat the wager immediately. Reopen the game through the authenticated lobby and inspect round history. Record the time, total stake, balance movement and round identifier. The result can be settled by the gaming system even when the device never displays the final animation. Send evidence through verified operator support; never disclose a password, recovery phrase or one-time code.

Read the paytable as a calculation document

The paytable should explain what creates a win, which symbols substitute, where special symbols can land and how multiple awards combine. For line games, confirm direction and active paylines. For cluster games, confirm adjacency, minimum group size and the order of collection. For respins, identify what remains locked, what resets the counter and what ends the feature. A graphic effect can illustrate those rules but cannot replace them.

Separate addition from multiplication. Several prize values may be added before a multiplier applies, while reel-specific multipliers can sometimes multiply together only when each reel participates in the same win. Reconstruct one low-stake result from game history. If the arithmetic cannot be matched to the help file, stop and ask the operator rather than guessing.

Do not confuse hit frequency with a profitable round

Provider sheets can publish hit frequency or category probabilities. A hit simply means a round returned a qualifying amount; it can be smaller than the stake. “Big”, “Mega” or “Epic” thresholds are provider reporting categories, not promises. They are useful for comparing mathematical versions only when definitions and samples are the same.

Random outcomes do not become due after a long gap. A feature that appeared repeatedly in a demo or marketing clip has no obligation to repeat in a funded session. Previous rounds do not create a debt from the next random result.

Confirm market and device behaviour independently

A title can exist in the supplier catalogue while an operator disables it for a territory, currency, device or bonus. Language localisation is not evidence of legal availability. Confirm the operator's identity, accepted countries and current lobby separately from the provider review.

On mobile, verify that balance, total bet, feature state and help remain visible without overlap. On desktop, check that browser zoom does not hide a purchase control or change the apparent denomination. Mathematical configuration should not change merely because the screen changes; if the help shows another RTP, treat it as a different deployment and record it.

Keep a compact evidence record

For any fact used in a review, save the title, provider, official URL, document date when available, access date and exact territorial scope. For a live session, add the operator domain, Game ID, RTP, currency and a non-sensitive screenshot of the help panel. This makes later corrections possible when a supplier updates a sheet or an operator changes configuration.

Missing information should remain missing. Do not estimate an RTP from results, convert a euro reference range into an operator's NZD limit, or treat another casino's configuration as evidence. A transparent “not confirmed” is more useful than a precise-looking number without the correct source.

Use limits that survive the feature design

Collection meters, expanding grids, sticky symbols and near misses can make a session feel unfinished. Unless the rules explicitly preserve progress, the visible state has no value after the round or feature ends. Set a money limit and time limit before launch, count feature buys immediately, and stop at the limit even when a meter appears close to an upgrade.

No random game is an income plan. Do not borrow, use essential funds or raise the stake to recover a loss. If play stops feeling recreational, use timeout, deposit-limit or self-exclusion tools and consult the site's responsible gambling guide.