Mines 2

Mines 2 Game Review

JDB’s Mines 2 may look similar to the original Mines from 2023, but significant changes have taken place under the hood. That being said, the core mechanic still revolves around selecting tiles on a 5x5 grid, revealing either a prize or a mine that ends the round. Like before, JDB has taken a mobile-first approach, and the visual style is clean and minimalist. You get a funky synth-based soundtrack also, and some neat sound effects to boot.

You start by choosing your bet level, which ranges from €1 to €500 per round in Mines 2. Next, you need to select your preferred number of mines, which ranges from 1 to 24. The number of mines you choose to play with affects the bet multiplier range and also how much the bet multiplier increments per step. Going with 13 mines offers the highest win of 1,207x if you manage to reveal 12 tiles without hitting a mine. Going with 24 mines is a daredevil 1-pick option that pays 24.25x your stake if you pick the correct tile.

Mines 2 Slot

You can cash out after any successful pick, which means the volatility of Mines 2 is largely in your own hands. The RTP of this game is unfortunately not disclosed, but the max win is 2,000x your stake. This is a significant step up from the 300x max win of the first game. You can choose to autoplay with an optional turbo setting to burn through up to 100 rounds quickly, and the autoplay button turns into a ‘random pick’ button during the round if you choose to play manually.

Another big change in Mines 2 is the bonus game. In the original Mines, you could reveal and trigger the bonus chest after a certain number of successful picks, depending on the number of mines you played with. In Mines 2, you will instead pick and reveal diamonds, and these are collected in the treasure chest to randomly trigger the bonus game. The bonus is a hold and win slot game where you’ll rack up prizes and jackpots worth up to 100x your stake. You start with 3 respins, and the counter resets each time you land a non-blank prize symbol of any kind.

Mines 2 Features

Before we cover the bonus features in more detail, we would like to remind you that the Mines 2 free play demo is available at the top of this review page. You can head up there after you’re done reading to get first-hand experience. Let’s get started!

Difficulty Levels

Before the game starts, you get to choose how many mines you want the game to place randomly across the 25 tiles. The number of mines you can choose ranges from 1 to 24, and the bet multiplier range increases with the difficulty level (at least up to a certain point).

If you go with a single mine, you get a bet multiplier range of 1.01x to 15.07x your stake. Choosing to play with 13 mines provides a bet multiplier range of 2.02x to 1,207.29x your stake, which is the highest possible bet multiplier in this game. The 24 mines option, leaving you with only 1 winning tile, offers a payout of 24.25x your stake.

Bonus Game

Each time a diamond is revealed, it’s collected in the treasure chest above the grid. This may trigger the Bonus Game, which plays out on a 3x3 grid. This is a hold and win feature, where you land blanks, cash prizes, and/or diamond jackpot prizes. You start with 3 respins, and the counter resets to 3 each time you land a cash or jackpot prize.

Mines 2 Bonus Win Screen

All prize and jackpot symbols become sticky on the grid, and the bonus is over when you either run out of respins or fill the grid with prize symbols. The minor, major, and grand diamond jackpot prizes are worth 5x, 30x, and 100x your stake, respectively, and your total winnings are paid when the bonus game ends.

Theme & Graphics

Mines 2 features minimalist video game visuals in portrait mode, clearly aimed at mobile gaming enthusiasts. The deep violet backdrop frames the 5x5 grid, where you will reveal coins, diamonds, and hopefully not mines. The green coin tiles, orange diamond tiles, and violet mine tiles add some sorely needed color to this otherwise monotone presentation, and the 3 jackpots are listed above the game area together with the treasure chest collecting the diamonds. A simple, synth-based melody keeps the atmosphere relatively lighthearted, taking the edge off the high-stakes hunt for treasures.

Mines 2 Free Play

If you are searching for the free Mines 2 demo game, you’ve come to the right place. We have it located at the top of this page, and you can play as much as you like with zero risk. You can think of it as your personal sandbox for stress-testing different strategies as you navigate the minefield. See how many mines you feel comfortable with, and try to trigger the bonus game a few times to see how it works. When you’re finished with your Mines 2 free play session, casinos confirmed to carry this title await below the demo game.

Pros and Cons of Mines 2

Our Verdict

Mines 2 takes the classic minesweeper concept to the next level, and this is something I’ve been waiting for in this genre. The mobile-friendly layout and no-nonsense aesthetics work well for a game like this, and the synth-heavy soundtrack is just funky enough to make you relax in this otherwise nerve-racking hunt for riches. I also like how the treasure chest gets more and more open the more diamonds you collect, keeping you motivated to carry on.

Such a motivator is usually missing in traditional mine games. This can lead to endless grinding of early cashouts with the lowest possible number of mines present. Sure, you can also go for that strategy in Mines 2, but it might take you a good while to trigger the bonus game that way. This setup offers a more balanced experience, where you feel that it might pay to reveal just a few more tiles in case you get that triggering diamond you’re seeking.

For newcomers, it might seem counterintuitive that the max win shrinks after you go beyond 13 mines, as more mines seemingly equals more risk but less reward. However, the first bet multiplier keeps increasing the more mines you take on, and the odds of hitting 12 winning tiles with 13 mines present are far lower than hitting the only safe tile with 24 mines present. If you do the math, the chances are 1 in 25 versus 1 in 5.2 million.

While the RTP of this game is not disclosed, it does not change based on your strategy. What changes is the volatility. You can go for the low-hanging fruit strategy of early cash-outs or risk it all with 24 mines present. A golden middle way is often the best option, or you can mix it up and try a bit of each. Mines 2 is the best minesweeper-inspired game I’ve tried thus far, thanks to the inclusion of a proper bonus game and generous 2,000x max win. It’s great for killing time while on public transport or when you just want some fast-paced instant-win action.