Pharaoh’s Secrets Slot Machine

Pros

• Nice look and feel to the game. Symbols and backgrounds have been well-designed, and this adds to the slot’s atmospheric appeal.
• Great bonus features. There are three different special modes during the game. This makes for a slot with considerable replay value.
• Lots of scope for players to vary their stake size, and how they spread it across the reels.

Cons

• Not the highest return-to-player rating. At 94%, it’s not bad but when compared with the 97% plus that some machines offer, it seems low.

Top Jackpots

The highest jackpots in Pharaoh’s Secrets are awarded for hitting five-of-a-kind of the larger value symbols. These are all inspired by the contents of the king’s tomb. Hitting one of each symbol across every reel on a single win line pays as follows:

• Tomb corridor = 5,000x the line bet.
• Eye of Horus = 1,000x the line bet.
• Winged statue = 750x the line bet.
• Scarab beetle = 500x the line bet.

Features

One of Pharaoh’s Secrets best qualities is the extensive bonus features it offers. There are a few different ones to cover, and they really help add to the replay value of the slot.

Pharaoh Wild

Substitutes for all symbols except scatter. The “death mask” wild symbol only appears on reels 2, 3, and 4. It also doubles any wins it contributes to, and expands during in free games.

Xtra Win

To qualify for the Xtra Win Mode, players must first select the maximum number of pay lines possible. The feature can then be activated or deactivated by clicking the icon on the top right corner of the game window at any time. The Xtra Win mode invests an additional 50% of the total bet per spin.

This makes the wild symbol expand during the main game too. In addition, scatter wins are awarded according to the new total bet, although regular wins are still just paid out at the standard line bet cost.

Pharaoh’s Secrets Bonus

Landing three or more pyramids anywhere across the reels triggers the Pharaoh’s Secrets bonus. Players are given the choice between the scarab beetle, the statue, or the eye of Horus. After making their selection, the symbols will appear a random number of times on special reels.

The more it appears, the more free games are won. During this mode, the wild expands and doubles winnings when used as part of a win line. In addition, the feature can be retriggered by landing three or more scatter symbols. This can occur indefinitely too.

Gamble

Following any pay out, players are presented the opportunity to gamble their winnings. Next to the spin button is one labelled “Gamble”. It will illuminate after a win is paid out. Clicking on it starts the feature.

If a player opts to gamble, they’re taken to a different screen where there are five playing cards laid out, face down. The dealer’s is the one furthest to the left. The amount of cash players won originally is the stake, and they can choose to bet either half (double half), or the entire amount (double). Following the player’s selection, the dealer reveals their card.

It’s now up to the player to turn any one of the remaining cards over to reveal if their gamble was successful or not. If their card is of higher value, they win the gamble, and are paid either half of the original win, or a full double up. They can then choose to collect their funds, or gamble on. This can happen until they collect, bust out versus the dealer, or reach R108 000.

Regular Symbols

In addition to the king’s trinkets, there are also some symbols that pay lesser value prizes. These are all represented by the upper end of a standard deck of playing cards (A, K, Q, J, 10, 9). Hitting five-of-a-kind of each will pay the following:

• Ace, or King = 200x the line bet.
• Queen, or Jack = 150x the line bet.
• 10, or 9 = 100x the line bet.

Betting Limits

Another great thing about this slot is the number of ways a player can vary their stake. They can alter the value of every coin bet, the number of coins wagered per win line, and the number of win lines active at any one time. The lowest possible bet per spin is therefore just 1p.

This is achieved by setting the available lines to one, using 1p as the coin value, and betting one coin per win line. By contrast the highest spin is R8 600. This is based on twenty active lines, ten coins per line, and R40 a coin.

What We Think

Pharaoh’s Secrets is a great machine that offers players a lot of different bonus stages and special features. This results in a slot that can be enjoyed again and again. The music, artwork, and theme all lend themselves to an atmospheric gameplay experience, and the whole package is a most enjoyable one.