When you delve into the online slot section set in Ancient Egypt, you’ll quickly notice an abundance of Cleopatra-themed games. It’s not just games featuring a female ruler; there are numerous titles with ‘Cleopatra’ in them. Among the most renowned is simply named ‘Cleopatra,’ developed by IGT (now owned by iSoftBet). This game gave rise to Cleopatra 2 some time ago and has now evolved into Cleopatra Megaways, a Megaways-inspired version from iSoftBet. Of course, with the inclusion of Big Time Gaming’s engine, there’s a level of modernization, but Cleopatra Megaways also retains a couple of classic elements.
In terms of visuals, Cleopatra Megaways is an improvement over its predecessors, although not dramatically so. It maintains the classic columns supporting each end of the game grid, the recognizable font for the game title at the top, and a plethora of Egyptian-inspired symbols scattered throughout. Players who are familiar with the older games will find the surroundings quite reminiscent, while newcomers to the scene can enjoy a slot with a rich historical background and a relatively modernized appearance.
To kick things off, players have the option to select their preferred wager, with betting choices ranging from 20 p/c to £/€20 per spin. Beneath the surface of this culturally themed game, you’ll find a highly volatile mathematical model that offers a theoretical return to player (RTP) of 96%. In terms of its structure, the game follows the standard Megaways format, featuring 6 reels with 2 to 7 symbols on each reel, and the exact number can vary with each spin. The number of ways to win is determined by how many symbols land on the reels, with a maximum of 117,649 active ways possible.
When winning symbols appear on the reels, they are removed thanks to the cascading wins mechanic. New symbols drop down to fill the gaps, and if another win occurs after the symbol drop, the cascade continues. Players earn a monetary reward when matching symbols land from reel number 1 onwards across adjacent reels. The payout for achieving a 6-symbol combination ranges from 0.8 to 1.5 times the bet for the 9-A card royals or 1.75 to 50 times the bet for the 4 theme-based premium symbols. Additionally, the logo eyes symbol acts as a wild and can be found on reels 2 to 5. Wilds can substitute for any paying symbol, and when they contribute to a win, the payout is doubled.
Cleopatra Megaways: Slot Features
Whenever scatters appear, they are accumulated in the Offering Brazier and have the potential to activate one of four modifiers during any spin. These modifiers include:
- Wild Add: This feature introduces 2 to 5 random wild symbols onto the grid, enhancing your chances of forming winning combinations.
- Mystery Symbols: A random quantity of mystery symbols is placed on the reels. These symbols subsequently transform into the same symbol when revealed, potentially resulting in more significant payouts.
- Max Megaways: This modifier maximizes the number of ways to win on the gaming grid, creating the most extensive possible winning opportunities for players.
- Bonus Add: This feature adds a random number of scatter symbols to the reels, increasing the likelihood of triggering the Hold & Win Respins bonus feature.
Cleopatra Hold & Win Respins
When you land a minimum of 5 scatter symbols, it triggers the Hold & Win Respins feature, where you are granted 3 respins. During these respins, both regular scatters and boosters can land on the reels. When a symbol lands, it becomes locked in place, and the respin count resets to 3. The regular cash scatters can have values ranging from x1 to x10. Additionally, you have the chance to land special symbols such as Mini, Minor, Major, or Grand, which are worth 20x, 100x, 500x, or a substantial 2,000x the initial bet, respectively.
Furthermore, filling an entire reel with symbols activates a reel multiplier, which multiplies the values of all scatters on that particular reel.
It’s important to keep an eye out for reel boosters as well. The x2 multiplier symbol boosts the prizes on adjacent reels. The collector gathers and sums up all the values of the landed symbols. The extra life booster adds an extra life to the round, and you can store up to 3 extra lives at once. Lastly, the expander booster adds an additional row to its respective reel. When these boosters are triggered, they transform into cash scatters, adding to the excitement of the game.
Cleopatra Megaways: Slot Conclusion
The original Cleopatra slot made its debut quite some time ago, so it was somewhat unexpected to witness the franchise undergoing a transformation into the Megaways format under iSoftBet’s watchful eye. However, it wasn’t surprising to see the inclusion of their favored Hold & Win gaming mechanic. iSoftBet has heavily integrated the Hold & Win feature into their slots, though they had been relatively quiet about it around the time of this review. Nonetheless, there are numerous iSoftBet slots featuring the Hold & Win logo, to the extent that it almost feels like the studio is competing with Megaways itself in terms of sheer quantity.
Admittedly, Cleopatra Megaways hasn’t reached the same level of proliferation just yet. Still, in this game, the feature has been implemented quite effectively. Here, players can uncover cash scatter symbols, reel multipliers, and even a few jackpot symbols for added excitement. The studio has also introduced four special symbols into the mix. However, Cleopatra Megaways doesn’t aspire to compete with highly complex Hold & Win games like Money Train 2 or Money Train 3. Instead, it adheres to the overall Cleopatra slot concept, offering a somewhat retro-style gaming experience. It would have seemed out of place to see an abundance of special symbols akin to Ancient Egyptian versions of snipers, Gatling guns, or high-explosive devices. The maximum win, while more modest in comparison, is still substantial at 10,000x the initial bet.
For those chasing big wins, it’s worth noting that this figure is one-fifth of what can be won in Cleopatra 2. So, whether this influences your decision to play Cleopatra Megaways or not is something to consider. Fans of the Cleopatra series might be intrigued to see what a Megaways adaptation looks like. However, if you’ve experienced several iSoftBet slots before, there might not be much here that’s groundbreaking unless you have a deep affection for the Cleopatra slot legacy.