Pirates Party: Slot Overview
Imagine being asked to picture a ‘pirate party’ without resorting to an internet search. You might envision scenes of pirates guzzling rum excessively, boisterous swearing, and perhaps a few brawls, typical of a rowdy night followed by a severe hangover the next day. Alternatively, you could imagine a more subdued gathering, with pirates enjoying a modest drink by a cozy fire after a long time at sea. To see how the game developer NetEnt visualizes such a gathering, one can turn to their online slot game, Pirates Party.
Intriguingly, Pirates Party doesn’t quite capture the essence of an actual party. The base game is set in a wooden structure or ship near the water, with free spins happening underwater and a bonus round called ‘Helms of Luck’ occurring beside a ship at sea. Contrary to expectations, there’s no sign of the typical party elements like drinks and snacks. Nevertheless, Pirates Party is a lively and engaging game. NetEnt has opted for a playful, cartoon-style depiction of piracy, conjuring up a sunny, treasure-laden environment where adventure is constant, and romantic pursuits, like marrying a governor’s child, seem just a pirate’s whim away – if only real life were that straightforward!
Pirates Party features gameplay on a 5×3 grid, offering 243 ways to win. Wins are formed by matching symbols landing on three or more adjacent reels, starting from the leftmost side. Players can set their stakes using the bet button located just below the reels, with options ranging from 10 cents to $/€20 per spin. The game operates on a medium volatility model and offers a default Return to Player (RTP) rate of 96.17%.
The game’s symbols are divided into two categories, corresponding to the above-water base game and the below-water version, though both sets share the same values and similar appearances. The lower-value symbols are represented by the card ranks 10 to A, yielding 1 to 3 times the bet for a 5-of-a-kind (5 OAK) winning combination. The higher-value symbols include a rat, a parrot, a monkey, a man, and a lady, with payouts ranging from 8x to 40x the bet for 5 OAK. Additionally, Skull ‘n W wilds, which can substitute for all pay symbols, are present on all reels. Landing a 5-of-a-kind winning way with wilds pays out 40x the bet.
Pirates Party: Slot Features
Pirates Party is rich in features, offering three distinct free spin rounds for players to select from once activated, and a progress bar linked to the Helms of Luck bonus, where players can choose which prize wheels to spin.
Progress Bar: Scatter symbols, which only appear in the main game, are collected as they land to fill the progress bar. Completing the progress bar activates the Helms of Luck Bonus and resets the bar to zero.
Helms of Luck Bonus: Filling the progress bar triggers this bonus. Players receive 8 tokens and are presented with three prize wheel helms, each divided into segments with different prizes. The cost to spin each helm varies:
- Blue Helm: Costs 1 token per spin, with prizes ranging from 2x to 15x the bet.
- Green Helm: Requires 3 tokens per spin, offering prizes from 5x to 50x the bet, plus free spins.
- Purple Helm: Costs 5 tokens per spin, with prizes between 10x to 100x the bet, including free spins.
The bonus round concludes when all tokens are used, and the total prize value and any free spins won are awarded.
Free Spins: Landing 3 scatter symbols on reels 1, 3, and 5 during the base game triggers the free spins feature. Players then choose from the following options:
- 15 Free Spins: A win multiplier of x5 is applied to all wins.
- 10 Free Spins: Up to 5 wild symbols may be added to the reels for each spin.
- 5 Free Spins: Up to 2 wild symbols, each 2×2 in size, may be added to the reels for each spin.
Pirates Party: Slot Verdict
Pirates Party, while not exactly a raucous, debaucherous escapade typical of a seedy dockside tavern with non-stop alcohol and chaos, still offers a lively and spirited experience. NetEnt has designed this game with vivid colors, sunny weather, and continuous action, setting it apart from their earlier pirate-themed slot, Rage of the Seas. The latter had a more serious, realistic tone with its brooding, dark seafaring adventure.
In stark contrast, Pirates Party adopts a more light-hearted approach. The game features free spins that occur underwater, complete with human and animal characters equipped with snorkels for breathing – a touch that emphasizes the game’s whimsical and unrealistic nature. This isn’t a call for historical accuracy, but rather an acknowledgment of the game’s humorous angle. Pirates Party’s feel-good vibe seems to target casual gamblers who aren’t overly concerned with its maximum win potential of 3,046x the bet.
The game’s features contribute to its appeal. The use of tokens for spinning prize helms offers a fun, somewhat novel aspect, even if the rewards tend to be modest. The progress bar collection adds an engaging element to the base game. The free spins, while not groundbreaking, provide variety with three different options, including the possibility of dropping two 2×2 wilds onto the pay ways board, which is promising but can be challenging to achieve multiple views.
Overall, Pirates Party may not be the wildest party ever, but it has its charms. With its popular pirate theme, cheerful and bright presentation, humorous elements, and a decent array of features – albeit somewhat familiar – the game holds potential appeal for a certain segment of gamblers.