Roman Bonanza: Slot Overview
Last seen marching into battle with the gritty Gladius Death or Glory, Backseat Gaming is once again donning the toga (or strapping on legionnaire armor) for another spin through Ancient Rome—this time with a livelier, more explosive twist in Roman Bonanza. Fans of the studio’s previous release Pirate Bonanza will feel right at home, as Roman Bonanza borrows its tumble-based win system, total win multiplier mechanics, and Multiplier Bomb symbols, all packaged within a pair of bonus features to keep things spicy.
Where Pirate Bonanza delivered a breezy, sea-drenched vibe, Roman Bonanza swaps sails for stone, transporting players to a sun-drenched outpost of the Empire, surrounded by classical architecture and subtle nods to Roman military might. Though this time there’s no character buddy cheering you on from the sidelines, the game holds its own visually, offering rich scenery that feels both epic and polished. In a sea of Roman-themed slots, Roman Bonanza manages to stand out with solid execution and a strong sense of style.
How Roman Bonanza Plays
Roman Bonanza runs on a scatter pays system across a 6×5 grid, where wins are formed by landing 8 or more matching symbols anywhere on the reels—no need for paylines. Instead, it’s all about quantity over positioning. Players can set their stake using the up and down arrows beside the spin button, choosing from a range of €0.10 to €100 per spin.
Built on a high volatility math model, Roman Bonanza serves up a max RTP of 96.31%, offering solid potential for players who like their wins rare but punchy.
Symbol-wise:
-
Low pays are colorful green, orange, red, blue, and purple gems.
-
Premium symbols include boots, rings, cups, and Roman helmets.
-
Hitting 8 identical symbols scores between 0.1x to 1x the bet, while landing 19 or more pays out a chunky 50x to 400x.
There are no wilds in this game—so no substitutions to help form wins. Instead, all winning symbols are cleared from the grid via the Tumble mechanic, with new symbols dropping in to fill the gaps. This continues until no more wins occur, and once the tumble chain ends, the total amount from all wins is added up and paid out from the Tumble Win display above the reels.
Roman Bonanza: Features
Roman Bonanza isn’t just about tumbling wins—it’s about catapults, multiplier bombs, and explosive free spins. Here’s what you can expect when the extras kick in:
🎯 Catapult Feature
After a win, the positions behind the winning symbols are highlighted. If a Catapult symbol is present on the grid, it activates these highlighted spots—but only if a win occurred on that spin.
-
Activated positions reveal Multiplier Bombs, which explode in order (top to bottom, left to right), either adding to or multiplying the total multiplier.
-
This total multiplier is then applied to the Tumble Win value for a potential payout boost.
Bomb Types:
-
Low Value Bombs: +x2 to x5
-
Medium Value Bombs: +x10 to x25
-
High Value Bombs: +x50 to x100
-
Golden Bombs: x2 to x10 multiplier (multiplicative, not additive)
⚔️ Arm the Catapults (Free Spins)
Triggered by 4 scatters, this bonus awards 10 free spins.
-
Mechanics are the same as the base game.
-
Higher chance of landing Catapult symbols.
-
Landing 3 more scatters retriggers +5 free spins.
🛡️ Siege Command (Super Free Spins)
Triggered by 5 scatters, this upgraded bonus also gives 10 free spins.
-
Again, base game mechanics carry over.
-
Even greater chance of landing Catapults.
-
Highlighted positions stay lit for the duration of the round, making it easier to trigger bombs repeatedly.
-
Retriggers also award +5 spins for 3 scatters.
🛒 Bonus Buys
For those ready to charge in:
-
BonusHunt FeatureSpins – 3x the bet; boosts bonus trigger chance by 5x
-
Centurion FeatureSpins – 50x; guarantees at least one Catapult symbol per spin
-
Arm the Catapults – 100x
-
Siege Command – 250x
Roman Bonanza: Slot Verdict
There’s no getting around it—Roman Bonanza doesn’t hit quite as hard the second time around. That’s the nature of reskins, and anyone familiar with Pirate Bonanza will instantly recognize the DNA here. And if Pirate Bonanza was already riffing on Joker Bombs? Well, we’re definitely a few degrees removed from originality at this point.
Still, credit where it’s due: Backseat Gaming has given Roman Bonanza a solid visual refresh. The Roman theme, while a bit overused, is handled with flair, and the game certainly looks the part. A more unique setting might’ve added some much-needed novelty, but what’s here is polished and well-presented.
As for the gameplay—it still holds up. The scatter pays system pairs well with the Catapult mechanic, creating thrilling chain reactions as highlighted positions stack up and multiplier bombs explode. The Siege Command bonus round, with its persistent highlights, adds real tension and payout potential, and that 10,000x max win offers a compelling prize for players willing to brave the battlefield.
Why Backseat decided to follow up Gladius Death or Glory with another Roman-themed slot so quickly is anyone’s guess. Maybe it’s meant to be a soft warm-up for Pirate Bonanza 2? Either way, Roman Bonanza might not break new ground, but it’s still a solid, volatile tumble fest with crowd-pleasing features and a satisfying punch when the multipliers land just right.