Sanctuary – (BIG TIME GAMING) SLOT REVIEW

Sanctuary: Slot Overview

Tom ‘n’ Jerry, Bert ‘n’ Ernie, Rick ‘n’ Morty—some duos just make a lot of sense. In the online gambling world, one successful pairing is between the Aussie studio Big Time Gaming and the rock band The Cult. The band’s music has previously been featured in Lil Devil, Outlaw, and Wild Flower. Now, making it the fourth collaboration, The Cult is back, contributing its toe-tapping tunes to the online slot Sanctuary, particularly the iconic track ‘She Sells Sanctuary’.

While the music and some symbols create a thematic link among The Cult soundtracked games, each game offers a unique experience. Sanctuary is set in Egypt, where players can witness the splendor of the pyramids on a rich, red, fiery day. The game’s theme takes a twist when free spins are triggered, catapulting players into orbit. Here, up to four simultaneously spinning game grids hover high above planet Earth, creating an out-of-this-world gaming experience.

Sanctuary offers players the opportunity to embark on their quest for riches with stakes ranging from 10 p/c to $/€20 per spin. For those eager to dive straight into the action, free spins can be purchased for 80 times the bet. The return to player (RTP) stands at 96.38% during regular spins, but when opting to buy free spins, it inches up slightly to 96.39%. Sanctuary boasts a highly volatile mathematical model, creating a thrilling gaming experience across its 6-reel, 4-row matrix with 4,096 ways to win.

The game features ten pay symbols, rewarding players for landing winning combinations of 3 to 6 matching symbols from left to right on the reels. The skull pharaoh symbol stands out as the highest-paying, awarding payouts for 2 or more on a payline. Other high-paying symbols include an Anubis-like character, a scarab, and an eye, while the 9-A card ranks serve as the low pays. Low-paying combinations yield 0.5 to 1.2 times the bet, while high-paying combinations are worth 1.5 to 15 times the stake. Sanctuary introduces various wilds that appear at different stages of play, all possessing the ability to substitute for regular pay symbols.

Sanctuary: Slot Features

Sanctuary introduces distinct types of wild symbols, including full-reel wilds that come in two variations – Gold or Purple. Additionally, Wild Ankhs make an appearance during the free spins round. The game further spices up the excitement with a pre-feature free spins gamble, offering the potential to unlock up to 4 gaming grids simultaneously. This innovative feature adds an extra layer of anticipation and strategic decision-making for players seeking larger rewards and more thrilling gameplay.

Full Reel Wilds

The Purple Wild and Gold Wild symbols bring an extra layer of excitement to Sanctuary as full reel wilds landing on the four central reels. Notably, the Purple Wild plays a significant role in boosting wins, applying an impressive x8 multiplier to every win it contributes to. However, it’s important to note that these special wilds are exclusive to the base game and do not make appearances during the free spins feature. Their presence in the standard gameplay adds variance and increased potential for substantial payouts, enhancing the overall thrill of the slot.

Free Spins

To trigger the exhilarating free spins feature in Sanctuary, players need to land 3, 4, 5, or 6 scatter symbols, which correspondingly award 7 free spins played on 1, 2, 3, or 4 gaming grids. The strategic element kicks in before the free spins commence, offering players the choice to gamble for additional game grids within the feature, with a maximum of 4 grids. This unique gamble involves a segmented wheel where unsuccessful attempts grant the number of game grids displayed in black. If the black number is 0, the feature concludes.

Once in the free spins round, the appearance of the Ankh symbol on reels 2 to 5 introduces a captivating element. Each Ankh symbol results in the placement of a sticky wild on all game grids. When a reel accumulates 4 sticky wilds, they transform into a powerful full reel x4 wild, accompanied by an additional +3 free spins. This dynamic feature provides opportunities for substantial wins and the potential to extend the free spins excitement with extra spins.

Win Exchange

In the pursuit of even more excitement, Sanctuary offers players the option to exchange their winnings for a shot at triggering 7 free spins. Players who achieve a win of 80 times their stake or more can choose to exchange 80 times the stake for the reward of 7 thrilling free spins. Additionally, for those who secure a win ranging from 25 to 80 times the stake, an intriguing opportunity arises – the chance to exchange the entire win for a spin on a wheel that could potentially result in the activation of 7 free spins. This innovative feature adds an extra layer of choice and anticipation to the gameplay experience.

Sanctuary: Slot Verdict

Imagine a hopeful game developer applying for a position at Big Time Gaming, and in the midst of a test session, they are nonchalantly asked about their thoughts on The Cult. While it might seem like an offbeat question, it turns out that for Big Time Gaming, the answer holds the key to the applicant’s fate. A negative response leads to the proverbial blacklisting, while a positive one puts them in the running for the next interview. Of course, it’s all in jest, but with four slots featuring music from the same band, Big Time Gaming’s loyalty to The Cult is evident and unique in the online slot world.

For players, this loyalty has translated into enjoyable and noteworthy slots, with Sanctuary being the latest addition to this musical lineup. While it might not boast the colossal multipliers of some of its predecessors, Sanctuary quietly delivers thrilling action. The base game introduces full reel wilds, with the Purple Wild stealing the spotlight thanks to its x8 multiplier. These features contribute to the potential max win of 20,480x in the base game. The free spins round, with its maximum potential of 44,070x, adds an extra layer of excitement, especially considering the influence of active gaming grids on the outcome.

While Sanctuary may not be as flashy as its counterparts, it proves to be a hard-working performer with smart features and a deep groove. In the world of online slots, where musical collaborations are rare, Sanctuary stands out as another rockin’ success from the Big Time Gaming team and their cherished musical partners, The Cult.