Scepter of Anubis: Slot Overview
Editor’s note: The game is still under development and the soundtrack is still being worked on. We plan on reviewing Scepter of Anubis again once it gets a full release.
It might be based in Stockholm, but game development studio Quickspin has released a number of well-received slots that were set many miles away in the continent of Asia. Eastern Emeralds and Eastern Emeralds Megaways are up there, as is the trio of Sakura Fortune slots. The last one reviewed, Sakura Fortune Epic Bloom, has been given a new lease on life, of sorts, serving as the basis for Scepter of Anubis, an Egyptian-themed reskin offering the full reel wild and respin combo the cherry-blossomed series is famous for.
A Fresh Take on a Classic
Where Sakura Fortune Epic Bloom exploded off the screen in a flurry of pink petals, Scepter of Anubis initially presented a less exciting representation of its theme. No complaints with what your eyes do rest on in the base game, but it’s mainly just hints of pyramids and palm trees in the background. All well and good but a tad unexciting as well, giving the impression Scepter of Anubis wasn’t a slot Quickspin invested a lot of its emotions into. Agreeable enough to look at for sure, yet nothing special. However, the situation improved as time went by, especially when paired with the thrilling features that came with it.
RTP & Betting Information
Mathematically, nothing much has changed; the top-tier RTP comes in at 96.06% when betting 10 c to $/€100 per spin, or 96.34% when the Extra Bet is activated. When on, the Extra Bet costs 2x the base bet while giving an increased chance of landing Anubis Wilds and triggering free spins or super free spins. Played on a 5×4 gaming grid, this is a highly volatile online slot equipped with 40 paylines, creating winning combinations from left to right.
Symbols and Payouts
Scepter of Anubis features four low symbols that are winged scarabs in various colors. The medium symbols include a bird statue, a sphinx statue, Horus, and Sobek. The highest paying symbol is a golden pharaoh. Hitting a line of 5 matching low pays awards 1x the bet, while five matching medium symbols reward 2x-3x. The high-pay symbols award 10 times the bet for a 5 OAK (five-of-a-kind) winning line.
Scepter of Anubis: Slot Features
Like its flowery cousin, Scepter of Anubis has full reel nudging wilds, respins, free spins, super free spins with possible multipliers, and two bonus buy options as its core features. For players seeking more exciting spins, hawkplay offers the chance to experience these features in greater depth with a smooth, immersive interface.
Anubis Wild & Respins
The Anubis Wild is a fully stacked symbol that substitutes all symbols except the scatter. It is present on all reels. A line of 5 wilds pays 20 times the bet. A full reel Anubis Wild also acts as a scatter symbol. Any time an Anubis Wild lands on the screen, there is a chance it nudges to cover the whole reel. Landing a full Anubis Wild in view triggers the respins feature. One full Anubis Wild grants 1 respin. Landing or nudging in additional Anubis Wilds grants extra +1 respin. The feature ends when no new Anubis Wilds land.
Free Spins & Super Free Spins
Landing 3, 4, or 5 scatter symbols or Anubis Wilds anywhere on the reels awards 8, 12, or 16 free spins, respectively. During free spins, any Anubis Wild on the grid expands to cover the whole reel and remains sticky for the duration of the feature. It also triggers the respin feature and awards +1 free spin.
Super free spins work in a similar fashion. If a super scatter symbol lands on the rightmost reel with at least 2, 3, or 4 scatters or Anubis Wilds, then 8, 12, or 16 super free spins are awarded instead of regular free spins. The key difference is that during super free spins, when one or more Anubis Wilds covers an entire reel, a multiplier of x2, x3, x5, or x100 is chosen to be applied to that spin and its respin. If a new Anubis Wild lands on a respin, a greater or equal new multiplier is chosen.
Gamble & Feature Buy
If free spins or super free spins are won with fewer than 5 triggering symbols, players can gamble for the chance to win up to 16 free spins or super free spins. Losing gambles forfeits the entire bonus round. Free spins cannot be gambled to get super free spins or vice versa. Both bonus rounds may be bought from the base game. Regular free spins cost 80x the bet and have an RTP of 96.74%, while super free spins cost 160x the bet and have an RTP of 96.65%. For those who prefer a more guaranteed experience, hawkplay offers the option to buy these rounds directly.
Hawkplay & The Thrill of Features
As exciting as the base game is, it’s the bonus rounds that really capture the attention in Scepter of Anubis. With both free spins and super free spins, players have the potential to score massive wins, especially with the multipliers during super free spins. The Anubis Wild feature also adds a layer of excitement, with the possibility of nudging wilds and respins keeping things fresh and thrilling. hawkplay users can enjoy all these features in a seamless experience that enhances the core mechanics of the game.
Visuals and Soundtrack: Room for Improvement
Quickspin has always been known for its attractive visuals, but in this case, Scepter of Anubis initially felt underwhelming. The background mainly consists of pyramids and palm trees, giving the game a somewhat static feel. Thankfully, as the game progresses, it opens up and feels a bit more dynamic. The audio, however, leaves much to be desired. During testing, the demo featured the same soundtrack as Sakura Fortune Epic Bloom, which felt disconnected from the Egyptian theme. Hopefully, this will be rectified before the full release, as the sound plays a key role in immersion. Still, even with the current soundtrack, the visual appeal continues to evolve, especially when the Anubis Wild feature comes into play.
Final Verdict: A Strong Entry
Overall, satisfaction with Scepter of Anubis is positive but not overwhelming. While the game certainly has potential, particularly with its innovative features and the possibility of big wins during the free spin and super free spin features, there’s still room for improvement in the presentation. Fans of Quickspin’s games, as well as those who enjoy a high-volatility slot, will likely appreciate the mechanics and features. As a quick note, if you’re looking for a platform to explore all that Scepter of Anubis has to offer, hawkplay is a great option to try it out, with its intuitive interface and exciting gameplay mechanics.
