Playtech · Released 2016 · Medium High volatility
Released
Jun 16
Volatility
Medium High
Reel
5x3
Paylines
n/a
RTP
95.98
Min bet
0.25
Max bet
10
Max win
18,000
Age of the Gods: King of Olympus is one of Playtech's earlier entries in the long running Age of the Gods series, putting Zeus firmly in charge of proceedings. Mount Olympus provides the backdrop, with Pegasus, eagles, ancient ships and other Greek imagery filling the reels while Zeus himself takes the starring role as the Wild.
This is very much a traditional video slot rather than one packed with modern mechanics. The base game is deliberately simple, with most of the additional action coming from Free Spins and the four tier Age of the Gods Progressive Jackpot. Several independent sources agree that the standard game has relatively little in the way of additional features, which makes the bonus round particularly important to the overall experience.
Free Spins are where Zeus finally starts earning his position at the top of Mount Olympus. A Wild becomes fixed in the centre of the reels and a multiplier starts at 2x before increasing every two spins, eventually reaching 6x for the final two. It's a simple setup, but there's a clear sense that the feature gets stronger as you move through it.
The other major attraction is the jackpot. Four progressive prizes can be triggered separately from the normal bonus, giving King of Olympus considerably more potential than its fairly straightforward base game might initially suggest.
Visually, its age does show. The floating reels, stormy skies and Greek characters still give the game plenty of atmosphere, but this is recognisably an older generation of Playtech slot. There's a certain charm to that classic casino style, although Zeus has been sitting on this particular throne long enough for the upholstery to be showing its age.
Zeus appears as the Wild Symbol, substituting for regular paying symbols to help complete winning combinations. He cannot replace the Scatter.
There's nothing elaborate about the Wild during normal play, which rather sums up the base game. Zeus is useful when he appears, but the King of Olympus keeps most of his thunder reserved for Free Spins.
Landing three or more Temple Scatters activates Free Games, awarding 10 Free Spins. Unlike some modern bonuses, there are no branching paths or complicated choices to make. You get ten spins and the game progressively increases their potential.
That simplicity actually suits King of Olympus. You immediately understand what's happening, and the combination of a fixed Wild and increasing multiplier means the feature becomes more interesting as it progresses.
The downside is that the ten spins cannot be retriggered, so once Zeus has counted to ten, that's your lot.
During Free Spins, an additional Zeus Sticky Wild is permanently positioned in the middle of reel three and remains there throughout the feature.
This is a simple but effective addition because every spin begins with a useful symbol already sitting in the centre of the grid. Combined with the increasing multiplier, it gives the bonus considerably more purpose than simply providing ten ordinary spins for free.
It's also appropriately on brand. Zeus isn't the sort of god you'd expect to make a brief appearance and quietly leave again.
Free Spins begin with a 2x Progressive Multiplier, which increases by one after every second spin. That takes it through 3x, 4x and 5x before reaching 6x for spins nine and ten.
This is comfortably the best part of the Free Spins mechanic. Instead of every spin carrying identical potential, there's a natural build towards the final two.
It's not complicated, but it works. By the time the multiplier reaches 6x, you're considerably more interested in what Zeus has planned than you were on spin one.
The Age of the Gods Jackpot provides four progressive prize levels: Power, Extra Power, Super Power and Ultimate Power. The jackpot feature can trigger separately from the regular Free Spins feature.
When activated, players enter a pick style bonus containing concealed jackpot symbols. Revealing three matching symbols awards the corresponding progressive prize.
This is enormously important to King of Olympus because the progressive prizes give an otherwise fairly basic slot its headline attraction. The jackpot mechanic itself isn't especially sophisticated, but nobody reaching the Ultimate Power stage is likely to complain that Zeus could have made the presentation more complicated.
King of Olympus shows its age most clearly in the base game.
There isn't much happening beyond traditional payline wins, Wilds and trying to reach the Free Spins feature. Players accustomed to Cascades, collection mechanics, expanding grids and regular modifiers are likely to find standard spins rather quiet. Multiple independent reviews make essentially the same observation about its limited base game.
That doesn't make the gameplay bad. It's extremely easy to understand and there's something refreshing about a slot that doesn't require a glossary before you press Spin. The problem is that simplicity occasionally crosses the line into being uneventful.
There's quality here, but not much quantity.
The Free Spins feature works particularly well because the Sticky Wild and Progressive Multiplier complement each other. Starting at 2x and gradually climbing to 6x gives the ten spins a clear progression, while permanently having Zeus sitting in the middle of reel three improves the possibilities throughout.
The four progressive jackpots add another substantial attraction, although the jackpot feature itself is essentially a traditional pick and match game.
It's a compact feature package that does what it needs to do, but Olympus isn't exactly overflowing with surprises.
There's plenty of atmosphere, with stormy skies, floating reels, Zeus, Pegasus and detailed Greek symbols making the theme immediately recognisable. The darker soundtrack and lightning effects also complement the mythology nicely.
The problem is time.
This is an older Playtech release and it looks like one. Character artwork and animations lack the depth and movement of newer slots, while the overall presentation has that unmistakable early HTML5 casino feel. Other contemporary reviews have similarly described the visuals as dated.
It still looks perfectly respectable, but the King of Olympus could probably do with a palace renovation.
Greek mythology was already extremely familiar slot territory when King of Olympus arrived, and it certainly hasn't become any less crowded since.
Mechanically, there's little here that breaks new ground either. Wilds, Free Spins, Sticky Wilds, increasing multipliers and progressive jackpots were all established concepts.
The progressive multiplier gives Free Spins a nice sense of development and the Age of the Gods jackpot network provides the game with a strong identity within Playtech's catalogue, but this is fundamentally a traditional slot executed around a familiar theme.
Zeus may be King of Olympus, but he certainly isn't king of originality.
Overall Rating
6.7/10
Age of the Gods: King of Olympus is beginning to look like one of the elder statesmen sitting around Playtech's Mount Olympus, but there's still something appealing about its simplicity.
The base game is undeniably sparse by modern standards, while the presentation has lost some of its shine. Free Spins rescue proceedings nicely, with the Sticky Wild and steadily increasing multiplier creating a bonus that gets better as it progresses. The four progressive jackpots naturally provide the biggest reason to keep an eye on Zeus.
It has been overtaken by considerably more sophisticated slots, including later members of its own family, but players who prefer classic jackpot gameplay may still appreciate its straightforward approach.
Overall Rating: 6.7/10.
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