Wild Scarabs Slot
We’re hoping beetles don’t bug you, as we’re about to review a slot machine that’s filled with them. As anyone who has played a slot machine themed around ancient Egypt will know, scarab beetles are often featured among symbols of ankhs, pyramids and pharaohs. We think it’s about time that these scuttling bugs were given a slot of their own.
The team at Microgaming have clearly been thinking along the same lines, with their release of the Wild Scarabs video slot. It’s a five-reel game, with the 243-ways-to-win layout awarding prizes whenever matching symbols land in any places on adjacent reels from the left side. The developer has given the scarab special powers, turning it into a wild symbol that can guarantee wins.
In the free spins feature, you can collect scarabs for even more guaranteed payouts. Up to 108,000 coins can be won when the ideal combinations appear. But even without this massive potential payout, there’s the high return-to-player ratio and assurance of fair play that comes with all slot machines from Microgaming.
Great design also comes as standard with Microgaming slots. Intricately detailed symbols include the gods Anubis and Horus, the all-seeing eye, and – perhaps inevitably – the ankh icon. The reels are surrounded by a stylish frame of marble-effect columns topped off with gilded wings. Behind this impressive structure, white pyramids with gold peaks shimmer in the desert sun. The soundtrack suits the style perfectly, transporting you back to the time of the pharaohs. Let’s check out how this stunning game works.
The Riches of Egypt
You can test the gameplay out with the free Wild Scarabs video slot on this page, or even start claiming real cash prizes at Microgaming online and mobile-optimized casinos. Because of the 243-ways-to-win format, you don’t need to select paylines. Start playing from just 0.20, or 20 coins per spin, winning multiples of the coin value when symbols line up for you.
Six different colorful jewels award the lower-value wins, while the picture symbols are worth more. The most valuable standard symbol is Horus, the bird-headed god. He’s worth 40, 125, or 300 coins when he lands on three, four, or all five reels from the right side.
A blue and gold scarab is a very special wild symbol that can act as all others, apart from the scatter symbol, if it’s in the right place to complete extra winning combinations. It’s also a valuable icon, paying out 50, 250, or 500 coins when crossing a payline without substituting.
Beetle Bonuses
A Wild Deal feature can turn a non-winning spin into a prize-paying one. If the scarab wild symbol is seen on the middle reel, up to four extra wilds will be placed on the reels, guaranteeing a prize win.
The scatter symbol is another valuable icon when it’s seen in two or more places at once. If just two are seen, you win a consolation prize equal to twice the total bet per spin. Three, four, or five scatters pay out four, 20, or 200 times the total stake before awarding you with ten free spins.
You’ve probably heard of stacked wilds, but in this game you have a Stashed Wilds feature. During the free spins games, any wild symbol that’s not part of a winning combination is stashed to one side of the reels. Once three have been collected, they are added back into the game – which will guarantee a win. The free spins carry on until all stashed wilds have been awarded, so you could end up with more than the initial ten bonus games. Scatter symbols won’t appear during the round, so the feature can’t be retriggered.
Win Like an Egyptian
Free Wild Scarabs video slots are a way of testing the game out before playing for real cash. However, if you want to actually win anything, the minimum wager of just 0.20 per spin should make this game ideal for all budgets. High-rolling gamblers can raise their stakes to the maximum bet of 60.00 per spin.
A Quick Spin option is accessed from the ‘Settings’ tab. Unusually, there’s no Autoplay option, so you’re going to have to click a button each time you want to spin the reels. If you have fast reflexes, then a second click on the Spin button mid-spin will stop the reels instantly. But even at normal speed, it’s probably near-impossible to time this accurately enough to make a difference.
As the Wild Scarabs slot is mobile optimized, you’ve got plenty of choice when it comes to devices to play it on. iPhones, iPads, as well as Windows- and Android-powered tablets and smartphones are all compatible.
Games That Won’t Bug You
The only other slot machine dedicated to these beetles is Scarab Treasure from Amatic. It’s a unique game with one reel and one payline, where you win prizes by landing the Eye of Horus or an ankh in view. Accumulate wins while you can, though, as when that pesky scarab beetle turns up, all prizes are taken away and you have to start again. You will need to land the ankh six times in a row to win a bounty of 1,500 coins, while the eye symbol is worth an eye-watering 10,500 coins if it’s seen six times on consecutive spins.
An Egyptian Treasure
When it comes to online casino slot machines, the topic of ancient Egypt is a well-worn path. Although the Wild Scarabs video slot uses a lot of familiar symbols and images, the features are highly innovative and can reap some great rewards for you. There’s very little to complain about here, with perhaps the use of colorful jewels instead of more Egyptian-themed icons being the worst that we can level at this otherwise outstanding game.
Microgaming is one of the top developers in the business. Its team’s knowledge, experience and commitment to quality shows through in Wild Scarabs. You will find this title, along with the rest of their huge range, at some of the most popular real money online casinos. So scuttle over to a recommended site, and see what treasures you can uncover.
