Fortunate 5 Slots

Fortunate 5 is a 5-reel, pirate-themed video slot from Playtech, the world’s largest supplier of online gaming software. Pirates have long been a favourite theme of slot developers, so this one really doesn’t come out of left field: chances are, most of the gamers enticed by Fortunate 5 have already shot their guns on other Jolly Rogers.

Along with a free spins bonus round, Fortunate 5 features no less than five individual progressive jackpots. Still think this is a generic, pirate-themed slot? Guess again: Playtech have stepped up to the mark with this title, which also features 15 paylines, a wide betting range, a base game jackpot of 500x and a healthy return-to-player percentage of 95.51%.

Want to learn more? Then read on for a full breakdown of the slot contested on the Seven Seas.

Layout

As we said, pirate-themed slots are nothing new. Ghost Pirates, Pirates Caribbean, Pirate Ship, Fire Pirate, Lucky Pirate, Pirate Treasure Hunt, Pirate Queen, Goldbeard, Pirate Radio… You get the picture. It’s a mark of just how ubiquitous pirate slots are that this one doesn’t even feature the word ‘pirate’ in the title! Such slots have simply been done to death.

But wait… Because Fortunate 5 is actually pretty darn good. The game has 5 reels, 3 rows and 15 fixed paylines, and it takes place aboard an old-fashioned pirate ship known as The Golden Wench. The reels appear against a backdrop of blue sky, with rope ladders set at an angle off to the side and a (presumably) tropical island visible in the background. Below the grid, the buttons for Spin, Turbo Mode, Auto Play and Info appear on items on the ships deck: items like a treasure chest, a rum keg and a wooden box. The attention to detail must be commended, for the graphics are superb.

To get started, you’ll need to make a bet of between 0.60 and 6.00 per spin. Simply regulate your bet using the + and - icons on the ship’s deck; then hit that treasure chest Spin button.

Meet the Pirates

There are five main character symbols in the game, each of them linked to one of the unique progressive jackpots on offer. Four of the pirates are men, one is female. The female looks a bit like Captain Jack Sparrow minus the beard, and is brandishing a musket. The other four comprise various moustachioed pirates and the captain of the vessel itself, who wears a magnificent brown beard and has a parrot perched precariously on his shoulder.

In addition to these symbols, there are six playing cards, from 9 through to A. These cards offer ‘of a kind’ pay-outs with their closest relatives; in other words, you can win pay-outs for three, four or five mixed Aces and Kings, as well as for mixed Js and Qs and 10s and 9s. The best-paying non-progressive sum in the base game is 500 for four pirate captains.

Apart from the base play symbols, Fortunate 5 features a wild in the form of the pirate ship itself. This one only shows up on reels two, three and four, though. It can replace all others with the exception of the skull-and-swords scatter.

Wild Water Free Spins

In Fortunate 5, free spins are granted when the player finds three or more skull-and-swords icons anywhere on the reels. To begin with, you’ll be awarded an unlimited number of spins, but you’ll also be tasked with collecting five wilds in the hope of triggering the Wild Storm Super Spin. This is your last spin, but with five wild icons placed on the reels, hopefully it will result in a momentous win. Free spins cannot be re-triggered.

5 Fortunate Progressives

As stated, the five character symbols are linked to different progressive sums. All you have to do is land five of any on an active payline, starting from the leftmost reel. Sounds easy when you say it fast, doesn’t it?

If you succeed in finding four matching characters on the first four reels, you’ll automatically trigger the 2nd Chance Re-Spin, giving you another shot at spinning the fifth reel with a view to sourcing that elusive missing icon.

Pirate Mania

Fortunate 5 is one of the most innovative slots we’ve come across, due to its first-class graphics, enhanced free spins and multiple progressive prizes. If you’re a fan of pirate-themed slots, this has the potential to become your favourite.