Global score: 4.42
Ruby of the Nile Slot
Microgaming is one of the largest developers of online casino software and a huge part of its games have more or less the same structure and gameplay. There are some spectacular exceptions to this rule and Ruby of the Nile is one of the brightest examples. It is based on a standard 5×3 reel structure where up to 20 paylines may be selected, but instead of having one Wild and one Scatter symbol, it features several special icons of each kind. The Ancient Egyptian theme is beautifully portrayed with a beige-to-brown color pattern resembling the desert sand around the river Nile, large symbols in contrasting tones and nicely designed images of Cleopatra, Horus the falcon god, and Anubis, who is depicted as a jackal-headed god.
Players can activate as many paylines as they wish and wager up to 20 on each of them. They can also adjust their bets by choosing a coin denomination from 0.01 to 0.50 credits. The maximum bet stands at 100 coins worth 50.00 credits.
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The lowest-value symbols in the pay table are playing cards from Nines to Aces and players can receive payouts when landing 3 or more of each kind on an active payline. Unlike most video slots which feature at least several more basic icons, Ruby of the Nile does not include any other regular paying symbols.
Instead, it boasts 4 different symbols with Scatter payouts, which means they bring a win when 3 or more of them appear in any position but on adjacent reels. The first two are the representations of Horus and Anubis – 3, 4, and 5 matching gods land on adjacent reels from left to right, they multiply the total bet by 8x, 20x, and 75x, respectively. Cleopatra also pays up to 80x the total bet, while the most lucrative symbol with a Scatter payout is the Ruby of the Nile logo. When 5 logo icons appear consecutively, the payout is the total bet amount multiplied by 100x.
The real Scatter symbol, however, is the treasure chest symbol which triggers the free spins feature. This icon does not offer a separate payout. There are also two Wild symbols – the ankh is a Double Wild, doubling the winnings of the combinations it completes, while the eye of Horus is the Triple Wild. As its name suggests, there is a 3x multiplier applied to the winnings when it substitutes. These two symbols can replace all icons in the game except for the treasure chest.
| Symbol | Two on a Payline | Three on a Payline | Four on a Payline | Five on a Payline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 25 |
| 10 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 30 |
| J | 0 | 5 | 10 | 40 |
| Q | 0 | 5 | 10 | 50 |
| K | 0 | 8 | 15 | 60 |
| A | 0 | 10 | 15 | 75 |
| Horus | 0 | 8 | 20 | 75 |
| Anubis | 0 | 8 | 20 | 75 |
| Queen | 0 | 10 | 25 | 80 |
| Logo /Scatter/ | 0 | 10 | 30 | 300 |
Bonus Games and Features
There are not many bonus features in Microgaming’s Ruby of the Nile slot game, but with such an unusual gameplay and a wealth of special symbols, there is, actually, no need of many bonus rounds. Players can win up to 20 free spins with just one Scatter treasure chest symbol. In order to activate the bonus round, however, it needs to land in the middle of reel 5.
When this happens, a random number of free spins with a 2x multiplier are awarded. This means that any winnings generated during the free rounds are doubled. In addition, the free spins can be re-triggered an infinite number of times. Of course, getting the treasure chest symbol in one particular position on the reels is definitely not an easy task and it may take longer than you have expected.
Conclusion
Ruby of the Nile is a very interesting video slot by Microgaming which has one of the most unusual pay tables ever created. The payouts are seemingly modest, but this applies only to the regular symbols in the game. As for the Scatter-like icons, they offer really lucrative payouts and do not need to appear on any particular payline. The treasure chest symbol is also very important as it triggers the free spins feature where winnings are doubled. Players should know, however, that these symbols are quite rare, while activating the bonus round may be even trickier.
The two Wild multipliers, on the other hand, land frequently on the reels, completing winning combinations and doubling or tripling the winnings. Overall, payouts occur on a regular basis, even if they are a bit lower than in most video slots. As a result, the theoretical Return to Player is 96.49% which is higher than the average payback offered by online slots and games in land-based casinos alike.
