The prolific output of developer Stakelogic as of late brought to mind Mr. Robot, the Emmy-winning TV series starring Rami Malek as a hacker attempting to save civilization while juggling many disconnected identities. While Stakelogic may not be actively hacking large corporations, the studio sometimes appears to be split in two, with one team creating unique content and the other using stock material and ideas. To the latter type is today’s topical slot, Pyramid Strike, which is effectively an Egyptian adaptation of Gameburger Studio’s commercial smash 9 Masks of Fire.
It’s important to note that Stakelogic isn’t the first studio to try to cash in on the success of 9 Masks by creating ripoffs. In contrast to Gameburger’s ‘tribal’ aesthetic, Stakelogic’s game takes inspiration from Ancient Egypt. Not the most creative concept, but they’ve executed it beautifully. An appealing load screen sets the mood before depositing players inside a brazier illuminated stone edifice for the base game. The studio has prior expertise in this field, as seen by the company’s other somber Egyptian-themed online slot, Gods of Death. Pyramid Strike is just as evocative despite using brighter and less ominous colors on screen.
The game is played on a grid with 5 reels and 3 rows, and there are 20 paylines available for players to hit. Regular wagers may be anywhere from 20 pence to £/€20, and the Super Stake feature doubles these amounts. Although doing so increases the number of scatter symbols on the reels during the main game and free spins, it also alters how the game is played. Volatility, for instance, has been rated at 2/5 when Super Stake is off and 4/5 when it is on. However, the RTP remains fixed at between 95.8% and 88% regardless of the Super Stake setting.
While the eight basic pay symbols are what you’ll be looking for most of the time, the Pyramid bonus symbols are what you want to see in large numbers since they trigger the Pyramid Strike Bonus reward money. There are a total of eight possible combinations, four of which are low-paying card ranks (J-A) and four of which are character symbols (paying 4-50 times your wager for a full house). When completing winning paylines, wild scarabs are worth as much as the top-paying symbol and can substitute for any other symbol.
Slot Machine Pyramid Strike Options
The common features shared by these 9 Masks of Fire rip-offs include free spins with a win multiplier and a bonus symbol prize feature. Pyramid Strike includes both of these optional additions, as well as a gamble element that may be turned off if you want.
Benefit for Hitting a Pyramid
If you get three or more Pyramid Strike bonus symbols in view, regardless of where they land, you win the jackpot. A payment of 1x the bet, 5x the bet, 15x the bet, 50x the bet, 100x the bet, 500x the bet, or 2,500x the bet is awarded for 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, or 9 bonus symbols, respectively.
Bonus Turns
When at least three scatter symbols appear on the screen, the free spins bonus round is activated. Then, a two-ringed wheel spins to determine the number of free spins (10-30) and multiplier (2x or 3x) that will be awarded. The multiplier is used to increase the value of any win on a line, however it does not apply to the Pyramid Strike Bonus. The original amount of free spins won from the wheel can be retriggered an additional three times.
Game of Chance
After hitting a winning combination or Pyramid Strike win, players may wager the reward. Your bet will be doubled if you correctly guess the color of a face-down card, and quadrupled if you correctly guess the suit. Bets can be increased up to the maximum amount allowed. If a guess is incorrect, any winnings will be forfeited.
The Pyramid Attack: The Slot Result
Players who have experience with 9 Masks of Fire or any of its numerous clones will find Pyramid Strike to be an easy transition. There have been no huge or even modest discoveries because Stakelogic has stayed within Gameburger’s slot in most respects. Even if Pyramid Strike’s eye-catching visuals enhance the overall user experience, the game doesn’t actually provide any new features or content to the player base.
It’s also difficult to come up with gameplay-related things to write about in light of this. Let’s just say that if you’re like this type of stuff, you’ll find that Pyramid Strike operates as good as it looks, and its features hit with enough regularity to keep you involved. The game proved challenging, and the bankroll steadily decreased despite the frequent Pyramid Strike Bonus payouts. It only takes one lucky spin with many of bonus symbols to change that, and the maximum payout for the Pyramid Strike Bonus is more than the 9 Masks of Fire. The theoretical gain is 3,140x overall, or 2,950x with Super Strike engaged. I don’t understand the distinction, but there it is.
Players that are into the 9 Masks concept, of whom there is probably a large and enthusiastic crowd, shouldn’t have any trouble finding fun in Pyramid Strike. It has everything a player would want from a game of this kind and delivers it in an engaging, if not very innovative, fashion.