Sahara - Review, Demo Play, Payout, Free Spins & Bonuses

Introduction

Sahara is a mystical travel themed slot from the heart of the desert. Prince, camel, lamp, necklace, pistol and sword symbols are the most valuable. The letter and number symbols aren’t worth quite as much.

Wilds appear in the form of a princess, and the Aladdin scatter can land stacked. Sahara shines in the area of bonuses. Special Mirage tiles appear, shimmer, and then resolve into sets of new symbols. Features don’t end there either. There’s a Gem Bonus and free spins for lucky players.

Sahara has 20 paylines (these are fixed) and a 5x3 configuration. If you’re fortunate enough to land a winning combination, all prizes payout from the left hand side of the grid, moving to the right.

Don your best explorer outfit, pack some suncream and visit Octavian slots to give Sahara a try.

Theme, Graphics & Design

The majesty of the desert has an undeniable allure. Sahara manages to capture both the beauty and cruelty of the sands, with some additional intrigue thrown in for good measure. The background shows a golden desert, animated with swirling sands. An affluent city with domes and towers rears up in the distance along with soldiers brandishing their weapons, but nothing is quite as it seems.

Octavian has managed to distort reality with this design. As the sand blows across the screen it's difficult to work out what’s real and what’s a mirage. Symbols contribute to the uncertainty, and the Aladdin scatter is particularly enchanting. Aladdin throws magical dust into the air as he fades in and out of reality.

Guns and cutlasses, not to mention a heavily laden camel, are evocative of exploration. Danger, adventure and mystery course through Sahara accompanied by a suitably intricate soundtrack. The mix of strings, drums and even some distant chanting perfectly matches that otherworldly background.

Sahara RTP and Variance

Sahara has an RTP of 96% and it’s low volatility. That will appeal to some players, but the lower variance does mean that wins are smaller. Sahara’s top prize is x2000. It’s not the most spectacular win around, but it will probably remain elusive for most players.

How to play Sahara

Desert exploration can be a treacherous business, but our tips will help you across the shifting sands:

1. Sahara’s interface is clean, so start with the main menu. You can open it by pressing the large button on the left.
2. There’s a lot of information here, so take your time and use the arrows to look at the paytable, the bonus features and the paylines.
3. Bets can be altered up and down using the arrows on the bet box.
4. You’ll notice a fast forward icon just beneath spin. This toggles turbo on/off.
5. If you would like to automate your experience, choose autoplay. You can select up to 500 spins.
6. Keep responsible gambling in mind when you decide on your budget.
7. Press spin to get going!

Bet & Win Sizes

Sahara offers a minimum stake of 0.20 and a maximum of 50. Aladdin scatters are the most valuable. Landing x5 of these awards the highest line win of x2000.

Here’s what else the desert has to offer.

Five Aladdin scatters = x 2000

Five camels = x 1000

Five lamps = x 500

Five necklaces = x 400

Five guns = x 300

Five swords = x 250

Five As = x 200

Five Ks = x 150

Five Qs = x 120

Five Js = x 120

Sahara has 20 paylines but you won’t be able to adjust them. The top prize (reserved for only the luckiest players) is set at x2000.

Sahara bonus features

Sahara rewards dedicated treasure hunters with some brilliant bonus features. They’re nice and simple so you won't have to toil too much to trigger them.

Mirage Feature

Mirage symbols appear on every spin. Any that land will shimmer and then turn into a random set of symbols from anywhere on the payable. It might not seem like much, but the addition of new symbols can transform a round from failure to success.

Gems Puzzle

Land 3 gem bonus symbols and you’ll launch the Gem Puzzle game. Players are awarded 3 gem spins, and a variety of gemstone symbols fill the grid. The game utilises cascades, so if any of the same kind of gems land in a vertical or horizontal line they will explode, clearing space for additional symbols. The more gems you manage to destroy, the higher your eventual prize.

Free spins

Sahara offers 3, 4, 5 or 7 free spins for landing 3+ wilds in any position. Even better, the wild that triggered the spins (along with any subsequent wilds) will lock in place for the duration of the round. If luck is on your side you can even fill the reels with wilds!

Sahara Review - Final thoughts

Sahara’s setting lives in the memory long after you’ve finished playing. The storm wrapped desert and the mirage cloaked city have a mysterious, nearly dreamlike quality. Octavian’s vision is quite something - Sahara is a game you experience rather than simply play.

The gameplay delivers on the high promise of the visuals. Free spins are certainly a highlight, but the Mirage Feature is a standout. Watching the Mirage tiles resolve into standard symbols is not just exciting, but perfectly in keeping with the ever-shifting setting.

If the desert has left you longing for more, you can visit it again on the Magic of Sahara slot.

Disclaimer: Sahara trademark / license is owned by Octavian Gaming. This site is not endorsed by Octavian Gaming.