Sands of Egypt - Review, Demo Play, Payout, Free Spins & Bonuses

Introduction 

Sands of Egypt is a bright, bold game that should appeal to bonus and jackpot hunters. With a non-traditional playing grid and plenty of features to aim for, along with great graphics and theme, there is lots to like about Nucleus Gaming’s well-thought-out slot. 

Theme, graphics & soundtrack 

Sands of Egypt is an attractive game with recognisable Egyptian icons, such as Anubis, Eye of Horus, and pharaohs. These are found in many Ancient Egyptian slot theme games. 

With its golden tones and lush setting, the game has a luxurious feel offering the riches of Ancient Egypt. The unusual 6x6 grid is set against a backdrop of a blue lagoon surrounded by pyramids and palm trees under the bluest of skies. A puff of sand accompanies the falling symbols, which is a nice touch but can slightly obscure the view and make winning combinations more difficult to spot quickly. 

The soundtrack is fitting if a little repetitive at times. This can, of course, be switched off. It is perfectly pleasant for a short time and sets the scene of a calm Egyptian lagoon, with the tempo only increasing when winning clusters are formed. 

Sands of Egypt RTP and variance

The RTP on Sands of Egypt is currently unknown, so caution is advised. Although the top jackpot prize on offer is high, it can take some time to trigger even the lowest bonus; therefore, you should set your stake accordingly. Sands of Egypt awards low to medium wins quite often, although the playing balance could easily be depleted before any feature is awarded. It is recommended to try the game in demo mode here at Slots Temple to see whether the gameplay and payout frequency suit your gaming style. To compare it with an established and exceptionally popular Egyptian-themed game, consider trying the Eye of Horus slot demo.

 
How to play Sands of Egypt

1. Check the game settings to ensure they are set to your liking. It is worth keeping the sound on, at least for the introduction, as it is quite pleasant and goes a long way towards setting the scene.
2. Choose your stake. You can bet between 0.60 and 1,500 per spin but cannot change the reel structure.
3. Decide whether you want to autoplay. You can set between 1 and 1,000 spins, but you can’t set any other parameters.
4. It is possible to play this game in fast mode by accessing the settings next to the volume button.
5. You can choose to gamble your winnings - either all or 50 per cent of it - by pressing the x2 double button and selecting heads or tails. Winnings from free spins cannot be gambled.

Bet sizes & paytable wins 

A minimum of four clustered symbols is required to generate a win. The winning symbols will then explode, with the remaining symbols dropping down and new ones appearing to give the chance of cascading wins. 

Returns for four matching symbols with a total stake of 1.50 are as follows:

• White stone = 0.50
• Anubis = 0.50
• Isis = 0.50
• Green stone = 0.75
• Purple stone = 0.75
• Eye of Horus = 1.00
• Cross = 1.00
• Pharoah = 2.00
• Scarab beetle = 2.00
• Wild =- 2.50

There is a generous range of stakes and bet levels to suit most budgets, with a stake range of 0.60 and 1,500.

Sands of Egypt bonus features

Ra power bar

For every bird (Ra) symbol that lands on the main reels, a section of the power bar is filled. A minimum of eight Ra symbols are required in a game to launch a bonus feature. The bar is reset to zero at the end of every spin and there is no hold feature. The awards on the trail are cumulative and free spins can be retriggered during the feature:

8 Ra symbols award 8 free spins
9 Ra symbols award 10 free spins
12 Ra symbols award 12 free spins
15 Ra symbols award 15 free spins
17 Ra symbols award 400x the total bet
20 Ra symbols award the progressive jackpot

Anubis trail 

Four Anubis symbols in a cluster award a cash prize and advance the Anubis trail. Once the Anubis trail is full, 10 free spins are awarded. For the duration of the free spins, the Anubis symbol will be worth upgraded amounts. The Ra free spin feature can be triggered during the Anubis free spins, but Anubis free spins cannot be retriggered. The Isis symbol does not appear during this feature.

Isis trail

Isis free spins are triggered in the same way as the Anubis free spins and follow the same pattern and rules.

Sands of Egypt review: our verdict 

All in all, Sands of Egypt is an aesthetically pleasing game that offers something a little different due to its unusual layout and exploding cluster wins. The bonuses can be slow to trigger, so strong nerves may be required for this game. A lower stake for an extended playing session is recommended.

Disclaimer: Sands of Egypt trademark / license is owned by Nucleus Gaming. This site is not endorsed by Nucleus Gaming.