Oracle of Gold slot review

Oracle of Gold by Pragmatic Play: slot review

Travel through ancient prophecies and golden treasures in the brand new Pragmatic Play release, Oracle of Gold. We hope to convey as much insight into this new slot as possible, for casual gamers and seasoned veterans alike, on the mechanics and attractions based on some time spent playing today.

In this review we will cover the RTP and volatility, bonus features, mobile compatibility, and, of course, responsible gaming. The basics of Oracle of Gold suggest that it could be a rewarding, but volatile experience.

With an RTP (Return to Player) of 96.55%, the slot stands well within the average range of online slots. Bear in mind that RTP is an average value based on millions of spins, and the outcome of one session can be different by a large margin. With a volatility rating of high it hints that winning may not happen often, but when it does it could be big.

It is certainly a tantalizing one for those of you seeking a high volatility wonderland, with the maximum win limited to 10,000x your stake. You can place the bets from the mere $0.01 up to $240 per spin, which is a pretty wide range.

This makes it suitable for casual players who like to play for smaller stakes and high rollers who like big payouts. It uses a 6x6 reel size and features an all ways pays mechanic.

This means that rather than landing on traditional paylines, you are paid for matching symbols on adjacent reels when they appear anywhere on that reel, resulting in literally hundreds of thousands of winning combinations! As with bonus rounds, this adds excitement and the potential for multiple wins on a single spin!

Screenshots of 6x6 reel structure Type Screenshot helpful for new players.

Oracle of Gold RTP, Payout & Volatility

The all ways pays mechanic completely transforms the way you play. Instead of checking hit pay lines, you now only need to align identical symbols across consecutive reels.

It has more implicated visuals, particularly for newer players. It probably due to hit frequency — although Pragmatic Play does not release this info, but at the time of my test, I had that opinion that this one has low hit frequency than its low variance slots.

For it meant longer periods of no victories, but the chance of a big win did keep me interested. Knowing how RTP, volatility, and the all ways pays system works together can help you manage your bankroll and expectations correctly when you play Oracle of Gold.

The high RTP will undoubtedly sound promising, but the high volatility means that you will want to prepare for periods of losing and adjust your betting strategy from there. We need to understand just how different the all ways pays mechanic is from traditional paylines.

For paylines, wins only trigger if matching symbols land on fixed lines across the reels. The difference between a 'line pays' system and an 'all ways pays' system is in how wins are paid; in a line pays system, wins are only awarded for matching symbols on adjacent reels from left to right in a particular position on the reel.

Whereas an all ways pays system, as the name suggests, pays for wins on adjacent reels from left to right whether you're in the right position or not, and this means there are a huge number of potential winning combinations, which arguably makes every spin so much more exciting.

Theme, Audio & Symbols

The theme of Oracle of Gold has roots in the mystics of yore, revolving around the warm embrace of an elderly wizened oracle and her prophecies. Eyepatch is gold all over the place.

It has a very detailed and lush visual design. The different symbols that appear on the reels include crystal balls, ancient scrolls and golden amulets as well as the classic high-value playing card symbols.

The oracle herself is a high-paying symbol, and when she appears on the reels, there are often flashy animations. A not-so-little thing then is such detail in the symbol design, with every artifact rendered in high quality as illustrated in a example image.

The audio design is also completely in sync with the visual theme. The soundtrack is an ethereal, bewitching soundscape that evokes mystery and offers a hint of foreshadowing.

Sound effects sound great too, with chimes and flourishes sounding off when a player hits a winning combination or triggers a bonus feature. The backdrop of tumbling reels lends a lively touch to your play, and the oracle pronounces on bonus rounds to stretch the immersion even further.

From what I could tell, the visual and auditory elements synergistically come together to create an immersive, engaging atmosphere that pulls players into the Oracle of Gold world. Particularly for a slot that could draw you in for hours, the sound design never becomes repetitive or annoying, which is no small feat.

Oracle of Gold Free Spins and Bonus Features

Oracle of Gold has some cool bonus features that can really affect how the game plays. The most important feature is the Tumbling Reels, or cascading wins.

Following each winning spin, the winning symbols explode, and symbols fall from above to fill the empty spaces. This could mean multiple wins from one spin, multiplying a payout.

When you land a certain amount of scatters on the reels, this is when Free Spins are triggered. You may also find multipliers during the free spins round, which gives you even more chance of landing a huge win.

These multipliers vary from 2x to some much higher numbers, depending on the configuration of the bonus round. Some more than others through being able to provide features such as unlimited free spins and higher scatter triggers and wider multipliers that can play a huge role in the overall potential win.

While testing, I noticed the Tumbling Reels feature triggered with a great frequency, which added to a very lively and entertaining experience. That would often result in a string of consecutive wins, which kept me up late at night.

In general cascade wins are stackable and fun, but if you are not careful they can also be a bankroll killer! The Free Spins round was more difficult to activate.

Yet when it activated, the multipliers did provide a solid kick to-or even a boost to-my wins. As such, I would have loved to see a quick video of the Tumbling Reels and Free Spins features in this review to help illustrate the motion of the game.

Arguably the boldest feature is Buy Bonus, which enables players to instantly buy the free spins round for a fixed price, usually a multiple of their base bet. It is a polemic tool as losing the free spins round might end up in huge losses hely from where you came from.

The Ante Bet gives players the option of increasing their bet by a small percentage for a higher chance of landing the free spins feature. For those players eager to trigger the bonus feature, this can be a good choice for one of the ways to place your bets.

Mobile Experience

Oracle of Gold runs well on mobile devices and the whole experience flows smoothly. Pragmatic Play is renowned for building slots which fit nicely onto mobile devices, and this slot is no different.

The game scales perfectly with screen size and orientation, be it a smartphone or tablet. Touch controls are mostly responsive and intuitive, so you should have no problem navigating and placing bets.

Graphics and animations remain responsive and detailed on phones, maintaining the game's look. I played Oracle of Gold on both iOS and Android devices, and both ran fluidly without any real stuttering or bugs.

Loading times were quick, making for a smooth portable gaming experience. Mobile-friendly Oracle of Gold can be played on the go, unlike some other slot games.

The mobile interface was simpler, allowing easy bet changes and access to game options. The layout was quite intuitive, even on a smaller screen.

The portability of Oracle of Gold is a nice touch for those seeking an on-the-go experience. Mobile also preserves the sound design, ensuring a good audio experience with headphones.

Pros & Cons

Oracle of Gold features a great mix of entertaining features and gameplay, but as all slots, has its pros and cons. Its biggest selling point is the high potential payout with a max win of 10,000x, along with the multipliers that can be achieved during the free spins round.

First one is Tumbling Reels feature, which ensures some kind of fluidity in the gameplay since it gives the chance of score multiple wins with a single spin. Even the low limit makes room for casual players, while the high limit is more than adequate for most high rollers. With mobile play, there is no hassle, everything is very smooth whether you are on PC or smartphone.

On the bad side, the extreme volatility can be a downside for some players, as it can result in long losing streaks without any big wins. Despite the fact that the Buy Bonus is a handy alternative, it can sometimes play a dirty trick on you and generate huge losses.

The visuals might be a bit bland for some players, as they have potentially no standout or inventive styling but nevertheless they're attractive. In my experience, the volatility is certainly something to take into account.

Although the possibility of lucrative payouts may be attractive, it is advisable to handle your bankroll wisely and be ready for some phases of loss. In particular, I really enjoyed the Tumbling Reels mechanic; however, a winning combination is not guaranteed.

Buy Bonus sounds great but proceed with caution, it can empty your wallet very quickly. By far first and foremost, slots are and should be viewed as entertainment.

Our Verdict

Overall, Oracle of Gold is another well produced game by Pragmatic Play, showcasing good features, decent potential, and a mobile friendly interface. This dynamic all ways pays mechanic, combined with the Tumbling Reels feature, rewards players for their ability to unleash big wins.

Excitement in the Free Spins round with multipliers remains intact, and the extensive range of bet options will suit a general audience. Nonetheless, high volatility and a Buy Bonus object are a double-edged sword.

Players that like their high-volatility slots with some chance at big wins will feel right at home in this slot. High volatility can be a tough cookie if you are a beginner player, but the all ways pays mechanic is easy to understand.

The game is also nice and immersive, boosted by a very well-calibrated graphic and audio design. Oracle of Gold may not exactly be bursting with originality but it is a high quality slot offering a fun and potentially lucrative gaming experience.

Remember, all casino games (including this one) are games of chance, and there is no guaranteed strategy for winning. My session with Oracle of Gold gave me the impression that it's a competent but fairly generic online slot release.

The volatility makes it hard, but you can hit the big wins, and if you are an experienced player, we recommend that this one is worth a go. Overall, it is also quite a solid introduction to Pragmatic Play slots in general, as once again this developer has clearly been putting a lot of emphasis on developing engaging mobile-friendly gameplay experiences.

It has a familiar feel with cascading reels and the large multipliers that can crop up — Win 30,000x options may seem attractive to players Win 30,000x options may seem attractive to players who enjoyed Sweet Bonanza, a similar pragmatic play slot.

Play Responsibly

Always remember that gambling is a form of entertainment — and never a source of income. The truth is online slots like Oracle of Gold, are games of chance, and whether you win or lose with every spin is decided by a random number generator.

However, there is no proven strategy or system which can ensure a win. When you do set that budget, make sure to stick to it no matter how much you win or lose.

Don't chase your losses — this is an absolute disaster waiting to happen — you will only make bigger and bigger bets until you drive your lose to absolute zero. Gambling is risky and you could lose some or all of your outlay.

GET HELP If you are dealing with problem gambling, or someone who is problem gambling – please, get help. Anyone seeking help can find numerous resources for guidance and support, including the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) at 1-800-GAMBLER and Gamblers Anonymous.

Always keep in mind that gambling is not an answer to financial concerns, and it carries serious consequences if not done responsibly. As we mentioned above, the legal age for gambling differs by jurisdiction, and it is forbidden for underage people to engage in gambling activity.

Play responsibly and within your means.