Slot Overview: Gates of Olympus Xmas 1000 by Pragmatic Play
Pragmatic Play, a name most iGaming players are familiar with, has decided to give one of their most popular titles a Hogmanay twist, and that’s how Gates of Olympus Xmas 1000 was created.
This Gates of Olympus Xmas 1000 slot review is a one-stop-shop for our readers, outlining the basic but most important details of this holiday version – what you can expect, how you should prepare, and should you even give this one a try. We investigate the basics – core mechanics, free spins, and cluster wins, to see if there’s more to it than just an aesthetical facelift.
The goal of this review is to provide inexperienced players and veterans alike with enough insight that will enable them to form their opinion before playing in Zeus’ Christmas vacation home. Over the course of this Gates of Olympus Xmas 1000 review, I’ll share how I felt playing this slot for the first time and how frequently I triggered the bonus.
I’ll also provide statistics analysis, including the Gates of Olympus Xmas 1000 RTP, how volatile the game can be, and just how much you can win. This information is vital, as it should help players understand how risky and rewarding this slot can be.
Whether you’d like to play Gates of Olympus Xmas 1000 for free or with real money, this slot review has you covered. Additionally, we’ll compare Gates of Olympus Xmas 1000 with the original series and titles alike from Pragmatic Play’ portfolio.
I intend to see what this holiday version brings to the table, as well as if there are any areas left for improvement. In the end, you’ll have a full overview of what to expect before diving into Gates of Olympus Xmas 1000 to see if it suits your personal playing preferences.
Again, I must stress that even with a fresh coat of paint, this Gates of Olympus title will not change its core behavior. I’ll let you know how I felt about this titling in terms of visual changes and if the Christmas flair enhances the gaming experience while maintaining it fun and remarkably low-paying.
I’ll also go in-depth with other vital criteria, including mobile readiness, as you need to know that the free Gates of Olympus Xmas 1000 slot and a real-money version offer the same experience regardless of the device. Thus, this slot review will utilize my extensive expertise in the industry to maintain, to the best of my ability, clear, honest, and plain-speakings.
I’m going to do a lot of hands-on research and analysis to give you the most accurate impression possible of this slot. My ultimate aim is to help you decide if you’re going to join Zeus in his hibernation in paradise.
Gates of Olympus Xmas 1000 Details, RTP, Payout & Volatility
The Gates of Olympus Xmas 1000 slot’s RTP rate is 96.51%, which illustrates that the game is pretty much on par with other Pragmatic Play titles’ theoretical return to player and falls within the average online slots’ range.
Nevertheless, it is important to note that RTP is a general value that indicates a player’s return during prolonged play sessions. On the contrary, the statistical value does not guarantee the same return on any single session. During my trials of this slot, I found wins to be quite spread out, and its short-term gains hardly adhered to the stated RTP.
The title also boasts high volatility, meaning that the wins are not frequent, but when they come, they tend to be big. Players who like making big returns use high-variant slots, but they are also risky, especially when losing streaks drag on for long. In my gameplay, I had a few minutes of no return followed by back-to-back wins. Therefore, it is always advisable to have a sustainable bankroll as you play.
The genius of this slot is the 5,000x maximum win that players can receive wins of this magnitude. However, I did not manage to experience such wins, but I had my stakes triple several times.
The wagering range is between a minimum of 0.20 and a maximum of 5.00. This range is quite restrictive, as some high-rolling players may use totals beyond the retailer. However, the range is fit for penny rollers looking to play conservatively. I tried both high and low wagers, and I realized that I made small returns even when I lost games on the lower scale.
The slot has 5×6 reels and operates on an all way’s pays mode where winning symbols disappear, leaving room for new symbols and creating space for a multiplier system.
Theme, Audio & Symbols
Gates of Olympus Xmas 1000 video slot immerses players into the festive version of the original Greek mythology theme by creating a winter wonderland skin.
The background features a series of snow-covered pillars, and Zeus is wearing a hat and a somewhat Santa Clause costume. The overall visual is sharp and detailed, and the slot is a clearly updated version of the old one.
The snow effects and additional ornaments provide the Xmas feeling without overshadowing the slot’s original design, as it is shown below.
The sound design creates a perfect synergy with the visual experience. Some of the original thunderous sounds are retained, but are accompanied by jingle bells and chime sounds. I found no issues with audio, as all effects were engaging and did not tire me in the course of gameplay.
The symbol design is more or less similar to the original with some added snow dust. The symbols are all high definition with 4k resolution, which makes the visuals attractive and allows one to differentiate them easily on the playing grid.
The animation is smooth, especially during winning combinations. The floating Zeus character is the most energetic member in terms of animation quality. He casually floats beside the reels and occasional jolts of lightning that create wild multipliers.
I found the gameplay rather engaging and humorous, especially due to how Zeus looks in the Xmas version.
The user interface is intuitive and easy to navigate, as all critical control functions are readily accessible and comprise bet controls and the spin button. The game also has a readily extraordinary information panel on the paytable and other features like the bonus.
The overall control design is user-friendly and encouraging and was even better on mobile due to its compact screen layout.
A short promotional video showcasing the game would enhance audience perception and produce even more engagement. A back-to-back comparison with the old version to see the visual changes was also a significant marketing advantage.
Bonus Features
Gates of Olympus Xmas 1000 has several main bonus features that promote an exciting and interesting gameplay and increase the chance of winning big. These features are the Tumbling Reels, Free Spins, Multiplier Symbols, and the Ante Bet. Knowledge of the bonus features is half the battle when it comes to playing Gates of Olympus Xmas 1000. Below, I will elaborate on each bonus feature, offering a user perspective based on my gaming experience.
The Tumbling Reels is a mechanic otherwise known as cascading wins that is central to Gates of Olympus Xmas 1000. When a spin is complete, winning combinations are awarded payouts, and the symbols responsible for the win are removed from the screen. The remaining symbols collapse down to fill the empty parts of the grid, while new symbols cascade down from above to fill the spaces the winning symbols left behind. This occurs for as long as new winning combinations can be formed. The Tumbling Reels is instrumental in creating additional winning patterns during a single spin, predisposing a player to a much greater payout. I have experienced a multiple winning outcome during testing with this feature as it allowed me to increase my bankroll more often.
The Free Spins feature is activated by a scatter symbol, Zeus, which appears anywhere on the reels. Getting four or more of these symbols activates 15 free spins. Multiplier symbols, which also appear on any spin, give a random multiplier from 2x to 1000x. If a winning combination occurs when a multiplier symbol appears, the win is multiplied by the indicated number. In the base game, the multiplier was only applicable to the current win. As I already mentioned, in the free spins round, the multiplier symbols add their values to a total multiplier, which is then used on any other wins. My experience playing this slot showed me that the biggest wins in this game are usually achieved during the free spins round. In my game, the multiplier is displayed on the Y screenshot and continued to increase, leading to significant wins. Furthermore, additional free spins can be triggered by getting 3 or more scatters even during the free spins, giving 5 more free spins.
Players can also choose the Ante Bet option, which increases their bet by 25% in return for double the number of free spins features. The number of scatter symbols on the reels increases when the Ante Bet option is in place, making it more likely that I would land four at once on a single spin. This option is probably most attractive for players who primarily wish to weigh the free spins round and who could be willing to wager more money in order to do so. I used Ante Bet when testing, and it did win me the free spins option more frequently. On the other hand, when free spins did not obtain, I depleted my bankroll quicker.
Players also choose Buy Bonus. This option makes players a charge of 100 times their stake to trigger the free spins round immediately. This is a simple way to gain maximum profit from the game’s most lucrative feature, but it does come with a risk to be aware of. If the free spins feature does not succeed, the player stands to lose a lot of money. I attempted this option numerous times while testing. The final effect varied. Indeed, some free spins yielded big payments that entirely compensated for the Buy Bonus’s expense. Nonetheless, others did not, resulting in a loss. I only advise utilizing this strategy for players who are keen to take risks.
Mobile Experience
Another aspect for which Pragmatic Play is well-known is its focus on mobile compatibility, and Gates of Olympus Xmas 1000 does not disappoint.
The game runs smoothly on my mobile phone just as it does on my desktop. I played it on an iPhone and an Android tablet with no issues at all. The game’s design is responsive and adjusts extremely well to all screen sizes. I had no difficulties reading the text or distinguishing the graphics, no matter from what device I was playing.
Additionally, Gates of Olympus Xmas 1000 for mobile has all the features and options available in the desktop version. I can modify my wagers, view the paytable and settings, and utilize the Tumbling Reels feature with a single touch. I had to confirm my wager size and spin again after each victory cascade.
Gates of Olympus Xmas 1000 on mobile maintains the high-quality visuals of the desktop version. The video graphics are highly realistic and have a high level of visual interest even on my small screen. While the computer animation was fluid, the sound effects were just as fulfilling. There was no reduction in quality between the PC and mobile versions in terms of the overall experience.
With limited broadband access, the game loaded fairly on a smartphone. Pragmatic Play is a powerful game provider has acknowledged the demand for high-quality mobile gaming. Overall, Gates of Olympus Xmas 1000 for mobile is of high quality.
Pros & Cons
Gates of Olympus Xmas 1000 offers multiple advantages. Firstly, it has a high volatility rate, which means that players have an opportunity to win substantial payouts. The combination of Tumbling Reels, Multiplier Symbols, and Free Spins results in the accumulation of the multiplier values during the latter, which means even higher potential rewards.
The all ways pays system contributes to the more common appearance of winning combinations, which is aesthetically and volume-wise preferable for those who play to win. Secondly, the “Christmas mode” adds an extra touch to the game that is already widely liked by the audience. The snow-covered background and the theme-specific gentle sound effects enhance the atmosphere of the game and create a more joyful experience, which is more favorable for customers at this time of year.
It is also mobile-friendly, being equally easily navigated on the smartphone and the tablet. Lastly, the Ante Bet option is attractive for those who like bonus games more than the main ones: they can buy the possibility of triggering free spins, which increases their chances of scoring a win. The Buy Bonus option is also a faster way of achieving the same goal. This way, the game is easily navigated by people both experienced and new without any common language barriers.
However, Gates of Olympus Xmas 1000 also has certain disadvantages. For example, the players might not afford it if they do not have high enough bankrolls since it has a high volatility rate and may mean long periods of losing. Furthermore, the bet range is not very high, which is inconvenient for high-rollers that like to spend more.
The theme is made for Christmas and is probably not suitable for other times of the year. It has the same game mechanic as the original Gates of Olympus, and people tired of playing it will likely not stay with the updated one.
Even though large payouts are possible, it is important to understand that winning the max win is statistically unlikely. The RTP of 96.51% is standard, but the risk is always present since the sum will not go to every player. Therefore, before playing the wager, it is recommended to read the terms of the game and adopt a responsible approach to gambling.
Our Verdict
To sum up, Gates of Olympus Xmas 1000 is a strong title in Pragmatic Play’s selection of games. Although the Christmas version of the original may not introduce anything new, it is perfectly designed to match the holiday season.
Players who appreciate high volatility games that sometimes result in massive payouts will find this title outstanding. It is also accompanied by flawless mobile optimization, ensuring that punters can play on the move at any time.
However, Gates of Olympus Xmas 1000 may not accommodate all players’ needs due to the high volatility and limited betting options. This version of the game is a more festive Christmas complete skin of the original game, Gates of Olympus.
That means the core game dynamics do not have to be different from the original game. Players who have enjoyed the first title will find this version as a well-themed reskin that includes the season’s fun and vibe.
Players who like highly volatile games with great potential for massive wins and also enjoy changing the theme will find this game interesting. Diehard fans of the initial game who want to explore and see how Christmas can change the game can also consider playing this version.
Experienced players: Players familiar with the original game can easily pick up the game because it is straightforward and simple to play. They will find retaining the winning cluster familiar a rewarding experience. However, adding a Christmas special to it offers a new feel and excitement to these players.
High volatility and potential overlapping of well-paying clusters will make the game more appealing to expert players. They will also enjoy the Buy Bonus and Ante Bet feature that offers even more chances of winning or losing.
Beginners: Novice players will find the game a little challenging to play, given the highly volatile aspect and the complicated Buy Bonus and Ante Bet features. The Christmas UX will, however, make it seem easy and worthwhile to play.
It is important for a beginner to start the game using smaller bets to understand the dynamics better. Beginners can also practice with the demo version of the game to understand how the game functions without losing their money.
In conclusion, Gates of Olympus Xmas 1000 is a Christmas-themed skin of the popular original game. This game is a great pick for all categories of game-loving people. However, players must play responsibly and consider the gambling risks involved.
Play Responsibly
Gambling can be a fun activity, but it is inherently risky. Gamble responsibly and only gamble within your means.
Never gamble with the intention of recovering lost money. Create a budget for your gambling habits and stick to it, as the odds are always in favor of the house in the long term.
People under the age of 18 are not allowed to participate in online gambling and can face severe repercussions for underage gambling.
If you believe that you or someone you know is struggling with gambling, you should seek help. Various resources are available to help people with gambling problems.
Gamblers Anonymous and the National Council on Problem Gambling offer confidential counseling and support services. Problem gambling is a serious problem, but it can be treated.
Do not gamble if it’s affecting your life. Something is wrong if gambling occurs more often or for longer periods, if you spend more money than you are willing to spend, if you borrow money to gamble, if you neglect your children, if you lie about gambling, and feel guilty or regret it.
Gambling is a form of entertainment, so one should not bet too much, as loss of money occurs. Instead of gambling, take a break and engage in other activities to create a healthy balance.
If you are concerned about a gambling problem, you should contact the resources mentioned above. There are loved ones and opportunities available.
Gambling is supposed to be a fun game, but it can quickly lead to addiction and loss if you don't play responsibly. Therefore, it is essential to prioritize taking care of one’s well-being and comfort.
