Royal Key Slot Machine
There’s some Medieval magic to enjoy in the Royal Key video slot, where jewels, castles, kings, sorcerers and golden keys help punters to unlock some of the bigger winnings as matching symbols appear across this 5 reel game. It’s from the Italian slot machine developer Octavian Gaming and comes with many of their signature features, from the 10 payline layout, to the betting options and the chances to land lots more rewards during the bonus features.
It also comes with the guarantee of fair play that all Octavian Gaming slots have, with independent testing labs having certified their range, while high returns ensure that the Royal Key won’t keep players’ bankrolls locked up for long. A mysterious Sorcerer figure is able to act as others if he can then complete winning lines, while he’s also got the magical power to launch a free spins round. Like all of the symbols in this game, he’s been designed in great detail and the whole reel matrix is framed by an atmospheric image of misty woodlands that look like something from Middle Earth.
Verona-based Octavian gaming has been building a portfolio of online and mobile optimised slot games, extending their reach beyond the gaming cabinets that they specialised in for a number of years. Their entry into new markets seems to have paid off and they have been releasing a whole series of games including ones based on hugely popular topics, with King’s Valley and Secret of the Sphinx for example, both set in the frequently visited lands of ancient Egypt. Royal Key sticks to the magical theme and is sure to find lots of fans at the casino sites which have included slots from this company.
The key to Success
Although the playing card symbols are not related to the theme of Medieval magic, these common icons are designed to look as if they have been carved into stone, which helps them blend in to the overall subject matter. Other symbols include colourful jewels, a decorative red and silver ring, the golden key, a castle tower in the clouds and a dagger.
Any time these create a winning combination the symbols in the line are highlighted by a decorative frame, while animations such as the clouds floating past the castle, or the jewels reflecting the light will play out. The top symbols are made up of a couple of characters, such as the King, in his fantastic winged helmet, and the Sorcerer, with each of these guys grinning at us whenever they are part of a winning combo.
The Sorcerer, and his green glowing crystal ball, does more than this however, as he’s both the wild and scatter symbols of this slot game. If he’s able to fill in for any other symbol to bridge any gaps in a continuous run, or extend a win-line, you still get paid for a win, or claim a higher prize if he stretches the line over the reels on the right side of the game.
Helping punters to achieve this magical trick is the way in which he’s a stacked wild symbol, plus there’s the small matter of bonus features being triggered when he’s seen in any 3 or more places at once. Octavian Gaming has a nice way of enhancing the reels in their bonus rounds, pretty much guaranteeing that once they have been triggered, players are going to land plenty of extra coins before the features are over, and the Royal Key video slot sticks with this rewarding format.
The key to Winnings
Wins are calculated as multiples of the amount staked per line, so the higher the initial bet, the more valuable the payouts will be and you can activate all 10 lines from a low limit of just 0.50 per spin. This amount can then be raised to suit the budget although the maximum stake is 20.00, which may be a little low for some high rollers.
It’s an easy game to learn and play, with a review of the paytable being all that’s needed before placing your bets, and while there’s no free Royal Key video slots mode, the high returns means that most punters will want to get right down to spinning up real cash awards anyway.
Other options that can be chosen include an Autoplay function that sees the reels spinning for as many times as you want, and the Quick Spin button simply speeds up the action a little.
Similar Slots
The Crystal Ball video slot from Bally Wulff has a similar feel to it, with a Sorcerer, blue jewel and even a forest in the background. A red-glowing crystal ball symbol is both the wild and scatter icons here, substituting for all others and triggering 10 free games when it’s seen in any 3 or more places in a single spin. A special bonus symbol is picked before the free spins start and if this becomes part of a winning line, once the initial payout has been made, it will expand across any reels that it’s landed on and new combinations can be formed.
Crystal Ball also comes with a useful Gamble button which lets you try and double wins over and over by correctly guessing the colour of a face down playing card. Features like this can potentially result in big rewards, but of course any wrong picks along the way will lose the triggering prize along with anything gained so far in the gamble round.
IGT have their Magic Castle slot at the many online casinos which carry the range from this popular developer. Magic Castle has the mysterious Leonora, a beautiful woman who is a stacked wild symbol, along with even more jewels, roses and a cute black cat. This magical moggie, along with the wolf, triggers the unique Familiar Upgrade feature, turning symbols into extra wilds, but the rich bonuses don’t end there, as you can also earn free spins with random multipliers attached to any wins.
These are just a couple of examples of the many magical themed slot machines that are so successful, although if you have a particular fondness for keys, we think Royal Key is unique in its field.
Rewarding Royalty?
Although the theme is a bit of an unusual mixture of royalty, magic, keys and castles, it all seems to come together quite nicely and makes this a good-looking game that’s going to attract plenty of players.
Little design details such as the frame highlighting winning lines and the subtle animations of the characters are a sign that Octavian Gaming artists have crafted Royal Key with care, while the programmers behind the gameplay have given us a few decent bonuses to help boost the return to player percentage.
Perhaps a higher maximum bet level would be nice, although this seems to be a standard feature across the range of slots from Octavian Gaming, and most punters will stake less than 20.00 per spin anyway.
