Play Sands of Fortune for Free

The setting of the Sands of Fortune takes players on a testing though highly worthwhile journey through the mysterious and beautiful Sahara Desert. Meandering your way through Egypt, players will take in all of the sights and sounds akin to this famously macabre part of our planet whilst attempting to tempt fate in their way and stumble across some very big winnings indeed.

Despite tackling a theme which has been very well tried and tested, the developers of this game do manage to inject a fresh vitality into the whole mysterious desert setting, with several of the games functions and intriguing characters acting to help the console stand apart from its many thematic predecessors.

One thing that does stand out however is the repetition of themes within the game itself – though this isn’t necessarily always a bad thing – which make it easier to move onto the next game in the library after just a few spins if fortune isn’t with you on this one from the offset.

With a standard number of 5 reels though just 9 paylines, the mechanics of this game do alter slightly from the norm. Depending on your own personal tastes and preference, you’ll either enjoy this more limited field of play or reject it entirely - though one thing is for sure, it will serve as a break of sorts from the monotony of the standard 20 line format.

Betting is conducted at a maximum of one coin per each of the pay lines and the wild symbol is your bog standard wild symbol - a nice old school touch that this reviewer happened to appreciate immensely.

With so many new games touting out so many different features that are designed to set them apart from the old school, some would claim that a new middle ground is merely being formed. If that is the case, then Sands of Fortune is not stranded upon this ground.

When it comes to bonus features, the developers of the game may just have let us down. Given the huge scope of potential there is within the theme for a number of thrilling bonus rounds, they have decided to include just one.

Activated only when a player receives 3 or more of the relevant bonus symbols anywhere on the reels, the bonus round opens in a fresh screen and presents players with three tunnels in the ‘ancient crypts of Egypt’ (see, so much potential!). Players then select their tunnel of choice and will encounter either an artefact or a trap. If an artefact, a prize will be awarded to the brave adventure for their troubles and if a trap, you guessed it, they will be sent back with no such prize and only a tale to tell.

Sands of Fortune is a certainly worth a punt, though there is no question whatsoever that it’s potential is limited by what seems to be a lack of ambition on the part of the developers. Perhaps we’re being idealists, but we feel there is plenty more room for exploration within this theme than the games creators have picked up and acted upon.