Over the years in the iGaming industry, online slots have become increasingly popular, with many featuring unique mechanics and visual themes. Many themes have been used more widely by development studios than others; one of these is Ancient Egyptian slots. The Ancient Egyptian theme is unique, with recognisable imagery from the civilisation’s history, making for interesting gameplay. Whether it is picturesque, pyramid-filled environments or games centred on notable cultural deities, slots in this genre are unlike any others. In this write-up, we will cover the best slot games in the Ancient Egyptian genre, exploring their mechanics and what sets them apart.
Book of Dead
Book of Dead is one of the most popular slot games ever, developed and released by Play’n Go in 2016. The Book of Dead slot game was inspired by the popular traditional slot machine ‘Book of Ra’, sharing similar characteristics, including its theme. Despite being released over a decade ago, the Book of Dead slot game still remains popular today, thanks to its effective visuals and fun bonus features. The gameplay in the Book of Dead slot takes place across a 5×3 playgrid, featuring a fixed payline count of 10.
The visuals of the Book of Dead slot are well executed, with gameplay set in the centre of an Ancient Egyptian tomb. In the background, sandstone walls and pillars are adorned with hieroglyphs, enhancing the aesthetic. The playgrid itself contributes to the theme, with blue and gold strips separating the reels and polished gold slabs above the grid, evoking the rich allure of the culture.
There are some interesting bonus features in the Book of Dead slot game, including the Wild, Free Spins, and Expanding Symbols, which may be triggered at random.
Pyramid King
The Egyptian pyramids are among the most famous landmarks in Egyptian culture, prompting many game studios to base their titles on them. Pragmatic Play has taken a similar approach, releasing this title to screens in 2020. The Ancient Egypt theme is well expressed in the design of the Pyramid King slot game, which is unsurprising given who created it. As with the previous title, gameplay will take place across a 5×3 playgrid, with 25 paylines on which players can land matching combinations.
The Pyramid King slot features a detailed visual design, centred around the Ancient Egyptian theme. Considering the game’s title mentions the infamous pyramids, their presence in the backdrop comes as no surprise. In addition to the pyramids in the background, there are other thematic references, including the River Nile.
The Pyramid King slot offers fun bonus features that elevate gameplay, including Free Spins and Jackpots.
Temple of Iris 2
Eyecon released the Temple of Iris 2 slot following the success of its preceding title, returning some familiar elements from the first game. The Temple of Iris 2 slot was released in 2020 and has since gained a notable reputation in the genre. While also returning familiar elements, Eyecon has implemented some nuanced game mechanics in the Temple of Iris 2 slot, helping to differentiate the title. Similar advanced visuals are present, created to showcase the game’s Ancient Egyptian theme. In this title, Eyecon has removed all jackpots from the previous title and instead has added ‘Instant Prizes’. The base gameplay in the Temple of Iris 2 slot game will take place across a 5×3 playgrid, containing 25 paylines.
The Temple of Iris 2 slot gameplay will take place on a translucent playgrid at the centre of the view, beneath a picturesque night sky filled with stars. In the backdrop of the Temple of Iris 2 slot game, there are Egyptian pyramids once again present, as well as groups of camels walking across the view.
As with the other titles mentioned, there are bonus features in this slot game, and once again, one of them is the Free Spins rounds. In addition to the Free Spins bonus, there are also Wild symbols and Multipliers that can be triggered.
Eye of Horus
The Eye of Horus slot game has become one of the most popular titles on both traditional slot machines and online slots. The title was released by Reel Time Gaming in 2016, and since then, many sequels have been released, sharing the same visual design. Whilst not sharing the same cutting-edge graphics as some other titles on the list, Eye of Horus is still a competitor in the genre to this day. Despite having simpler visuals, the game’s theme is still showcased well, with fitting colour palettes displayed throughout the slot. The gameplay will take place across a 5×3 playgrid, with 10 fixed paylines.
The playgrid covers most of the visible space in the Eye of Horus gameplay, which is set on a dark, sandy backdrop. This colour palette is applied to the slot’s background, tall pillars following suit, and hieroglyphs adding to the aesthetic.
There are some bonus mechanics in the Eye of Horus slot game, with the Expanding Horus Wilds and Free Spins feature.