Quick Stats
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Provider | Barcrest (Light & Wonder) |
| Game Type | Video Slot |
| RTP | 96.1% (standard) / 98.1% (Big Bet) |
| Volatility | Medium |
| Reels / Rows | 5 × 3 |
| Paylines | 20 Fixed |
| Min Bet | $0.20 |
| Max Bet | $500.00 |
| Max Win | 500x stake |
| Features | Free Spins, Wild Reels, Win Eliminators, Colossal Symbols, Free Spins Retrigger (Red Pyramid), Big Bet, Pharaoh’s Bonus Wheel |
| Theme | Ancient Egypt |
| Release Date | 15 April 2017 |
| Platform | Desktop & Mobile |
What Is Legend of the Pharaohs?
Legend of the Pharaohs is Barcrest’s take on the ancient Egyptian slot formula, but it carves out its own space through sheer feature density during the free spins round. Where most Egyptian pokies give you a single bonus mechanic, this game stacks up to three simultaneously — a Wild Reel locking in place, low-value symbols being eliminated from the grid, and a 3×3 Colossal symbol dominating three central reels at once.
The setting is an Egyptian tomb. Stone walls, blue-lit chambers, gold pillars flanking the reels, and hieroglyphic detailing form the backdrop. It’s not the most visually adventurous game Barcrest has produced — the 2017 design shows its age compared to modern releases — but the mechanical depth more than compensates.
This is a good match for NZ players who want more from a free spins round than just extra spins. Medium volatility keeps sessions relatively steady, while the combination of three bonus types in a single free spins activation can produce the kind of compounding payouts that make Egyptian-themed pokies popular in the first place. If you also want a higher return rate, the Big Bet feature pushes RTP to 98.1%, which is exceptional for this genre.
RTP and Volatility
Standard play carries an RTP of 96.1%, which sits just below the average for online pokies. That changes meaningfully if you use the Big Bet feature — the RTP climbs to 98.1%, which is genuinely above-average and one of the most player-friendly rates you’ll find in a slot of this type.
Volatility is medium. In practical terms, a $20 session at $0.50 per spin (40 spins) should deliver a reasonable number of smaller line wins alongside occasional free spins triggers. The combination of three simultaneous bonus modifiers during free spins means the bonus round itself can deliver large payouts, but you won’t be grinding through long dead streaks to get there the way you would with high volatility games.
Over millions of spins, the standard game returns $96.10 per $100 wagered. That long-run figure has no bearing on any single session — your results will vary — but medium volatility means the distribution of wins is more consistent than in high variance titles.
Betting Range
Coin values run from $0.01 to $0.25, across 20 fixed paylines. This sets the standard spin range at $0.20 (minimum) to $500.00 (maximum). The $500 ceiling is unusually high for a medium volatility game and opens the door for serious stakes — though at that level, the Big Bet feature becomes particularly relevant given its RTP advantage.
The Big Bet is a separate purchase of five linked spins at a fixed cost: $20, $30, $40, or $50. Wins across all five spins are tallied and paid at the end. Each tier unlocks a progressively more powerful version of the Pharaoh’s Bonus, described in the features section below.
Try this: Start with 20 spins at $0.20 to get familiar with how often the Blue Pyramid scatter appears. If you’re comfortable with the pace, the Big Bet is worth considering for its RTP uplift and enhanced bonus access.
How to Play Legend of the Pharaohs — Step by Step
- Set your bet. Use the red (−) and green (+) buttons at the bottom of the screen to adjust your coin value. The “i” icon opens the full paytable and rules — check this before you stake.
- Choose standard or Big Bet play. The purple “BB” button activates the Big Bet side-game. In standard play, press the large green Spin button to begin.
- Watch for winning combinations. Three or more matching symbols on adjacent reels from left to right on a valid payline pays a prize. Minimum three of a kind.
- Note the Wild’s position. The Wild symbol only appears on reels 1, 2, and 3 in the base game. It substitutes for all regular symbols except the Blue and Red Pyramid scatters.
- Trigger free spins. Three or more Blue Pyramid scatters anywhere on the reels start the Free Spins Bonus. The number of scatters determines how many bonus modifiers activate alongside 10 free spins.
- During free spins, watch for Red Pyramids. If a Red Pyramid lands during free spins, you’re offered a retrigger — a new set of free spins and bonuses. You can accept the new allocation or keep your current one.
Try this: Before raising your stake, run 10 Big Bet rounds at the $20 level to experience how the Pharaoh’s Bonus wheel plays out — it gives you a clearer picture of the game’s actual feature frequency than the base game alone.
Symbols
Legend of the Pharaohs carries ten symbols across two tiers plus two special symbols.
The high-value symbols are five Egyptian-themed icons: the Scarab Beetle, the Bird, the Eye of Horus, the Ankh (Key of the Nile), and the Legend of the Pharaohs logo. The logo is the top-paying regular symbol.
The five low-value symbols are the standard card ranks: Ace, King, Queen, Jack, and Ten. These fill lines regularly but pay modestly. The Win Eliminators bonus during free spins specifically targets and removes these symbols, starting with the 10 and working upward.
The Wild is a golden block icon. It substitutes for all regular symbols but not for either Pyramid scatter. In the base game, it appears exclusively on reels 1, 2, and 3 — not on reels 4 or 5.
The Blue Pyramid is the primary Scatter. It can land anywhere on all five reels in the base game and triggers free spins. The Red Pyramid replaces the Blue Pyramid during the free spins round and acts as the retrigger symbol.
Bonus Features
Free Spins with Multiple Active Bonuses
Three or more Blue Pyramid scatters anywhere on the reels trigger 10 free spins. The number of scatters determines how many bonus modifiers are active simultaneously throughout the round.
Three scatters activate one bonus. Four scatters activate two bonuses. Five scatters activate three bonuses — all three modifiers running at once. The bonuses are drawn from three types (described individually below), and they activate in combination rather than in sequence.
All wins during free spins are accumulated and paid out as a single total at the end of the round, not spin by spin.
Wild Reels Bonus
One reel is randomly selected and turns completely Wild for the duration of the free spins round, unless a new bonus is triggered that replaces it. A fully wild reel covering three positions on one reel creates the potential for simultaneous multi-payline wins on every free spin. When this combines with a high-value Colossal symbol on an adjacent reel, the interaction can be the most valuable in the game.
Win Eliminators Bonus
Up to five of the lowest-paying symbol types are removed from the reel set entirely for the free spins round. Removal starts with the 10 symbol and works upward through J, Q, K. With five eliminations active, only the premium Egyptian symbols and the Ace remain on the reels, concentrating every spin’s potential payouts into the higher tier. This is the modifier that most consistently improves hit quality without the spectacle of the other two.
Colossal Symbol Bonus
A randomly selected symbol becomes a 3×3 Colossal version occupying all nine positions across reels 2, 3, and 4 simultaneously. This Colossal symbol stays locked in that state for the entire free spins round unless a new bonus triggers and replaces it. If the selected symbol is a high-value icon — the logo or the Ankh — the Colossal bonus can cover every position on three reels, creating large combinations across multiple paylines on every spin. If the selected symbol is a low-value card rank, the impact is smaller but still meaningful for payline coverage.
Free Spins Retrigger via Red Pyramid
During free spins, the Blue Pyramid is replaced by the Red Pyramid scatter. When one or more Red Pyramids land during the feature, the game offers a retrigger. One Red Pyramid triggers a new allocation of free spins with one bonus modifier. Two trigger two bonuses. Three trigger all three. Crucially, the retrigger is offered as a choice — you can accept the new free spins and bonus combination, or stay with your current allocation if you judge it to be stronger. This decision point is worth paying attention to: if you currently have Wild Reels and Win Eliminators active and the retrigger would reset to just Colossal Symbol, keeping your current round may be the better outcome.
Big Bet Feature
The Big Bet is a Barcrest-signature mechanic found across their catalogue. You pay a fixed amount — $20, $30, $40, or $50 — for five linked spins. All wins across those five spins are combined and paid at the end. Any Blue Pyramid scatter that lands during those spins is collected; collect three to trigger the free spins bonus, with each additional scatter awarding five extra free spins.
The Pharaoh’s Bonus activates at the end of the Big Bet session if two Blue Pyramids were collected but not enough for free spins. It presents a bonus wheel with segments for cash prizes, feature entry, and a game-ending segment. The tier of the bonus wheel scales with the Big Bet amount:
- $20: Standard Pharaoh’s Bonus wheel
- $30: Pharaoh’s Bonus with cash prizes on offer
- $40: Super Pharaoh’s feature — bigger cash prizes, easier free spins entry
- $50: Mega Pharaoh’s feature — maximum cash prizes, largest free spins entry segment on the wheel
The RTP uplift to 98.1% applies during Big Bet play, reflecting the improved feature access and win potential at this stake level.
Barcrest Background
Barcrest was founded in the UK in 1968, originally supplying electromechanical slot machines to British pubs before transitioning to digital platforms. In 2011, they were acquired by Scientific Games, now trading as Light & Wonder, and their games — including the Rainbow Riches franchise and this title — operate under that banner today. Barcrest holds licences from the UK Gambling Commission and Malta Gaming Authority. All their titles run on HTML5, fully compatible with iOS and Android without requiring an app.
Is Legend of the Pharaohs Worth Playing?
Pros:
- Up to three simultaneous bonus modifiers during free spins creates a genuinely layered bonus experience uncommon in Egyptian pokies
- The Big Bet RTP of 98.1% is one of the highest rates available in any slot of this type — exceptional for players who use it regularly
- The Red Pyramid retrigger gives you agency during free spins — accepting or declining the new allocation is a real decision, not just a passive mechanic
- $500 maximum bet makes it viable for high-stakes sessions
- Medium volatility means the bonus round is reachable without extended dry runs
Cons:
- Standard RTP of 96.1% is slightly below the industry average for players not using Big Bet
- The Wild only appears on reels 1, 2, and 3 — absent from the two rightmost reels, which limits its base-game impact
- Colossal Symbol selection is random — a 3×3 field of 10s or Jacks is a visual let-down after high expectations
- The game’s 2017 visual design is noticeably dated alongside modern releases
- The Big Bet structure requires a significant upfront cost ($20–$50) to access the game’s best RTP and feature tier, which doesn’t suit small budgets
Legend of the Pharaohs earns its place through mechanical depth rather than visual polish. The free spins round — especially with all three bonus modifiers running simultaneously — is more interesting than most Egyptian pokies can claim. For NZ players who can use the Big Bet at even the $20 tier, the 98.1% RTP makes it one of the most mathematically generous options in the genre. Play it for the features, not the aesthetics.
Responsible Gambling
Legend of the Pharaohs uses a certified random number generator (RNG). Every spin outcome is completely independent and random — no strategy, pattern recognition, or bet sizing influences what symbols land. Set a firm budget before each session and stick to it. If gambling stops being enjoyable or starts to affect your daily life, reach out to a local responsible gambling support service for help.
