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We’re surprised more slots don’t draw inspiration from Arthurian legends. Thanks to the British empire ruling a third of the world, they’re stories most people have heard at least off-hand. King Arthur, the wizard Medivh, the traitor Lancelot and the fair Guinevere are household names in many places. NetEnt decided to get ahead of the trend and make a game that includes them and several other characters. You know, for good measure.
The soundtrack is mostly ambient noise, with an occasional flute sounding off. Excalibur’s RTP is 95.08%, which is below the current average. There’s not much in terms of interesting special features, either. You have free spins with a 3x multiplier, and two types of Wilds. A regular one that doubles all prizes, and a golden one that packs a 4x multiplier! You’ll need to use all three bonuses if you hope to win the 1500x jackpot.
You can tell that this NetEnt release dates back to a much older era. The symbols are big and blocky, and there’s a distinct lack of polish modern slots by this developer have. The background image is actually non-existent unless you turn your brightness way up. Gameplay revolves around the core loop of chasing free spins and multipliers. It’s not bad, but it’s a concept that’s been done to death. As such, we cannot recommend Excalibur for real money play.
Players hoping to win big in Excalibur will find the odds stacked against them. In part due to the lower than average RTP, and because of the low to medium variance. Wins tend to be quite common, but their prizes outside of bonuses are small. Which is why all the various multipliers you can pick up through special features are so important.
The coin range for this game is ₹1.00 at its lowest, and ₹100.00 per spin at its highest. By changing your bet level and coin value, gamblers can adjust their total bet amount. The minimum you can stake is ₹20, while your maximum wager is ₹800 for each spin. This makes for a great betting spread, one that pleases each category of player. Casual and mid-range gamblers will be pleased at the number of betting options, while high rollers can make huge bets.
What shows the slot’s age most is the icon design. The artwork is decent, but it was clearly designed with smaller screens in mind. There are no animations attached to the symbols, or small details that you can find in NetEnt’s releases. Playing card royals are overlaid on top of shields, while heroes and villains of Arthurian legend occupy the board. The sword Excalibur is both the regular and golden Wild. A golden cup with wine in it is the Scatter icon.
Wilds: A regular sword symbol is the Wild, and can substitute for all icons except golden Wilds and Scatters. Regular Wilds will also double the cash prize of any winning combination it participates in.
Golden Wilds: Golden Wilds are the improved version, and bring a 4x multiplier to the table. Golden Wilds only appear on the third reel. It is possible for Golden Wilds to substitute for regular Wilds, allowing you to earn a tidy cash prize!
Free Spins: Three, four or five Scatters will reward ten, twenty or thirty free spins, respectively. While extra turns are being played, all prizes are increased by 3x.
Excalibur is an older game, and it clearly shows by its graphics. The background image is so dark it might as well not exist at all. There’s a distinct lack of interesting animations on the playing field. Even symbol designs are bland and look boring. If there’s a slot in dire need of a remaster, Excalibur probably fits the bill.
The reason why it won’t see any visual overhaul is because it’s not worth it. The gameplay loop can be found in numerous other releases, both by NetEnt and other developers. There’s no special feature to get excited over. You just get several multipliers and a free spins round. They’re lucrative, but they’re not fun. And today’s slots can provide both at the same time.
As a result, we cannot recommend playing this game for real money.