Rubies of Egypt: Slot Overview

For whatever reason, gambling and Ancient Egypt seem to go hand in hand in certain circles, which raises the question – did people actually gamble back then? If the internet is anything to go by, and these days it’s practically the modern Oracle of Delphi, the answer appears to be yes. Depending on the source, Ancient Egyptians were playing games of chance more than 5,000 years ago. Remarkably, the theme is still going strong, and here’s another Egyptian-tinged game of chance to add to the pile. It’s called Rubies of Egypt and it comes from Games Global partner studio Just For The Win.

Usually, launching an Egyptian-themed slot means being welcomed by pyramids, palm trees, sun-baked sands, and other “step back in time” visuals. Rubies of Egypt doesn’t really go down that route, instead feeling closer to a quasi-land-based gambling machine with a few Egyptian-inspired touches and a sultry soundtrack. The burgundy backdrop is set with a pattern that looks almost Celtic, and while the overall presentation is polished, it doesn’t exactly immerse players in a bygone era. Put simply, Rubies of Egypt felt more like the Luxor Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas than the real Luxor in Egypt with its stunning historic architecture.

Getting down to it, when playing Rubies of Egypt, players can choose stakes starting at 20 p/c per spin and rising to $/€50 max. A highly volatile title, Rubies of Egypt is available in four RTP configurations, with 96.06% as the top option. With a hit rate just under 1 in 4 spins, gameplay takes place on a 5-reel, 4-row layout featuring 30 fixed paylines.

Most of Rubies of Egypt’s symbols pay left to right, beginning from the leftmost reel, though the Pharaoh symbol can also pay right to left, starting from the rightmost reel. As the game sheet explains, this is thanks to the perfect symmetry of his face. Only the highest win on a both ways line is awarded. Alongside the Pharaoh in the high-paying set are 4 other classic Egyptian icons, while J to A royals make up the lower pays. A 5-of-a-kind win returns 2.5 to 3 times the bet for low symbols, or 5 to 10 times the bet for the high symbols. Landing on reels 2, 3, or 4 is the game’s wild ruby, which substitutes for all symbols except the free spins symbol.

Rubies of Egypt: Slot Features

As for bonus content, Rubies of Egypt includes a Ruby Respin feature plus a free spins round in which players can encounter Pharoah Power and the Ruby Upgrade.

Ruby Respin

Any time a wild symbol lands, there is a chance the game will activate the Ruby Respin feature. That said, it cannot trigger on the same spin that launches free spins. When Ruby Respin begins, any wild symbols currently on the screen become sticky, and 2 to 9 extra wild symbols are randomly added. Free spins cannot be triggered during a Ruby Respin

Free Spins

If 3, 4, or 5 free spins symbols land anywhere on the grid, players receive 8, 12, or 16 free spins respectively. After each free spin, all Pharoah and wild symbols are collected. Once 10 Pharaoh symbols have been collected, the Pharaoh Power extra is granted. If more than 10 Pharaoh symbols are collected, any excess carries over to the next collection. When 10 wild symbols have been collected, the Ruby Upgrade aspect is awarded. As with Pharaohs, if more than 10 wilds are collected, the additional ones count towards the next Ruby Upgrade.

Pharoah Power

The Pharaoh Power feature upgrades a symbol to the next one higher on the paytable. Each time an upgrade occurs, an extra free spin is added. If every upgradeable symbol has been upgraded to the Pharaoh, no further Pharaohs are collected.

Ruby Upgrade

The Ruby Upgrade increases the multiplier on the wild symbol by 1. Each time this happens, an additional free spin is awarded. The wild multiplier has a ceiling limit of x5, and once that cap is reached, no more wilds are collected.

Rubies of Egypt: Slot Verdict

You likely wouldn’t choose Rubies of Egypt if your main aim was a virtual journey into the distant past to soak up one of the world’s most enigmatic and long-lasting cultures while spinning reels for cash. There are winning chances, of course, and with up to 5,000 times the bet available, they’re not bad chances either. It’s simply that Rubies of Egypt doesn’t lean heavily into the cultural side compared to much of the competition. Not that it has to – it’s just worth noting how light the “Egyptian” element is in the Rubies of Egypt package.

The other half of the equation is the rubies, and while the game isn’t especially groundbreaking, the Ruby Respin feature can deliver some lively moments. Respins add a bit of punch to the base game thanks to sticky wilds and the ability to add more wilds. It’s also worth stressing again that landing a wild doesn’t mean Ruby Respin will definitely activate. Instead, players can get that “will it or won’t it” tease. Quite often, one or more wilds would appear and nothing would trigger. In hard terms, the Ruby Respin extra has a theoretical frequency of 1 in 60 for those who like to know the odds. That leads into free spins, which raise the stakes thanks to the potential for wild multipliers and symbol upgrades. Two solid mechanics that have shown up before, and here they get another outing in Rubies of Egypt.

Overall, Rubies of Egypt stands out among Egyptian slots because it doesn’t seem overly focused on whisking players away to a different time and place, as many similar games try to do. The documentation mentions a mesmerising Ruby Temple, but after playing, Rubies of Egypt didn’t exactly leave a huge impression. Still, if you’re after an Egyptian-flavoured gambling session with a slight land-based vibe, Rubies of Egypt may fit the bill.