Rulers of the World Pokie Review
The full (and rather lengthy) name of this online pokie is Rulers of the World: Empire Treasures. Released in 2022, it was created by Vikings, which is one of the many slot designers under the Playtech umbrella.
This game transports players back to ancient times, where ambitious men and women battle for dominance of the known world. You may even recognize a few familiar faces, as some of the characters are modelled after celebrities such as Britney Spears and Mel Gibson.
There are 40 paylines, and the top payout is worth 883x your wager (not including the progressive jackpots). If you’d like to know more, please keep reading for my Rulers of the World pokie review.
Options for Betting
There are 21 wager options in this game. The lowest of these costs $0.40 per spin, while the highest is an impressive $2,000. Rulers of the World is primarily a game for high rollers, which is appropriate considering the theme of kings and emperors.
RTP, Volatility and Hit Frequency
The RTP (return to player) for this game is 95.34%. This means you’ll win an average of $95.34 for every $100 wager, although you’ll need to play thousands of spins to avoid short-term variance. While this number is slightly below average, it’s not a deal breaker.
This game has a medium level of volatility (or variance). That means winning spins will come along at a decent rate, and the expected payouts should be satisfactory.
The hit frequency is 32.02%, which is a measure of how often a winning spin will occur. You can also expect a feature to trigger (on average) every 60.8 spins.
Rulers of the World Paytable
Next, we’ll discuss the colourful reel symbols and their potential payouts. Keep in mind that wins are multiplied by the line bet, and only the highest win pays per line.
- Egypt and Kongo Icons – Both of these symbols are worth 3 for three matches, 15 for four and 75 for five.
- China and Rome Icons – Both of these symbols are worth 5 for three matches, 20 for four and 100 for five.
- Wild – Pays 40 for three matches, 200 for four and 750 for five. It also substitutes for all symbols except the scatter.
- Scatter – The game’s scatter takes the form of a glowing cube on reels one, three or five. It doesn’t offer a payout, but getting three on the reels triggers the free spins bonus.
- Egypt, Rome and Kongo Rulers – All of these symbols are worth 7 for three matches, 50 for four and 150 for five.
- China Ruler – Pays 20 for three matches, 100 for four and 300 for five.
- India Ruler – Pays 25 for three matches, 125 for four and 400 for five.
- Britain Ruler – Pays 30 for three matches, 150 for four and 500 for five.
Ruler Respin
This feature can trigger during any spin. When it occurs, the bottom right space on the reels (known as the “feature frame”) will transform any leader symbol that lands on it into a wild. It can re-trigger up to five times, which would result in all leaders temporarily becoming wild.
Free Games
If glowing cubes land on reels one, three and five at the same time, then the bonus round activates. Each ruler has their own advantages, but you’ll have to start with Egypt and work your way up the list.
Rulers include:
- Egypt – 15 spins. When their symbol lands in the feature frame, it turns another ruler wild.
- Rome – 12 spins. This option provides the same bonus as Egypt. After a spin without a wild transformation, it also adds a feature frame to another reel.
- Kongo – 10 spins. When any symbol (except for the scatter) lands in the feature frame, it turns all symbols of the same type wild.
- China – 7 spins. On each spin, it adds one to five feature frames to the reels. Any ruler who lands in one of these frames is turned wild.
- India – 5 spins. During each free spin, a 2×2 feature frame is added to the reels. Any ruler who lands in one of the feature frames turns wild.
- Britain – 2 spins. When any ruler lands in the feature frame, this option turns all rulers wild.
If two scatter symbols land during a free spin, you’ll receive an additional three spins. This doesn’t apply, however, to Britain and India.
If three scatters land on the reels, you may re-trigger any feature. The only exceptions are Britain and India.
Jackpot
During any spin, it’s possible to win one of four mystery progressive jackpots. It should be noted that larger wagers provide an increased chance of winning.
When this option becomes available, you’ll be taken to a screen with 20 jackpot icons. One of the four jackpots (mini, minor, major or grand) is hidden beneath each icon.
Next, you’ll need to click on one of the icons to reveal a jackpot and add it to corresponding collection area. Once you’ve filled the collection area for a specific jackpot, you’ll win that prize.
Please keep in mind that you’ll be dealing with a timer during this feature. If you don’t make a selection within the allotted time, then the game will choose for you.
The jackpots begin at the following amounts:
- Mini – Starts at $100
- Minor – Starts at $1,000
- Major – Starts at $10,000
- Grand – Starts at $200,000
Final Thoughts
Rulers of the World: Empire Treasures features bold music and impressive-looking characters. Considering the theme of the pokie, the sights and sounds are entirely appropriate.
I’m a big fan of progressive jackpots, and the potential to win one on any spin is a major plus. Of course, this can become costly, especially when larger bets increase your odds.
I’ve seen some reviews that complained about the size of the payouts, but they look fine to me. My only real gripe is the below-average RTP, but it still remains within a reasonable range.
If you’re a high roller who enjoys ancient history, this is a must-play poker machine. For everyone else, I give it a strong recommendation.