Aztec Gems

The Aztecs are one of the most famous of all central/southern American civilizations and the remains of many of their ancient monuments and temples can still be seen to this day, with the likelihood of many more being lost somewhere in the dense rain forests that cover this part of the world.

Of course, it didn't turn out too well for the Aztecs when European settlers reached the area, plundered it for all their riches and produce and then introduced a number of diseases from Europe which proved deadly for the Aztec's as they had not built up any resistance to them after living hundreds of years in isolation.

So, while the Aztec tale is ultimately a cautionary one, it is also a hugely interesting one and it has provided many slots development companies with the impetus to develop games. Aztec Gems is one such slot and Pragmatic Play have taken a slightly unusual approach with their game.

This is a four-reel slot but only three reels decide whether you win or not. All wins are three symbols and the fourth reel is used only as a multiplier reel which will land on a selected multiplier and on any winning spin, that multiplier will be applied.

This is a more retro-styled slot, but with a couple of more modern features and if offers medium variance gaming. Let's take a closer look now at how the Aztec Gems slot plays.

Overview

• Game: Aztec Gems
• Developer: Pragmatic Play
• Reels: 3 Game Reels, 1 Multiplier Reel
• Pay Lines: 5 (non-selectable)
• Minimum Bet: 0.05
• Maximum Bet: 25.00
• Jackpot: 250
• Free Spins Bonus: No
• Other Bonuses: No
• Progressive: No
• Volatility: Medium

Where can I play the Aztec Gems slot?

If you enjoy the simple game-play of Aztec Gems and want to try your hand at a number of other top Pragmatic Play slot games, then the casino you should join is Spartan Slots. Simply signing up as a new customer, without making a deposit, will make you eligible for 25 Free Spins and then when you do decide to make your first deposit, you can benefit from a massive 200% Deposit Bonus, trebling the amount of cash you have to play in an instant.

However, if you elect to sign up and deposit using bitcoin, then you have a different and even greater deposit bonus available to you. Play using the cryptocurrency as your cash and you will receive a huge 400% Bitcoin Bonus and not just on your first deposit, but on your second and third bitcoin deposits too. That means that on each of your three initial deposits, you'll have five times more cash to play with than you would do from your deposit alone.

With a very wide choice of games available including many of the very best Pragmatic Play slot games, Spartan Slots is a perfect choice for a gamer who wants a great value starter bonus and value for money gaming going forward.

Presentation

Pragmatic Play slots always do tend to be presented very well and the Aztec Gems slot is no different. Set in a jungle backdrop and with waterfalls either side of the reel, it is a dark and ominous setting for the game. The reels dominate the screen though as they are slap bang in the middle of the action.

The musical accompaniment to the slot is very nicely done and has a very dramatic and Central American feel and this really does add to the atmosphere of the slot very nicely, especially when you have the occasional jungle noise thrown into the soundtrack for good measure.

The controls for the slot are all at the foot of the screen and you can spin faster by holding the space bar as you click, or by double clicking the spin button.

What's on the reels?

When it comes to the symbols on the reels the Aztec Gems slot boasts just a total of eight symbols. One of these is the Wild which we shall explore more about in the section below. The remaining seven symbols are the gem symbols and these are all different shapes and mostly different colors.

The lowest value is the yellow triangle gem, followed by the blue pentagon and three of these on a line offer wins of either your total stake, or less than your total stake.

All other winning lines will offer a profit on a spin and these include the red square, the green circle, the blue diamond, the purple octagon and lastly the shield shaped red gem, which offers the highest standard win of 4x your total bet for three on a line.

However, all of these wins are then subject to what you spin on the fourth reel as this is the Multiplier reel. This reel does not contain any symbols, but instead contains multipliers of 1x, 2x, 3x, 5x, 10x or the largest 15x.

On each spin the multiplier reel will come to rest on a multiplier and if your spin is a winner, then your win is subject to the multiplier you land, which can increase the value of your win quite markedly.

Wild features

The Golden Totem symbol is the Wild symbol in the game and it is stacked on the reels and can cover a reel completely. It substitutes for all symbols on the reels and when you land three across the reels it offers a pay out of 5x your total bet, which is the biggest win in the base game. That is without the multiplier reel of course which can add a considerable amount to that win.

Free Spins features

There is no free spin feature included in the Aztec Gems slot.

Other bonus features

Other than the Wild symbols listed above, there are no additional bonus features in the Aztec Gems slot.

Best feature of the Aztec Gems slot

The two main bonus features are the key features of the Aztec Gems slot. The multiplier reel is a very good idea although it can be somewhat frustrating at times to see the larger value multipliers land readily when you hit a non-winning spin, but then when you hit a win, you tend to land the smaller value multipliers. Even so, this does add a real sense of excitement to each spin and that combined with the Golden Totem Wild with its 5x multiplier does give the game a degree of excitement, which in truth it needs given the lack of other bonus features.

What does the Aztec Gems slot lack?

It is pretty much self-evident that the Aztec Gems slot lacks bonus features. Now you can view this as a by-product of this being designed to be a more retro-styled slot, but the inclusion of the multiplier reel is a more modern feature and as such, once you start heading that way then I think you need to add a few more bonuses to keep the game appealing. The fact that there are no free spins bonus rounds, or even a Pick'em Bonus game, not a randomly landed bonus does mean that unless you love spinning the reels and little else, that you will find the Aztec Gems slot a little lacking.

Conclusion

There's definitely a dividing line with the Aztec Gems slot. If you are a player that loves free spins bonuses and other types of bonus features on games, then this is a slot which will have little to no appeal to you. However, if you are a slot gamer that enjoys a more retro-feel and who enjoys the chance to win the biggest cash prizes on every spin and just enjoys the simple game-play offered by a 3-reel (plus one multiplier reel) slot, then Aztec Gems certainly does have plenty of plus points. However, as a medium variance game, it is one that can play a little tight at times, but when caught on a good day, can lead to a lovely mix of different value wins.

Ratings

• Presentation: 16 / 20 - The presentation of the Aztec Gems slot is very nicely done. The musical accompaniment in particular is excellent and the graphics comprising the backdrop and the reels are also eye-catching. The different gems are easy to distinguish (if not so easy to hit on a winning line) and the game fits together very nicely combining these different elements into a neat package.
• Game-play: 12 / 20 - The game play of the Aztec Gems slot is very simple, keep spinning and hope that eventually you'll do some winning! You do need to be a little careful here as this is a slot which doesn't hit that often and so your bankroll can take a bit of a beating if you play the game at too high a stake for your bankroll. However, with a small bet and sizeable bankroll you should be able to experience the best the game has to offer and the variety of different wins available.
• Bonus Features: 9 / 20 - Although this is a relatively simple slot game, I still would have liked to have seen some more bonus features. The Multiplier reel is a nice touch and that brings the score up a little, as does the Wild symbol but without any other features to really get your teeth into, this is a slot which really doesn't meet the needs of those that like bonus features. It is most definitely a game aimed at those who enjoy playing enjoyable, medium variance slots in their most simplest form.
• Entertainment Factor: 11 / 20 - The addition of the multiplier reel into the game does give it an added charm and I think adds to the excitement on each spin and that is what lifts this game just above the average for me. However, I do feel that the base game isn't particularly rewarding and does get repetitive at times (and expensive when you don't trigger a win for a large number of successive spins). I also feel the absence of any other bonus features other than the multiplier reel and the Wilds makes this slot one of the less exciting ones to play.
• Play Value: 9 / 20 - Although this is a medium variance slot, there are times when you can go many, many spins without a win and then when you do hit a win, you only win a fraction of your bet anyway and as a result, the play value for the Aztec Gems slot isn't great in my view. I felt at times this played more like a higher variance game, but without that big money jackpot to entice you in and as a result, you can feel a little short-changed after a while. However, to be balanced, you can also hit some good-sized wins relatively quickly depending on how the slot is playing.
• Overall 57 / 100 - Aztec Gems has some nice touches and is very well presented but ultimately this is a slot which will only appeal to retro slots fans and those that enjoy very variable play on a slot. It would be more playable with a much larger jackpot but sadly with just a 250 win available, it does lack the pulling factor of similar games with much larger jackpots available. That's a shame as this could have been a cracking little slot but it is just a bit too difficult to hit the value wins in my opinion.

Good Luck!

Next Offer: Plunk Oh