We will improve the planet we leave behind. Before destroying King’s Landing and being stabbed by her squeeze and blood nephew Jon Snow, alias Aegon Targaryen, Daenerys Targaryen made this statement. Dany’s rage was either the best or the worst possible way to conclude the great Game of Thrones series. No matter whose side you’re on, there’s no denying that the show was a huge deal when it aired. As a result, the many houses of Westeros can be seen plastered on everything from Night’s Watch boyfriend pillows to full-size reproductions of the Iron Throne, and of course, casino machines.
The GoT-themed game in question today was developed by Slingshot Studios, a Microgaming partner. As you may be aware, Microgaming has been in this position previously, having debuted the massively popular Game of Thrones 243 slot machine in 2014 with a 15-payline variant. Slingshot has released a new game based on the popular series, and it’s called Game of Thrones Power Stacks. The action begins at the mystical barrier protecting humanity from the looming Night Walkers in the far north, where a 5×5 game grid with 40 paylines awaits. The reels are surrounded by previews of upcoming bonuses like the Power Stacks and jackpots. After a certain number of free spins have been played, the backdrop image will change; the second location to appear was King’s Landing, the capital of Westeros.
Fans will be overjoyed at the prospect of revisiting Westeros, a sensation that will be amplified by the great music taken directly from the show. During free spins, for instance, the show’s renowned theme tune had us all thrilled, while songs like Blood of my Blood from season 6 helped pump energy in the basic game. If ever there was a skillful use of a branded slot, this is it.
Cersei Lannister once stated, “When you play the game of thrones, you win or you die.” Game of Thrones Power Stacks is not nearly as intense, but it still has a large maximum win and a lot of volatility. Theoretical return values range from 86.00% to 96.20%, using the most liberal setup available in the game. In addition to the variable RTP, the hit rate also varies somewhat across versions, but never drops below 29%, or around one win for every three spins. Bets ranging from 20 pence per spin up to £/€20 can be placed on Game of Thrones on any device.
The paytable also features a prominent Game of Thrones motif, just like the rest of the game. The low-paying symbols are represented by four of the major house sigils: the Greyjoy, Stark, Lannister, and Targaryen sigils. Tormund Giantsbane, the Night King, steely-eyed Sansa, Dany, and the boy who knew nuthin’, Jon Snow, are the other five important characters in the tale. When you get five of a kind with characters, you win 5–7.5 times your wager. Players will enjoy a cute animation from the series whenever a premium win occurs. After a successful use of the game’s logo, a brief animation will play. Five of a kind of wilds may be worth 25 times their normal payout, and they can also help form winning combinations with other symbols.
Slot Functions Inspired by “Game of Thrones: Power Stacks”
In the top left, you can see the Power Stacks indicator, which will, at random intervals, show you a different kind of symbol. For the remainder of the current spin, all five reels will have a Super Stacked version of this symbol. Power Stacked symbols can be any other icon not used as a scatter or wild.
Special currency symbols are interspersed among the ordinary symbols on the grid. When 6 or more of them fall, the Link&Win bonus is activated. All but the triggering symbols are removed from the board and secured in place. New coins reset the counter and lock into place at the start of each of the three spins. If you win the Valyrian reward or run out of spins, the bonus will stop. Regular coins pay out anywhere from 1x to 15x the wager, and jackpot coins pay out one of four different amounts. These are bronze (20x the stake), silver (100x the bet), gold (500x the bet), and Valyrian (2,500x the bet).
If you get three Iron Throne scatters while playing the standard game, you’ll win 15 extra spins. All payouts, including those from the Link&Win feature, which may be activated during free spins, are doubled during the feature.
Power Stacks in Slots, a Verdict on Game of Thrones
In case you needed an excuse to take another trip to Westeros, Slingshot Studios has given you a good one. The team did an excellent job of incorporating the theme, both in overt ways like the background and in subtler ways like making Valyrian steel the highest value prize. The impression I get from playing Game of Thrones Power Stacks is that it was designed for and played by die-hard fans of the series. The universe of George R. R. Martin will come roaring to life on your smartphone, and if you enjoy the program at all, you will feel perfectly at home.
Putting aside the concept for a second, the features aren’t really original. For example, the Link&Win, which is employed in Thunderstruck Wild Lightning, has a more inventive quality, and the notion of double wins during free spins was novel a long time ago. But, in the end, does it even matter? Innovative features become less important when a game allows you to relive one of the greatest shows in television history. And it’s not like they’re handing out incentives on a Flea Bottom scale. If you’re curious, the maximum payout in this game is 25,000 times your wager, making the Valyrian bonus in free spins worth a cool 5,000x. This trumps the previous GoT slots, by the way.
The branding that Slingshot has created is fantastic. Game of Thrones Power Stacks respectfully and playfully handles the show’s heavy subject matter on the reels. While the game’s features may not exude novelty, they may nonetheless deliver, and the visuals and soundtrack are top-notch. It’s possible that viewers who weren’t invested in the show until the end may disagree with this, but as Jon Snow put it: “We look up at the same stars and see such different things.”