Pirots X

Pirots X Slot Review

Slot Provider: ELK Studios

RTP: 94% | Variance: High | Maximum Win: 10,000x

Our Score: 8.2

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WHY YOU CAN TRUST THIS REVIEW: The information and opinions on this page are the result of an comprehensive process of information gathering and live game testing by the gambling experts who work at allslotsites.com. Find out more here.

About Pirots X

Reviewed by:

Published Date: 17th October 2024

How We Review Slot Games

We test and rate all slot games across 5 criteria, assigning a score out of 10 for each and an overall score that is an average of the 5. To build an accurate assessment of each game we gather information from the supplier and play in real play or demo mode. Find out more.

Pirots X is the fourth in the Pirots slots series from ELK Studios. It is a cluster pays game with cascading wins played on a 5×5 grid that expands to 7×7 in the bonus round. When nests appear on the grid then Pirot birds fly down to them to collect symbols that cause the global win multiplier to grow. They also trigger bombs to go off, unleash feature chests and drop big symbols. There are two bonus rounds where the global multiplier persists between drops and feature chests are guaranteed on each spin.

The max win in this high variance game is 10,000x. Spins start at 10p.

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Pirots X Game Information

  • Release Date: 24.10.24
  • RTP: 94%
  • Variance: High
  • Maximum Win: 10,000x
  • Progressive Jackpot: No
  • Reels: Up To 7
  • Rows: Up To 7
  • Minimum Stake: £0.10
  • Theme: AnimalsPirate
  • Features: Cascading WinsExpanding ReelsFree SpinsMultipliersSuper Sized SymbolsWilds
  • Format: Cluster Pays
  • Series: Pirots

Testing Notes: Here’s What Happened When We Played Pirots X

IMPORTANT: To give you an accurate assessment of the games we review our writers play 200 spins. Whilst this is a useful tool to help us review games and to give an example of what might happen when you play, keep in mind that 200 spins is only a very small sample and cannot be used to accurately predict what might happen over another 200 spins. The outcome of all slots play is always random.

Boom Or Bust? Our Session By The Numbers

I played 100 spins on Pirots X on ELK Studio’s test servers prior to release to test the game. This is what happened.

  • Stake Size: 1
  • Start balance: 1,000
  • End balance: 988.15
  • Win Rate: 17% (17 winning spins in 100)
  • Biggest Win: 39.75x
  • Free Spins Round: 0

Pirots X felt like quite a tough slot. It was very streaky, starting with 5 wins on the bounce, but then going dead for 10 spins. And that set the tone for the rest of the session. Having said that, the overall the win rate came in at 17% which isn’t too bad and the balance held up reasonably well. But just be prepared for the game blowing hot and cold a lot.

Aside from the win distribution, this is a really fun slot. The CollectR format has gone but you still get to see the Pirots whizzing around the grid collecting symbols or dropping bombs and feature chests which can go a long way to extending any win sequence.

I got a taste of what can happen for the biggest win of the 100 spins – a 39.75x via a combo of bombs and a 20x multiplier. For those moments you can just sit back and watch the game do its stuff. There were a few wild multipliers in the mix too. It’s safe to say on a good day this game could really pop in the same way other ELK slots like Avalon Gold do.

Pirots X 29.75x win
A 39.75x win with 20x global multiplier

Takeaways? Another cracking game. Simpler than the first 3 Pirots and capable of producing some dramatic wins mixing up wild and global multipliers.

What We Liked

  • A fun slot series with amusing Pirot birds
  • Chance to combine wild and global multipliers for big wins
  • Global multiplier persistent between spins in bonus round
  • Feature chests guaranteed on each spin in super bonus round
  • Wilds merge to form multiplier wilds

What We Didn't like

  • No CollectR feature in this version of Pirots
  • RTP is a bit low at 94%

Pirots X Review Scores

  • Theme and Design 9
  • RTP and Variance 7
  • Maximum Win 8
  • Symbols and Paytable 8
  • Features and Gameplay 9

What Our Reviewer Says ...

"ELK's charming Pirots are back for another wildly entertaining ride on the reels!"

Overall Score: 8.2

Theme & Design

Our Score 9

After heading out on adventures to the age of the dinosaurs (Pirots 2) and then the Wild West (Pirots 3), the Pirots are back in familiar surroundings, searching for pirate treasure on what looks like a Caribbean island with lush vegetation, rocky cliffs and turquoise ocean waters in the background. This group of pirate parrots are one of the ELK’s most charming creations, bringing humour and thrills to the reels in equal measure, and there has been no drop in production quality as the series progresses. In short the game looks and sounds great.

Pirots X by ELK Studios
Pirots X Game Screen

RTP and Variance

Our Score 7

What is RTP?

RTP (Return to Player) refers to the amount a game will pay out in cash prizes expressed as a percentage of all the money wagered on that game. For example, a 96% RTP means a game will pay out £96 for every £100 wagered. This is an average number and will vary from one session to the next.  Read more here.

What is Variance?

Variance refers to how far a game will deviate from its RTP over time. High variance games deviate a lot and produce uneven win distributions and unexpected windfalls. Low variance games provide a more stable and even distribution of wins. Read more here.

Pirots X has an RTP of 94% which is standard for ELK Studios games. Whilst is it a little under the best RTP rates found in online slots (96% and upwards) it is fixed, so you will play at 94% wherever you load up Pirots X. That is good news as many games now have a range of RTP settings and some operators set them to as low as 90% or less.

Like the first 3 Pirots games this is a high variance slot so it may blow cold for long periods before kicking out an exciting win. You need patience and bankroll to see it through!

Maximum Win

Our Score 8

What Is Maximum Win?

Maximum win refers to the maximum amount a player can win from one spin. It is expressed as a multiple of the stake. For example, where the maximum win is 100,000x, from a £1 stake, the maximum win would be £100,000.  

There is also continuity with the max payout from the first games in the Pirots series, capped at 10,000x. That means you can win up to £1,000 with a 10p bet. Not a bad haul but if you want to play for even bigger prizes, check out our list of slots with the highest max wins.

Symbols and Paytable

Our Score 8

The big difference between Pirots X and the games that came before is that the CollectR format has been dropped in favour of a cluster pays one in this case. That means you need to land clusters of 5 or more identical symbols on horizontally or vertically adjacent positions to trigger a win. The game area is 5 reels by 5 rows, expanding to 7×7 at various phases in the game.

Pirots X Paytable
The paytable with 50x for 16 or more red Pirots

There are 8 symbols in the pay table to work with. The low value ones are the four gems – blue, green, purple and red. These are valued at from 0.1x for 5 blues up to 10x for 16 or more reds. The Pirots themselves make up the higher value symbols, valued at from 0.3x for 5 blue Pirots up to 50x for 16 or more red ones.

Wild symbols – a golden W – substitute for any pay symbol to complete a cluster. Their role is enhanced by multipliers and the ability to merge and split as explained in the features part of our review.

Features and Gameplay

Our Score 9

The relentless antics of the Pirots who moved around the reels collecting symbols as they went were what made the original Pirots 1, 2 and 3 so fascinating. It was a real deviation from the classic slots format. For Pirots X ELK have returned the creatures to a more traditional model – Cluster Pays – but they still pull off some unique tricks to help drive wins.

This is how the game works:

Cascades Follow Each Win

The cluster pays mechanic works in tandem with a classic Cascading Wins. After each win, winning symbols are removed from the grid. Remaining symbols and new ones drop down to fill the gaps left behind. If new clusters are formed then the process repeats. And so on, until no new wins are created.

Pirots Collect Symbols To Increase The Win Multiplier

In Pirots X the Pirots appear at the top of the grid at the start of each spin. Their role is to help you to grow the win multiplier displayed at the top of the screen. They do this by flying down to land on any nest that appears on the grid and from there, collecting any adjacent symbols of their color. Each time they collect a symbol the multiplier grows by 1x if it’s a low paying gem, or 2x if it’s a high paying Pirot.

Pirots X Global Multiplier
Global multiplier displayed above the reels

The Pirots can also trigger features at random from their positions at the top of the grid. There are 3 features of this kind:

Bombs – a bomb dropped onto the reels will explode all adjacent pay symbols to cause a re-drop AND expand the grid to 7×7 size for the chance to create bigger clusters for bigger wins. The grid remains expanded until the round ends.

Pirots X Bomb Feature
A Pirot with a bomb

Feature Release – you may see one of the Pirots opening a chest at the start of a spin. This is the feature release and causes a random number of pay symbols on the grid to be replaced with either wilds, bombs, nests, scatter or super scatter symbols.

Big Symbols – one of the Pirots may drop a super-sized symbol of its own color onto the grid. It will drop down, removing any pay symbols of the same color on its way. It then acts as a cluster the size of the number of positions it covers.

Wilds Split, Merge and Carry Multipliers

The wild is important in Pirots X too. It doesn’t just perform the standard function of substituting for pay symbols to complete clusters. It does more …

Firstly, if more than one wild appears in a cluster then they merge to form a multiplier wild whose value is the same as the total number of wilds that merged. The multiplier value is then applied to the total cluster value, before that number is multiplied by the global multiplier for the final payout.

And … if a wild connects two clusters then it will split in two, awarding one wild for each of the two clusters.

Two Free Spins Rounds

There are two versions of the free spins rounds in Pirots X.

The standard free spins is triggered by landing 3 bonus symbols – the anchor with the word BONUS on it. The super free spins is triggered by landing 2 bonus symbols and one super bonus symbol – the anchor with the words SUPER BONUS on it.

The key difference between the free spins rounds and the base game is that the global multiplier appearing at the top of the screen is persistent between spins. In the super free spins the grid expands to 7×7 to give you the chance to create bigger clusters. AND .. one of the Pirots is GUARANTEED to open a feature chest at the start of each spin.

During both rounds landing a free drops symbol will extend the round by 1 spin.

The Final Verdict

ELK Studios have delivered again. Personally, I found the CollectR format to be fun but a little hard to follow at times and I think this simpler version of Pirots will have a wider appeal. None of the excitement of building big win sequences has been lost and the birds still scoot around the board to boost your wins, whilst the classic cluster pays-cascading wins format is a perfect fit for their quirky antics. And of course, there is plenty of scope in the game’s configuration to see some really dramatic win moments. Top stuff!

Useful Tips When Playing Pirots X

Remember, online slots are games of chance, there is NO strategy that can improve your odds of winning. However, reading our review and following these tips will help you get the most out of your time playing this slot game.

1. Look For Feature Chests

When these drop it can be a big moment as it adds more special symbols onto the grid including powerful wilds and bombs.

2. Look For BONUS Scatters

These will unlock the bonus round where you get free spins and a persistent multiplier.

3. Play At Low Stakes

Use our bankroll management tips to set a low stake relative to your balance. This is a high volatility slot that can burn you fast, so bet sensibly to avoid an early exit.

4. Play At Our Recommended Slot Sites

We have chosen the sites on this page because they all scored high in our reviews and they are licensed by the UK Gambling Commission. That makes them fair and safe places to play slots.

Who Made Pirots X?

  • Name: ELK Studios
  • Established: 2013
  • UK License: 40844
  • Total Games: 60 +
  • Known For: Amazing artwork, wide choice of themes and styles
  • Popular Slots: Avalon Gold, Dropz, Nitropolis, Wild Toro
Find More ELK Studios slots

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