Sands of Destiny

Sands of Destiny Slot Review

Slot Provider: Peter and Sons

RTP: 96.3% | Variance: High | Maximum Win: 10,000x

Our Score: 7.4

Play at Grand Ivy Casino
QUICK LINKS: Game Information | Where To Play | Full Review | Testing Notes | Tips For Players | About The Developer

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 Sands of Destiny

Reviewed by:

Published Date: 19th June 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.

Sands of Destiny is an Egyptian-themed slot from Peter and Sons. It starts with 4,096 win ways but the grid expands up to a maximum of 8 reels by 5 rows when the Eye of Horus lands on reel 3, creating up to 390,625 win ways. There are also Cosmic Eggs that deliver instant win prizes of up to 10,000x and 2x Stacked Wild Multipliers that land when Ra and Horus symbols combine.

The max win in this game is 10,000x and spins start at 25p.

Sands of Destiny Game Information

  • Release Date: 20.06.24
  • RTP: 96.3%
  • Variance: High
  • Maximum Win: 10,000x
  • Progressive Jackpot: No
  • Reels: Up To 8
  • Rows: Up To 5
  • Paylines: Up To 390,625
  • Minimum Stake: £0.25
  • Theme: Egypt
  • Features: Expanding Reels, Stacked Wilds, Re-Spins, Instant Win Prizes, Re-Spins, Multipliers
  • Format: Expanding ReelsWin Ways

Testing Notes: Here’s What Happened When We Played Sands of Destiny

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 200 spins on Sands of Destiny on Peter and Sons test server prior to release to test the game. This is what happened.

  • Stake Size: 1
  • Start balance: 10,000
  • End balance: 10,030.16
  • Hit Rate: 21.5% (43 winning spins in 200)
  • Biggest Win: 67x
  • Cosmic Egg Wins: 19
  • Eye Of Ra Re-Spins: 4
  • Stacked Wilds: 1

This was a really streaky session typical of a high variance slot with some runs of 8 or 10 spins with nothing before 2 or 3 wins on the bounce. The win rate of 21.5% meant around 1 in 5 spins producing a win on average. What was surprising was how many of those came via the Cosmic Eggs. They accounted for half the wins – 19 in total – though none were spectacular with 16 1x wins and 3 5x wins.

The Eye of Ra that triggers the expanding grid and re-spins landed 4 times, with a 12.12x being the best result. It’s a fun feature, though the trigger rate of just 2% felt too tight to me. I’d have liked less Cosmic Eggs and more Eye of Ra’s!

A 67x win in Sands of Destiny from the Stacked Wilds
A Sphinx Stacked Wild helps deliver a win of 67x in testing

But the big moment was the Sphinx Stacked Wild when Ra and Horus dropped together. This happened just ONCE in 200 spins. But it did produce a 67x win thanks to the 2 adjacent wild stacks and 3 extra wilds.

So, cash positive at the end, but the overall impression was of a very volatile game – tread carefully!

What We Liked

  • Instant wins from Cosmic Eggs worth up to 10,000x
  • Reels expand to give up to 390,625 win ways
  • Superb artwork and soundtrack
  • Stacked Wilds in special feature
  • Fixed RTP of 96.3%

What We Didn't like

  • Highly volatile so can be a grind at times
  • 25p minimum bet is high

Sands of Destiny Review Scores

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

What Our Reviewer Says ...

"A typically distinct slot from Peter and Sons, taking a classic theme and adding new dimensions in gameplay and production!"

Overall Score: 7.4

Theme & Design

Our Score 8

Awesome Atmosphere And Great Visuals In This Game

Sands of Destiny looks superb. It is set at the top of a stairway in front of an ancient Egyptian stone temple. There is also a dreamy soundtrack that gives the whole game a mysterious atmosphere. The scene is perhaps best described by the Peter and Sons creative team – ‘under the scorching sun, as the eyes of Ra and Horus align, the ancient Tomb of long dead kings arises, and its growing treasures unveiled’!

Sands of Destiny by Peter and Sons
Sands of Destiny – super visuals from Peter and Sons

So, if you like to be beguiled by your slots games, this is one for you. Ancient Egyptian slots may be a crowded field but this one more than holds its own for visuals and sounds.

RTP and Variance

Our Score 8

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.

Sands of Destiny has one fixed RTP of 96.3% so that is the rate wherever you play. It’s a solid return, about average for an online slot game. This is also a volatile game so it can burn your balance fast. Expect an uneven win distribution and many dead spins though the expanding grid, stacked wilds and multipliers have the power to kick out some big moments on a lucky day too.

Maximum Win

Our Score 7

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.  

Peter and Sons have capped the max win at 10,000x in Sands of Destiny. That’s standard for their slots. Most come in around the 8,000x to 12,000x range and they’ve yet to produce one of those blockbuster mega max win games that we see from bigger studios like Nolimit City or Big Time Gaming.

Symbols and Paytable

Our Score 7

Sands of Destiny uses a win ways mechanic which means that wins are triggered by landing identical symbols on any row on adjacent reels from left to right, starting at the left most reel.

The initial grid size is 6 reels and 4 rows which creates the popular 4,096 win ways format (4x4x4x4x4x4). However, landing Ra symbols expands it to 6×5 (15,625 win ways), 7×5 (78,125 win ways) and then 8×5 (390,625 win ways).

Sands of Destiny Paytable
The paytable with 1.2x for 8 top paying premiums

There are 8 symbols in the paytable. Low value ones are the card suits, spades, hearts, clubs and diamonds. They are valued at from 0.04x for 3 spades up to 0.4x for 8 diamonds. The premiums are the gods, including Anubis and Horus. These pay out from 0.12x for 3 up to 1.2x for 8 of the top paying gods.

Overall, not great value there, so you’ll be looking for some help from wilds, multipliers and other features to land the big wins.

Features and Gameplay

Our Score 7

The theme may be well worn but the gameplay is original and has been carefully configured to deliver thrills via big instant wins, re-spins on an expanded grid and the rare treat of stacked wilds on two adjacent reels. This is how it all works:

Cosmic Eggs

Who would have thought cosmic eggs would make an appearance in an Egyptian slot? Peter and Sons clearly did. So here they are. And they deliver some BIG instant win prizes when 3 or more land ANYWHERE on the grid. The payouts are 1x, 5x, 10x, 25x, 100x, 250x, 500x, 1,000x, 2,500x or 10,000x for 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, or 8 eggs.

Eye of Ra, Re-Spins and Grid Expansion

The fun stuff happens when you land an Eye of Ra symbols on the 3rd reel from the left.

Eye of Ra in Sands of Destiny
Eye of Ra triggering expanded reels

Each time you land one, the grid expands to the next level up – 6 reels and 5 rows, then 7 reels and 5 rows, then 8 reels and 5 rows. Each time it expands, you have more win ways to complete.

Re-spins keep happening until an Eye of Horus symbol lands on reel 2.

Eye of Ra and Eye of Horus Combination With Stacked Wilds

The best moment in the game happens when you land Eye of Ra on reel 3 and Eye of Horus on reel 2 simultaneously. This expands the grid to its full 8×5 size immediately and turns the 2nd and 3rd reels into stacks of wilds, represented by the Sphinx symbol.

At the same time up to 3 more wilds are randomly added elsewhere on the grid. They may carry multipliers of 2x as well, to be applied to any win they are part of.

NOTE: Wilds substitute for any pay symbol to complete a win way.

The Final Verdict

Sands of Destiny has a tough, volatile edge, but thanks to superb production and a regular supply of Cosmic Egg wins, it seems like there will be enough to keep you interested whilst waiting for the big moments to drop. And this game is ALL about the big moments – the pay table is not packed with great value so you really need that expanded grid with more win ways or the double reel wild stack to make things happen. When either of those arrive then the potential for a big win shoots up. It’s what high risk gambling is all about and it shows once again that Peter and Sons are a force to be reckoned with.

Useful Tips When Playing Sands of Destiny

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 Eye of Ra

The Eye of Ra on reel 3 is a big moment as it triggers reel expansion and more win ways.

2. Horus Is Powerful Too

If you can land the Ra-Horus combination you’ll enter the most powerful moment of the game with stacked wilds guaranteed on 2 reels. So look out for the 2 eye symbols appearing together.

3. Be Patient And Choose A Low Stake

This is a highly volatile slot so it can burn your balance fast. Use bankroll management – Be patient and set your stake low relative to your balance 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 Sands of Destiny?

  • Name: Peter and Sons
  • Established: 2019
  • UK License: 37462
  • Total Games: 30 +
  • Known For: Cartoon and fairytale style slots with mega blocks
  • Popular Slots: Dugeon Tower, Ghost Father, Voodoo Hex
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