Shields of Lambda

Shields of Lambda Slot Review

Slot Provider: Quickspin

RTP: 96.13% | Variance: High | Maximum Win: 9,926x

Our Score: 8.0

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About Shields of Lambda

Reviewed by:

Published Date: 2nd May 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.

Shields of Lambda is a cluster pays slot from Quickspin with an Ancient Greek theme. The objective is to fill a meter above the grid with Lambda symbols which are collected whenever there is a win. This unlocks the Unity feature with a guaranteed win on the first spin followed by a tumble wins sequence. There is also a free spins round where the Unity feature includes an unlimited progressive multiplier. This atmospheric game has a max win of 9,926x. Spins start at 20p.

Shields of Lambda Game Information

  • RTP: 96.13% | 94% | 92% | 87%
  • Variance: High
  • Maximum Win: 9,926x
  • Progressive Jackpot: No
  • Reels: 5
  • Rows: 5
  • Paylines: Cluster Pays
  • Minimum Stake: £0.10
  • Theme: Ancient Greece
  • Features: Wilds, Colossal Wilds, Tumble Wins, Free Spins, Progressive Multiplier

Testing Notes: Here’s What Happened When We Played Shields of Lambda

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 Shields of Lambda on Quickpin’s test server prior to release to test the game. This is what happened.

  • Stake Size: 1
  • Start balance: 5,000
  • End balance: 4,970.25
  • Hit Rate: 29.5% (59 winning spins in 200)
  • Biggest Win: 62.55x
  • Free Spins Round: 1

This was a really streaky game. It started out with a run of about 8 winning spins before dropping a lengthy spell with nothing for 10 or more. Overall, the win rate was decent at 29.5%, including one shot at the free spins round that triggered after just 35 spins.

In the base game the goal of course is to trigger the Unity feature by collecting 70 Lambdas. It took 75 spins the first time, and 71 spins the second. It’s a bit of a grind to get there but with a guaranteed win on the first spin of minimum 15x, then whatever you get from the subsequent tumbles, it’s worth the wait. I landed a 20.75x win and a 22.9x win from the two base game Unity features.

Unity Win in Shields of Lambda
A 15x win from full screen of Aces in the Unity feature

The free spins round was better, producing a 62.55x win. And its obvious that this is where the best stuff happens. With only 20 Lambdas needed to unlock Unity you can trigger it much quicker. That happened twice with just 10 free spins to play with. And you have the progressive multiplier in play too, so there is a lot more chance of boosting your wins.

Free Spins Round in Shields of Lambda
On the way to a 62.55x win in the free spins round

Overall, my balance was down after 200 spins but the session wasn’t without drama and excitement. So this is a game I would come back to.

What We Liked

  • Awesome visual production with epic temple artwork
  • Nice progressive features to build towards big wins
  • Progressive multipliers persistent in free spins
  • Play from just 10p

What We Didn't like

  • A tough game to score good wins on due to high volatility

Shields of Lambda Review Scores

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

What Our Reviewer Says ...

"Lots of epic grandeur and clever progressive gameplay that builds a lot of tension and jeopardy, but tough variance levels too!"

Overall Score: 8.0

Theme & Design

Our Score 9

A Grand Setting For An Epic Slot Experience

Shields of Lambda invokes the age of Ancient Greece. The Lambda is a letter in the Greek alphabet and the setting for the game is a white stone temple set at the foot of big granite rock faces and flanked by 2 huge sculpted Greek soldiers. The visuals are impressive, not least because Quickspin have created a tilting effect so that the 5×5 grid appears to tower over you. And at its foot, and adding to the grandeur of the setting, is a marble staircase with firepits on either side. An orchestral score completes the picture. If you enjoy your epic Greek slots this will certainly appeal to you.

Shields of Lambda by Quickspin
Shields of Lambda – a grand setting

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.

Quickspin have given slot site operators 4 different RTP rates to choose from in Shields of Lambda: 96.13%, 94%, 92% and 87%. Which rate you play at will depend on where you play and in the UK these days casinos are not shy to drop to low rates to improve their own edge so it’s worth checking before you spin to see which setting the game is on. You can do that by hitting the settings icon (bottom left of the screen) then the ? icon on the left. At the top of the page you will then see the Return to Player published. Most sites go for 94% or 96.13% and I wouldn’t settle for less.

A good option for Quickspin slots is Casumo or Barz Casino, both of which run their games at higher RTP rates.

This is a high variance slot so the win distribution will be uneven. That said, it has the potential to kick off in a big way too as we shall see.

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.  

The top payout in Shields of Lambda is 9,926x. That isn’t bad but its well short of other Quickspin games like Cash Truck Turbo 3 (40,000x) or Sticky Bandits Most Wanted (22,468x). You can find more games with high potential in our list of highest max win slots.

Symbols and Paytable

Our Score 8

Shields of Lambda is a Cluster Pays slot. That means you are looking to build clusters of 5 or more identical symbols in horizontally or vertically adjacent positions. It is possible to build huge clusters this way on the 5×5 grid – as big as 25 symbols in one in fact!

Shields of Lambda Paytable
The paytable with 30x for a full screen of lions

There is good value in the table starting with the 8 basic pay symbols. They are the low pay cards – Jack, Queen, King and Ace, valued at from 0.25x for 5 Jacks up to 15x for 25 Aces; and the high pay pictures – owl, goat, bison and lion, valued at from 0.5x for 5 owls up to 30x for 25 lions.

There is also a wild, represented by the letter W, that will substitute for any pay symbol to complete a cluster. These also come in Colossal size (2×2) and perform the same role and are only added randomly after a non-winning spin.

Features and Gameplay

Our Score 8

Shields of Lambda is all about unlocking the special Unity feature where guaranteed wins, tumbles and progressive multipliers become available. Here is how it works:

Lambda Symbols, the Meter and Unity Feature

Look out for the Lambda symbols which is a kind of red upward arrow (a letter from the Greek alphabet). When a win occurs, if a Lambda symbol is visible UNDERNEATH the winning ones, then it is collected into a meter that is displayed above the reels.

In the base game it takes 70 Lambda symbols to fill the meter. In free spins it takes just 20. Any extra Lambdas are carried over from the base game into the free spins round to kick start the meter.

Your objective is to unlock the Unity feature where one low value symbol is chosen to populate the entire grid. This triggers a tumble where all symbols are removed and new ones drop in to replace them. Further wins may occur and the process repeats until no more win clusters are formed.

During the Unity feature, the Lambda meter is still active and Unity can be re-triggered. 

Ferryman’s Free Spins With Up To 20 Plays 

The main event is the Ferryman’s Free Spins. This is triggered by landing the scatter – a coin with the letters BNS on it – which triggers spins as follows:

  • 3 scatters – 10 free spins
  • 4 scatters – 15 free spins
  • 5 scatters – 20 free spins

Before the round starts you can gamble for more spins if you only won 15 or 20. But remember, if you lose the gamble you lose all your free spins and go back to the base game.

Now, during free spins the Lambda meter is filled at just 20 Lambda symbols, so it’s easier to unlock the Unity feature. And, during Unity, a win multiplier starting at 1x increases by 1x with each tumble, with no limit to how big it can get. Also, if you trigger Unity again within the Unity feature, the progressive multiplier is carried over.

The Final Verdict

Shields of Lambda is a high quality slot packed with plenty of drama and real potential to pop in the free spins round. The game has Hand of Anubis vibes too. That slot is much darker in theme but the high volatility, crunching granite blocks and two characters flanking the reels do make it similarly epic in atmosphere.

What is exciting about this one is that the Lambda meter is always carried over into the next phase, and you can re-trigger Unity within the Unity feature itself. Multiple times! That becomes really powerful in free spins where multiple Unity triggers and progressive multipliers can combine in a big way as we saw in testing. This will surely produce some memorable wins in time. It would have been nice to see a bigger max payout on this one, but overall I think it’s a very good slot and well worth a spin for anyone who enjoys the Ancient Greek theme, cluster pays and high risk progressive gameplay.

Useful Tips When Playing Shields of Lambda

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. Keep Your Eyes On That Meter

The fun part about this game is watching the meter fill up as you try to unlock the Unity feature. It can be a grind to get to the 70 Lambdas, but remember you get a guaranteed win spin at the end!

2. Set A Sensible Stake

Remember, with high variance slots like this one you can burn your balance fast waiting for that big win moment. So use bankroll management and set a low stake relative to your total funds to stay in the game.

3. Think Before You Gamble For More Spins

It takes a long time to unlock the free spins round so think carefully before you gamble for an extra 5. If you lose, you’re out of the bonus round and back to square one.

4. Play At Our Recommended Slot Sites

We choose the sites on this page because they all scored well in our reviews and are licensed by the UK Gambling Commission. That makes them fair and safe to play slots at, with responsible gambling tools to help manage your spend.

Who Made Shields of Lambda?

  • Name: Quickspin
  • Established: 2011
  • UK License: 38516 (under Playtech)
  • Total Games: 100 +
  • Known For: Great artwork, fairytale slots, slots with wilds and sticky wilds, high variance
  • Popular Slots: Sticky Bandits Wild Return, Big Bad Wolf, Golden Glyph 2, Wild Luchador
Find More Quickspin slots

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