Sword of Arthur

Sword of Arthur Slot Review

Slot Provider: Thunderkick

RTP: 94.34% | Variance: High | Maximum Win: 10,000x

Our Score: 7.6

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 Sword of Arthur

Reviewed by:

Published Date: 29th 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.

Sword of Arthur is a ‘Book of …’ style high variance online slot from Thunderkick with 10 paylines. The Sword is both the wild and the scatter symbol, triggering free spins when 3 or more land at once. One symbol is chosen to expand in the bonus round if by doing so it can complete paylines. That also triggers a progressive multiplier and re-sets your free spins total. Top win is 10,000x and play starts at 10p.

Sword of Arthur Game Information

  • Release Date: 12.06.24
  • RTP: 94.34% | 87.15%
  • Variance: High
  • Maximum Win: 10,000x
  • Progressive Jackpot: No
  • Reels: 5
  • Rows: 3
  • Paylines: 10
  • Minimum Stake: £0.10
  • Theme: Fantasy
  • Features: Free SpinsMultipliersWilds
  • Format: 5-ReelBook Of

Testing Notes: Here’s What Happened When We Played Sword of Arthur

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 350 spins on Sword of Arthur on Thunderkick’s test server prior to release to test the game. This is what happened.

  • Stake Size: 1
  • Start balance: 5,000
  • End balance: 4,829
  • Hit Rate: 31.4% (110 winning spins in 350)
  • Biggest Win: 38x
  • Free Spins Round: 1

This was a mixed session. On the one hand Sword of Arthur has a high win rate – over 30% in this test session – which meant that the wins felt like they were coming thicker and faster than in most games. On the other hand, the wins were small in size and I burnt though the balance fast, so keep that in mind when you choose your stake. My biggest base game win was just 10.5x.

Sword of Arthur Win
A 10.5x win in testing

The free spins round triggered just once with the Queen as expander symbol. You need at least 3 of these to land to trigger a win, and that happened 3 times to increase the multiplier to 3x as well as extending the round by re-setting the total. The final win was 38x which isn’t bad, but I couldn’t get it to trigger again after 350 spins, so it looks like it will be a tough one to hit.

Overall, this is a nicely produced game, but it looks like it lives up to its high volatility billing.

What We Liked

  • Free spins number re-sets with every expander win
  • High win values in pay table
  • Top payout of 10,000x
  • Smooth graphics and soundtrack from Thunderkick
  • Play from just 10p

What We Didn't like

  • Not original gameplay

Sword of Arthur Review Scores

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

What Our Reviewer Says ...

"A nicely-produced game but with high volatility - you'll be waiting a long time for free spins to trigger."

Overall Score: 7.6

Theme & Design

Our Score 8

Top Quality Artwork And Soundtrack

One thing you can be sure of with Thunderkick slots is that they have high production values and Sword of Arthur is no exception. The artwork is simple, depicting the archway of a stone castle within which the reel set sits, with the Sword of Excalibur set in stone to the left, and distant misty mountains behind. A suitably epic orchestral soundtrack accompanies your quest to land the Sword and trigger free spins.

Sword of Arthur by Thunderkick
Sword of Arthur – nice artwork typical of Thunderkick

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.

Sword of Arthur has two RTP settings – 94.34% and 87.15%. This is not unusual – the optimum settings in Thunderkick slots are now almost always in the 94% to 95% range, rather than the 96%+ found in most competitor games which is a downside to an otherwise very good developer. Whilst 94.34% is still OK, I would avoid any site that offers this game at 87.15%. You can check the RTP for yourself by hitting the ‘I’ button in top right of the screen then scrolling through the game rules until you see Return to Player, usually on the final screen.

I recommend playing at MrQ which consistently runs Thunderkick games at the maximum RTPs.

This is also a volatile game so expect an uneven win distribution and much of that RTP saved back for big wins in the bonus round.

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.  

The top payout on one spin in Sword of Arthur is 10,000x. That’s a £1,000 win with a 10p stake. These days that is at the middle of the scale for high variance slots. If you want better potential then check out our list of slots with the highest max wins.

Symbols and Paytable

Our Score 8

The game format here is simple – 5 reels and 3 rows with 10 paylines to score wins across. You need to land 3 or more identical low pay symbols or 2 or more premium symbols on a line to trigger a win.

Sword of Arthur Paytable
The paytable with 100x for 5 top paying premiums

There are 9 pay symbols in the table. Low payers are the 10, Jack, Queen and King. These are valued at from 0.5x for 3 10s up to 10x for 5 Aces. Much better value is found at the premium end – there are 4 pay symbols here – the shield, armour, helmet and King Arthur. These are valued at from 0.5x for 2 shields up to 100x for 5 Arthurs.

There is also a Sword symbol that acts as a Wild – it substitutes for all pay symbols to complete paylines. It has a value of 100x if 5 land on a line too, AND acts as the scatter. More on that in the next part.

Features and Gameplay

Our Score 7

Sword of Arthur is a ‘Book of …’ slot without the ‘Book of …’ title. So it’s all about the bonus round and expanding symbols.

You need to land 3, 4 or 5 Sword scatters to trigger the free spins which get you 3, 4 or 5 plays. Before your spins play a random pay symbol is selected as an Expander. It is displayed outside the reel set and comes with a 1x multiplier to start that is applied to all wins that it is involved in.

During the round, IF by doing so, your Expander can complete pay lines then it expands whenever it appears. The expanding symbols DO NOT have to be on adjacent reels to complete a payline.

Also … after any win involving an expander your multiplier increases by 1x and the number of re-spins set to the original value.

The Final Verdict

Sword of Arthur has been carefully configured for high variance enthusiasts. Our test session shows that the RTP is very much weighted into that bonus round, though Thunderkick have offset that at least by giving the base game a high win rate that keeps you interested. Getting a good result from free spins will depend to a degree on which is your expander symbol. A premium has the added bonus that only 2 are required to trigger a win, so you are more likely to do so, extending the round and increasing your multiplier each time you do. In short, this simple slot will appeal to those who like volatile win models, as well as Arthurian-themed games with good production style.

Useful Tips When Playing Sword of Arthur

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 Sword Symbols

The big symbol in this game is the sword – it helps complete paylines as the wild and triggers free spins as the scatter.

2. Avoid Sites With Low RTP

Some slot sites will run this game at the lower RTP of 87.15% to improve their house edge. Avoid these ones. Check the RTP before you spend any money by viewing the Game Rules screen.

3. Start At A Low Stake

Use bankroll management to avoid burning out too quick. This is high variance slots action so it can burn your balance fast. Choose a low stake – you can play this game from just 10p per spin.

 

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 Sword of Arthur?

  • Name: Thunderkick
  • Established: 2012
  • UK License: 40165
  • Total Games: 55
  • Known For: Quirky, eccentric slots with fun features and distinctive designs
  • Popular Slots: Pink Elephants 1 and 2, Flame Busters, Birds on a Wire
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