Champions of Rome slot review

Fight your way to the top and become the champion of Rome. Earn your eternal glory and win the gifts of the emperor.

Travel back to ancient Rome and become the greatest gladiator of all time. Battle your way up the ranks, defeat your opponents and earn the favour of the Emperor. This thematic slot is a small lesson in history and window to a time when massive riches were yours to earn.

Champions of Rome is an adventure game in the shell of a slot. You get to train your gladiator and fight in a deathmatch. Get some free spins and have a go at eternal glory.

Yggdrasil made a proper effort to make a slot with a story. The player is given a chance to influence the outcome of, though it is still a game of luck. Advancing in the story is a great way to keep the player hooked, and I know I did play a few extra spins just to make it a bit further.

Champion of Rome was published in 2019. It is a standard five-reel slot with 20 paylines. The RTP is slightly above average at 96.4% and revolves around the free spin feature.

Graphics and sound

The first thing that hits you when you open the game up is the powerful music. The ominous kettle drums really paint a picture of your impending battle. The soundscape is well-thought-out and compliments the visuals.

Champions of Rome is a gorgeous game. The Roman architecture, the crowd looking down on you and the strong feel of the symbols are all in perfect harmony. I felt like a real gladiator standing out in the open, waiting for my fate. Even the changes in the scenery from the sunlit arena to the rugged training ground and the moonlit deathmatch were beautifully made.

The short clips of the gladiators walking to the arena and the emperor making his decision after a match are wonderful. They make the game feel more immersive and bring out the story. These are a small thing, but they make the game seem more alive. I enjoyed every moment.

Symbols and wins

The first thing I noticed when I started to play, was the thought that was put into the symbols. There are no card numbers or card suits anywhere to be seen. Every symbol actually looks like they should be here.

The high pay symbols feature the gladiators themselves, medium symbols are carved stone slabs and the low paying ones are coins. The Roman eagle is the wild symbol, a steel face mask is the free spin symbol, and during those free spins, The Beast is added to the mix. This symbol is a special one. Throwing your weapon at it will give you more free spins.

There is a slight discrepancy when it comes to the wins. The high paying symbols are much more valuable than the rest. I did feel like I needed to hit them, or I got only a pittance.

To make it as a gladiator and win your fortune, you need to hit the free spins. There you get more wilds and even multipliers for your winnings. This is the part where I got really invested in the story. I found myself trying to balance the training and the deathmatches so that I could get the most out of the slot.

When you start the free spins, you get to decide whether you want to train or to fight. Training is a fairly standard free spin game, where you get to keep what you win. The deathmatch has a target value, that you need to hit or you get nothing. The rewards are much higher, but so is the risk.

Features

• Free Spins: Fight for glory or train for greatness

The free spin symbols are your ticket to the big leagues. Getting three free spin symbols anywhere on the reels will activate the free spins. The more symbols you get, the bigger the cash prize you will be awarded. When the free spins start, you get to choose whether you want to train or fight.

During the free spins, all the high paying gladiator symbols are replaced with just one gladiator. The chosen gladiator will throw their weapon at the reels every round and change the results. The sword adds a 2x1 and a 1x2 wilds to the field, the mace will add a single 2x2 wild and the trident adds four 1x1 wilds. Who your champion will be, is chosen at random.

If you get only two free spin symbols, a random gladiator will throw their weapons at the reels once.

• Training mode: Low risk, low reward

If you choose training mode, you are taken to the training grounds. Here you will get 8 free spins and you get to keep everything you win. This is like a regular free spin feature, that you would find in any other game.

• Deathmatch mode: High risk, high reward

Now the fight is on and you will battle it out at the moonlit stadium. Here you need to hit the target win, or you get nothing. You have three options for your difficulty. Choose either 7 spins with 2x multiplier, 6 spins with 3x multiplier or 5 spins with 4x multiplier. Battle it out and may the gods be on your side.

• Consolation Prize: Emperor is in a good mood and rewards even the feeble warriors

If you happen to lose the deathmatch, the emperor might still give you a consolation prize. The prizes are random and can be anything between 40 and 200 coins or 5 free spins at the training grounds.

• Buy a Bonus: Don’t wait for your opportunity, buy it

If you can’t wait for your chance to fight at the arena, you can buy your way in. For a cost of 1,000 coins, you get to skip the wait and go straight for the free spins.

Buy a bonus feature might not be available on all UK casinos. UK Gambling Commision has banned the use of these features in 2019.

My experiences

Champions of Rome is a big hit in my books. The visuals, the features and emphasis on the story are all things that are done well here.

I found myself playing this game for a good while. When the free spins got activated, I was hyped up and ready to battle. To me, this is a sign of a good game.

Now I can’t say that this is an absolutely perfect game, with no downsides. The paytable is a bit top-heavy, which does show in the main game. If you are unlucky and can’t get the free spins to activate, you are going to lose a good chunk of your bankroll.

After all is said and done, I will continue to play Champions of Rome. This game made my shortlist of top slots, and I will keep on playing it.