When I first heard the very Latin title ‘Cygnus’, the last thing I expected was a slot themed around Ancient Egypt. But before you heave that exasperated sigh over yet another pyramid/sphinx monstrosity, I should tell you that Cygnus is very different from all the other Egypt-themed slots out there. This is partially due to the avalanche of game mechanics that add perceptible value to each spin, but it also has a lot to do with the overall design and style of the game. And since Cygnus is offering players the opportunity to walk away with 5,000 x the bet, it’s definitely worth further investigation.
Cygnus
Volatility: High
CYGNUS - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
- The bonus game can be retriggered
- Multipliers can go all the way up to 64 x
- Every spin offers the possibility of multiple wins
- Cygnus is available to players in Canada
- The RTP is slightly low
- The symbols carry relatively low values
- The bonus game is difficult to trigger
TYPE | Video Slot |
---|---|
REELS AND PAYLINES | 6 reels, 4,096 - 262,144 win ways |
GAME FEATURES | Avalanche Mechanics, Multipliers, Bonus Game, Scatters, Wilds |
VOLATILITY | High |
RANGE OF BET | 0.20 - 100.00 |
COIN VALUES | 0.20, 0.40, 0.60, 1.00, 2.00, 4.00, 6.00, 10.00, 20.00, 40.00, 60.00, 100.00 |
MAXIMUM WIN | 5,000 x the bet |
PAYOUT | 96.10% |
SOFTWARE PROVIDER | ELK Studios |
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Cygnus - Theme and Background
The best way to describe this slot is ‘Ancient Egypt with a difference’. I say that because ELK Studios has done without the big cliche pharaoh, pyramid and sphinx imagery and replaced it with more subtle nods toward the culture. And where does the slot’s title come from? Well, Cygnus is the name of a constellation that aligns to the pyramids in Giza. Ancient Egyptians believed that this was some sort of cosmic connection, and modern day conspiracy theorists believe it to be a sign of alien intervention with the construction of the pyramids.
The symbols on the six-reel grid are all set within tumbling circles, and there isn’t a card suit in site. Instead, there are three different colored gemstones (red, blue and green), and a series of animals drawn in the style of hieroglyphics (a pelican, a cat and a camel). The symbols are rounded off with an X (representing the multiplier feature), a W (which is the slot’s Wild), a number 7, and the gold and ruby bonus symbol. Palm trees frame the grid and a constellation (presumably Cygnus) lights up the night sky. Two pillars flank the grid, the left side indicates the status of the bonus game, while the right side tracks the slot’s multiplier action. Topping it all off is some seriously cool themed music that sets the mood perfectly, drawing the player in to the mysterious beginnings of the pyramids.
Cygnus - Gameplay
Cygnus is undeniably a highly animated slot, consistently giving players something to keep their eye on. This is thanks to a combination of a smart grid design, and four different special features. Here’s how it all comes together.
Avalanche
All symbols which are part of a winning combination explode and disappear. The avalanche cycle continues as long as new winning combinations appear. At then end of each win, adjacent symbols shift about to fill the missing spaces, and an additional row of symbols is added at the top up to a maximum of 8 rows.
Multipliers
When a multiplier scatter symbol reaches the bottom row, it sets a multiplier in play. Multiple multiplier symbols can land, each one increasing the multiplier value another notch. Available multipliers are 2 x, 4 x, 8 x, 16 x, 32 x, and 64 x. Whatever multiplier you stop at will be applied to the final win.
Free Drops
This feature requires the bonus symbol to reach left pillar. Manage this you’ll trigger the Free Drops Bonus Game, which is played out with 8 rows. You’ll start off with 7 free drops and during the bonus game the multiplier scatter symbols become sticky and remain in play throughout the free drops. This feature can be re-triggered.
Wilds
The Wild symbol (it’s represented by a ‘W’) substitutes for any symbol except the bonus symbol and the multiplier scatter symbol. Beyond this there’s nothing more to know, their purpose being purely to increase your chance of making winning combinations.
Cygnus - Payouts and Wagering Limits
The slot touts a maximum prize of C$500,000 (thanks to a top win of 5,000 x your bet), which is enough to entice even the most hardened slot player. In reality, getting to the grand prize will resemble something close to a miracle, but there are plenty of smaller (yet still high value) wins up for grabs. The game starts out with 6 reels and an initial 4,096 ways to win. The win ways actually increase up to 262,144 ways as the game unfolds (thanks to the Avalanche reels).
Large wins are helped along by multipliers that offer up to 64 x your bet. There are also the bonus symbols and free drops, which come together to help players to hopefully walk away a little richer. The RTP is just about average at 96.10%, and ideally it would be a little higher. There’s no need to select lines or the line bet with Cygnus, simply decide on your bet size, which starts at 0.20 and goes all the way up to 100.00.
Volatility is tagged as ‘High’ but it’s actually just an eight out of ten on the ELK Studios’ scale. This means that if players have the bank balance to play long term, they’re more than likely to walk away with a prize.
Cygnus - Final Verdict
Final Verdict
Cygnus
I really liked this slot for a number of reasons. I’m the sort of player that values entertainment as a close second to win potential, and Cygnus is packing a lot of both. The Avalanche reels offer both excitement and increased value, giving players the chance to win multiple times on every spin. Keep in mind that the high volatility rating means the bigger wins won’t come as frequently as with Low or Medium volatility slots, but they are frequent enough to keep you on an even keel till the bigger wins land.
The high spec theme and multiple features are supported by the 5,000 x your bet prize potential to really put Cygnus on the radar.