We had a very good time with the predecessor release from 4ThePlayer,3 Secret Cities, and with 4 Secret Pyramids the crafty developer is once again returning to the Bonus Up concept. This time you can take “sneaky” shortcuts along the way, and even gamble to get to a higher tier bonus round when the feature actually triggers.
The audiovisual experience is engaging this time as well, and you have 2 optional ante bet features that doubles both your bonus round chances and the number of free spins (or feature multiplier). The Pick Pyramid is a highlight as usual, and the math model would’ve been overall stronger if it weren’t for the downgraded 95 % RTP. Overall, a worthy Bonus Up follow-up that’s well worth checking out.
The premium symbols pay between 2.5 and 5 x your stake for 5 of a kind wins, andWildsstep in for pay symbols to help complete wins. You can double your number of free spins, or the bonus round multiplier, by switching on thex2 Bonus Buttonfor25 % more per spin. TheXtra Bonus Buttondoubles your bonus round chances, and this alsos costs25 % extra per spin.
You can click the Bonus Up area above the grid to check theBonus Up progress map, and there are 4 main pyramid locations in this game. You progress along the trail as you play the base game, and each location offers a higher value bonus round. Landing 2 scatters gives you either a cash prize up to 50x, or you will move to the next bonus round location:
Along the way you can choose 2 different paths on the map, and their description says it all. You can go the ‘Path of Many Wins’ or the ‘Path of Big Wins’, and there are even shortcuts to be found that can accelerate your journey.
The Bonus Round triggers when you land3 scatterson reels 1, 3 and 5, and you can choose to gamble to get further along the trail. This is risky however, as you can also go backwards instead of reaching a new bonus round level. Before the bonus round actually starts, there is also thePyramid Pick feature.
A pyramid is built in front of you, and you get 1 pick per level of the pyramid. The picks reveal your number of free spins, the win multiplier and what super stacked symbol you get in the feature. All extras are within the limits set by your current bonus round tier.
If the 4th pick reveals an ‘X’ the pick game is over. The highest FS number, multiplier value and stacked symbol types are found at the ‘X-level’ and above. You win5 to 10 extra spinsif3 scattersland in the bonus round.
Finally, non-UK players, and anyone eligible, may take advantage of theBonus Buy menu. It comes with4 optionsas follows:
You get to see a few spins in the base game, before we purchase the top-tier bonus round at 0:56 into the 5:13-minute highlights video. We went almost to the top in the pyramid pick game, which gave us 25 FS, an x4 win multiplier and ‘J’ as the super stacked symbol. Check it all out for yourself by hitting the play button below.
It’s clear that 4ThePlayer has poured their heart and soul into this production, doing their utmost to create something unique and fun. 4 Secret Pyramids is definitely not your run-of-the-mill Egypt release, and it’s not as complicated as it might sound “on paper”. It’s all about progressing along the Bonus Up trail, and using whatever extras come your way to take shortcuts or gamble for the next destination.
The ante bet options seems reasonably priced, as you pay “only” 50 % extra with both of them switched on. The Pyramid Pick game is good fun, not least if you can get past the ‘X’ at the 4th pick level. The bonus round itself feels almost like an anti-climax after all you’ve been through to get there, not least if you don’t get away with anything significant. Up to55,000xcan be landed though, so on a good day pretty much anything can happen.
Pros
Cons
3 Secret Cities- is the game where 4ThePlayer first introduced the world to their Bonus Up system. The scatter pick game allows you to discover new cities, and this upgrades the bonus round to the next tier. All levels come with a progressive multiplier though, as well as a chosen stacked symbol, and the max win is 50,000x your stake.
Cat Wilde and the Eclipse of the Sun God- is a jungle adventure with the female explorer leading the way, and it’s basically a Gonzo clone with a stronger math model. The cascading win multiplier trail can go up to x10, and x70 in the FS round. The trail can be upgraded during the feature, for wins up to 5,500x your stake.
Amber Sterlings Mystic Shrine- is another junge/temple adventure with a female lead, and this Fortune Factory installment comes with a top action reel that generates wilds with possible multipliers in the Blazing Wild Respins feature. You can win jackpots up to 5,000x your stake in the pick game, and this is also the overall potential.
