Spartacus Gladiator Of Rome Slots - Best Online Casino Games 2023

“I am Spartacus!” is the best-known refrain from the famous Kirk Douglas film about the slave who became a gladiator and took on the might of Rome.

Well, this WMS slot has taken on that theme and delivered a slot that looks and plays like no other.

With 100 paylines in operation and two sets of reels in play, how does this rather unusual looking slot shape up?

Is it as fun and playable as a typical slot, or do the added reels and paylines just amount to confusion? We decided to take a closer look to find out.

Overview: Spartacus Gladiator of Rome

The first thing players will note about the Spartacus Gladiator of Rome slot is that it looks somewhat small. That’s because in order to get both reel sets on the screen, WMS had to shrink down the size of the reels.

What you have here is a 5×4 main reel set, complete with stacked symbols across all reels and a Colossal Reel set, or a 12×5 reel set, which again boasts stacked symbols across all the reels.

The playing card suits (clubs, spades, hearts, and diamonds) are the low symbols in the game and the assorted gladiator linked symbols are the higher value symbols.

The look of the slot can be confusing initially, but it is actually easy to play.

Your Main Reel and Colossal Reels sets play out the 100 paylines, but if you land a full reel of wild symbols in the base game, then these wilds will transfer onto the Colossal Reel’s corresponding reel, turning it entirely wild.

Furthermore, you can hit your three scatters on reels one, three, and five on the Main Reel set and also on one, three, and five of the Colossal Reel set, giving you six reels on each spin where you can hit the Colosseum scatter symbol.

Bets start at $0.01 per two paylines for a total bet of $0.50, although this can be increased up to a maximum bet of $1 per two paylines for a top end bet of $50 per spin.

Paylines can also be deselected.

Who will the Spartacus Gladiator of Rome slot appeal to?

This slot may not initially appeal to those who prefer simpler 5×3 layouts or the retro game fan, but once you play the slot, you quickly learn how the two sets of reels
work and interact.

As such, the vast majority of New Jersey online slot fans will find there is plenty to enjoy, and those who enjoy slots with unique features (especially those that don’t eat up too much of your bankroll too quickly) will fall in love with this slot in no time at all.

Where to play Spartacus Gladiator of Rome in New Jersey

If after reading this review you decide you’d like to journey back to ancient Rome, your chariot awaits at the following online casino sites in New Jersey:

Gameplay: Spartacus Gladiator of Rome

We’ve already touched on how the two sets of reels make this slot look different.

When it comes to gameplay, WMS has made each of the 100 paylines very simple. This makes spotting paylines quite easy on both sets of reels and enhances the game a great deal.

Starting with the Main Reel, you play this 5×4 set as you would any other slot. However, you can also win on the Colossal Reel set by landing winning combinations here.

Furthermore, if you land a full reel of wild symbols on your Main Reel set, they will transfer over to the corresponding reel on the Colossal Reel set, turning that entire reel wild.

This feature, especially when used in conjunction with free spins, is the trigger for the biggest payouts in the game. Payline payouts individually are somewhat small, so these multiple payline wins, especially using more than one reel turned fully wild, is the key to winning big.

Another nice touch in the gameplay is the fact that you can hit your three or more scatters to trigger the free spins round by landing them in the first, third, or fifth reel of the Main Reel set, or the first, third, or fifth reels of the Colossal Reel set.

Plus, any combination of three or more scatters in these positions triggers the free spins round.

The more scatters you land on the reels, the more free spins you receive. Three scatters triggers eight free spins with a 2x total bet cash prize, four triggers 12 free spins with a 5x total bet cash prize, and five triggers 20 free spins and a 20x total bet cash prize.

During free spins, the music kicks in and the game certainly starts to feel more gladiatorial.

Also during free spins, the Wild Nudge bonus is in operation, which means any wild landing on the Main Reels will nudge down to completely fill the reel. This turns the corresponding reel on the Colossal Reel set completely wild too.

This feature is a brilliant addition to the free spins round. If you can land two or more reels wild on a spin, you can rack up some massive wins.

In general, the free spins round plays generously with players awarded usually at least 10x, if not 20x, their total bet in prize money.

Special features: Spartacus Gladiator of Rome

Colossal reels

In addition to the 5×4 Main Reels, players can win on the 5×12 Colossal Reels too. Turning a full reel wild on any spin on the Main Reel set also turns the corresponding reel entirely wild on the Colossal Reel.

This is where massive wins are possible.

Free spins

Land three, four, or five scatters across reels one, three, or five of the Main Reel set, or the same reels on the Colossal Reel Set, or in combination, and you trigger eight, 12, or 20 free spins respectively.

Wild nudge

During free spins the Wild Nudge feature operates, turning any Main Reel on which a wild symbol lands completely wild. Then, the corresponding reel on the Colossal Reel set also turns completely wild.

What works?

Additional reels

The Colossal Reel set alongside the Main Reel set is a massive bonus in the game.

With the wild feature transferring over too, the potential for multiple payline wins, especially in free spins, is excellent.

It may look initially confusing, but after five spins, you’ll know how it all works.

Extra chances to hit scatter

The fact you can now hit your three scatters across six reels in any combination is a big advantage.

It means hitting the free spins round, which still only happens rarely, is more likely than it would have been on just the main reel set.

Simple paylines

This game, given the number of reels in operation and number of rows, could have easily got very confusing with paylines. Top marks to WMS for keeping paylines simple, so even a quick glance across the reels will show you where potential winning paylines can hit.

What doesn’t?

No multipliers

The one gripe I have with the game is the lack of multipliers. It would have been nice to have had some lower payline win multipliers on offer to give those smaller-than-bet wins a boost.

Difficult to hit free spins

Free spins can be tough to hit at times, and it can take a while to hit the scatter three or more times on the reels. However, on other occasions, I have triggered it twice within 20 spins.

It is fair to say that this feature is somewhat volatile, but can also be hugely profitable.

Ill-fitting sound effects

I have a gripe with the sound effects. It’s not so much the background sound of battle that is irksome, but the strange music and tones you hear on each spin that really don’t fit with the Spartacus theme.

The scores

[wp-review id=”6408″]

Graphics and soundtrack: 2/5

Both sets of reels are relatively easy to follow, if a little on the small side compared to some other games. The generic sound is something of a disappointment.

A more stirring, gladiatorial soundtrack would really have brought this slot to life and added a dramatic dimension.

Originality and creativity: 5/5

I can’t fault WMS for its attention to detail here in terms of creativity. The Colossal Reel set really adds a nice dimension to the game.

The fact that full reel sets of wilds transfer across from the Main Reel Set, and that you can have several attempts at hitting your three or more scatters, gives this game a unique feel.

Play value: 5/5

With all the reels and symbols, I expected this to be a very volatile slot, but on playing I found that this was actually a low volatility game. With sensible bankroll management, it doesn’t take too big a chunk out of your cash reserves and rewards you with regular wins that keep your account topped up.

Jackpot potential: 2/5

If there’s one thing that lets the game down a little it is the size of the potential wins. Even five-of-a-kind symbols don’t pay out huge amounts.

The really big wins come from not hitting one payline, but hitting several on the Colossal Reels using several completely wild reels. But these are very difficult to hit.

Repeat play: 5/5

There’s an awful lot to like about the Spartacus Gladiator of Rome slot.

The Colossal Reels feature certainly adds a new dimension to the game and with free spins available, this is a slot game to which you will keep coming back.

Total score: 19/25

Despite low individual payline wins, there is potential for decent-sized wins on this slot, even though they are very difficult to hit.

However, with all the added features and some unique ones, the Spartacus Gladiator of Rome slot has plenty to keep slot fans spinning the reels.

Are you into the ancient world? If so, there are slots aplenty to keep you entertained in New Jersey. See our reviews of Treasures of the Pyramids, Cleopatra, and Secrets of the Phoenix.