Zeus 1000 Slot: Will The Gods Look Favorably On You?

We have already taken a look at the Zeus and Zeus III slot games in our reviews. Now it’s time for the next incarnation in the slot series featuring the King of the Gods of Olympus, the somewhat unusually titled Zeus 1000 slot from WMS gaming.

The first thing that you’ll notice about the Zeus 1000 slot is that it features the Main Reel and Colossal Reel features that have been described previously on a number of other slots. That does make the game potentially more complicated. But it also means that you can play up to 100 paylines on every spin. That fact, along with Stacked Symbols, can contribute to wins on multiple paylines across both sets of reels. Let’s take a closer look at this exciting and unusual-looking slot.

Overview: Zeus 1000

The Zeus 1000 slot is a game that has two reel sets. The first is the Main Reel set. This is on the left of the screen and features the usual 5×4 reel set in play. To the right of this is the Colossal Reel set, which is an additional 5×12 reels. You can win by hitting winning payline combinations on both the Main and Colossal Reel sets on every spin.

In addition, all symbols are stacked on the reels. Furthermore, if you turn one of the Main Reel sets entirely Wild, the corresponding reel on the Colossal set will also turn Wild. Additionally, land four Zeus symbols on the first reel of the Main Reel set and this adds 1,000 additional Zeus symbols to the reels, offering you the chance of a much larger win.

Who will the Zeus 1000 slot appeal to?

There’s no doubt that the Zeus 1000 slot will appeal to players that enjoy games that offer something a little different to the standard 5×3 reel slot game. The Colossal Reels feature does complicate matters, as does the ability to select the number of paylines in play on a spin, but regardless of that the slot is relatively easy to pick up once you have had a few spins on it.

That said, I think it’s a game that the more experienced player is likely to enjoy more so than a novice. This is due to how the reels interact, plus the way the paylines are worked out across the reels, both of which can be a little complicated at times.

Fans of Greek Mythology slots, of which there are many, will certainly enjoy this game, as will any slots player who enjoyed either of the two Zeus games that preceded this latest version.

Gameplay: Zeus 1000

The first thing you need to do on the Zeus 1000 slot is to decide the number of paylines. You can select 20, 40, 60, 80 or 100 paylines in play and your stake covers 2 lines per unit. So to cover 100 lines at the minimum stake of $0.01, it would cost $0.50. As with all slots, we recommend that the maximum number of paylines is played to increase your chances of a win on each spin.

Once your paylines are selected, you can then select your coins. These range from $0.01 up to $2.00 per spin. You can have a minimum bet of $0.50 and a maximum bet of $100.00 if you elect to play 100 paylines.

The Main Reel set is situated on the left side of the console (5×4 reels) while the Colossal Reel is on the right (5×12 reels). In addition, all the symbols on the reels are stacked. This means that you can trigger multiple winning paylines on each spin. Indeed, to land the bigger money prizes available in the game, you’ll need to hit multiple winning paylines to land a decent sized win.

Game symbols

The symbols on the reel are a mix of lower value symbols (the standard playing card low symbols) plus some medium value symbols, such as Greek urns, a helmet and a chariot. There are also higher value symbols represented by the winged horse Pegasus and what appears to be a treasure chest. The God Zeus himself is the top paying symbol along with the Wild symbol.

The Wild symbol not only replaces low, medium, and high value symbols to create wins on both reel sets, but if you land one of the Main Reel sets completely Wild, then the corresponding reel on the Colossal Set also turns Wild, giving you the chance of more wins. One or more reels can turn Wild in this way depending on the outcome of the spin.

In addition, if you land four Zeus symbols stacked on reel 1 of the Main Reel set, this will introduce up to 1,000 stacked Zeus symbols on all the other reels. This will offer you the chance to hit many of these symbols across the reels and a chance of a massive base game win.

Additional features

Those bonuses are certainly welcome in the base game, but it’s the Free Spins bonus that is potentially the most lucrative feature. Land three or more of the Bolt of Lightning Bonus symbols on reels 1, 3, and 5 of either reel set and you win a free spins bonus dependent on the number of symbols you land.

3 Bonus symbols – 10 free spins plus 2x multiplier
4 Bonus symbols – 15 free spins plus 10x multiplier
5 Bonus symbols – 20 free spins and 20x multiplier
6 Bonus symbols – 30 free spins and 25x multiplier

Furthermore, hit free spins and you are guaranteed to win at least 10 times your total stake during free spins. This is due to the Bonus Guarantee feature in operation on the game.

Special features: Zeus 1000

Transferring Wilds

One of the best features of the slot is the Transferring Wilds. These occur when one of the reels in the Main Reel set is turned completely wild. This then transfers to the Colossal Reel set, turning the corresponding reel on that set completely wild too for that spin.

Colossal Reels

The Colossal Reel feature adds an additional 12 lines of symbols to a second set of five reels and really adds a lot of depth to the game, although triggering wins on these reels can be difficult at times.

Free Spins bonus

The Free Spins bonus offers a chance to win up to 30 free spins with a multiplier of up to 25x your standard win, depending on how many of the Bonus symbols you can land on both the Main and Colossal Reel sets across reels 1, 3 and 5. This is the feature which, when triggered, can offer the player a chance at some of the much higher wins on the Zeus 1000 slot.

What works?

Transferring Wilds

In the base game, you can pick up some particularly decent wins when you hit the Transferring Wilds bonus. This is especially true if you can turn more than one reel wild on a spin and, in particular, when you trigger them on the first three reels.

Free Spins bonus

The Free Spins bonus can be a real mixed bag. It can pay out smaller amounts, although the Bonus Guarantee means you will get at least 10x your total stake. It really pays dividends if you can hit more spins and a bigger multiplier. This way you can land some of the much bigger wins in the game.

Zeus 1000 bonus

The Zeus 1000 bonus is a great addition to the free spins bonus. If you hit four Zeus symbols on reel 1 of the Main Reel set, this adds up to 1,000 Zeus symbols to the reels, meaning you could win a massive amount, as this is the highest paying symbol on the reels.

What doesn’t?

No base game multipliers

What is disappointing is that there aren’t many base game multipliers available in the slot. (Although there’s plenty in the Free Spins round.) However, given how tough and expensive the base game can be at times, a few multipliers dotted around on specific wins would have given the base game a bit of added value.

Hard to hit free spins

The free spins round can be very difficult to hit at times. When you do hit, although the Bonus Guarantee means you will always win at least 10x your total stake, it’s disappointing to trigger it after a long time and then walk away with just a small win.

Medium to high variance

The variance of the slot makes Zeus 1000 a tough game to play. Play value is low, but the chance to win big is high if you can hit free spins and especially the Zeus 1000 feature. If you can do this, which isn’t easy, then you can win some huge amounts. For the most part, winning tends to come in fits and starts.

The scores

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Graphics & soundtrack 3/5

The Zeus 1000 slot has a decent enough soundtrack and simple sound effects combined with eye-catching visuals, without being overly complex. The presentation does its job, but perhaps there could have been a few more animations to liven up the base game.

Originality & creativity 4/5

Colossal Reels always gets a good score for originality as not too many slots offer this feature. And the fact that this game also has the Zeus 1000 bonus as well as different levels of Free Spins and a Wild Bonus symbol means that this is a slot that does have some very unusual and appealing features.

Play value 2/5

The problem with the Zeus 1000 slot is that it does play very tight from time to time. Those big wins you need to boost your bankroll after a session are so difficult to hit and rely on you playing for long enough to trigger a feature and then hit the feature for a bigger size win.

Jackpot potential 3/5

The single line jackpot figure is very small. However, the potential for massive wins in this slot comes from triggering multiple winning paylines using stacked symbols, in particular Stacked Wilds, or when you trigger the 1000 Zeus symbols feature.

Repeat play 3/5

Although the play value is a bit of an issue and big wins are tough, there is enough appeal here to keep you coming back for more for sure. Although how often you’ll be prepared to take a loss to play remains to be seen.

Total Score: 15/25

Zeus 1000 is a fun and enjoyable slot with some excellent features. It’s not the easiest to win big on and you need patience, a large bankroll, and a healthy slice of luck to enjoy the best this slot has to offer.