Play Crusader Slots Online

Crusader is a serious-minded slot that emphasises the Crusaders' last-ditch effort in 1291 to hold Acre against the Mamluks, led by Edward I. Quite specialised, and who were the Mamluks? They were reportedly a group that governed Egypt and Syria from the 13th to the 16th centuries before being vanquished by the Ottomans. Therefore, Crusader is not a journey through Europe to the Holy Land while scavenging for gold.

Although Crusader is an online slot game that incorporates features from earlier ELK Studios games, such as expanding reels and a historical setting, overall it has a pretty original premise and is a standout game compared to Blueprint Gaming's Valletta Megaways. Many times, the Crusades fell short of their romantic expectations. Instead, while battling to survive in disease-ridden cesspools, a soldier's existence frequently cycled between periods of famine and being slapped by the heathens. Like a pleasant area to try your luck at the slots? Let's get going.

How to Play Crusader Slot Games

Warning: the Crusaders were unable to defend Acre against the enemy onslaught. This conflict served as a turning point for all Crusade endeavours, which persisted for a while but produced ever-declining results. The background of Crusader depicts a fortress on a hill at night in sombre crimson and dark tones, capturing the theme's depressing mood. Overall, the graphics are passable but not among ELK's best.

Let's move on to the technical aspects of the situation. Although the grid initially has 5 reels, 4 rows, and 26 pay lines, this can be increased during the bonus round, which we shall discuss shortly. For the time being, bets must be settled. Players can choose between traditional stakes of 20 pc to €/€100 each spin or one of the four pre-programmed ELK betting strategies.

I walked over to the pay table, which was covered in gold-encrusted, pious Crusader iconography. Well, aside from the typical Q-A royals' low salaries, which do have a font resembling a knight. Three different cross symbols, a dagger, a box, and a chalice/grail make up the high pay-outs; the chalice/grail is the most expensive at 10 times the wager for five of a kind. All pay symbols, including the wilds that can replace any other pay symbol, can land in stacks.

We always much appreciate how generously transparent ELK is with their numbers. A math model with a moderately high volatility that ELK has assessed as an 8/10 is among the key facts and figures that drive the game. An official hit rate of 21.2% helps to moderate this, albeit it seems a touch generous in comparison to the results of the tests. Positively, a respectable RTP of 96.1% helps to balance things out over time.

Expanding reels during the free spins feature

The Crusader game's elements are all pretty straightforward and somehow involve the Crusader emblem. The Crusader sign is a wild symbol that can be used in place of any other normal pay symbol, which is the first thing to know about it. It only shows up on the first and fifth reels and either lands completely or partially in view. If just partially visible, it initiates a Respin for every angle it is pushed up or down until it is fully visible. The bonus game and eight extra spins are activated if two Crusaders simultaneously cover both reels in play.

The wild Crusaders on the outer reels remained fixed in place for the length of the Free Spins bonus. Additionally, a new symbol known as the Expansion Symbol, an arrow, joins the game. When it appears, the reels grow by one row and receive one additional free spin. The maximum number of rows in the grid is 12, and the maximum number of win methods is 98.

Stock up on food because Crusader sometimes calls for a siege mindset. Before the features begin to take much action, waves of dead spins and modest wins crash against the walls. The nudge wilds rarely influence the course of a game, but when they do, they can be very helpful. They serve mainly to keep bankrolls afloat and to keep players engaged while they wait for the main event to start. It is more difficult to score wins from the fifth reel than it would be from the first reel as the Crusader wild frequently appears there.

However, after you land both Crusader symbols, things start to get interesting. Unfortunately, the official game sheet has left out the frequency of these occurrences, which ELK had conveniently listed and which is a departure from their transparency. During the bonus game, the game's full potential can be unlocked, with one spin wins of up to 980 times your wager attainable with full grids of the chalice symbol.

A significant number of wins can accumulate when the first and fifth reels are both locked wild. However, while the bonus round might be entertaining, the expanding reels feature in some of ELK's earlier slots was more engaging and useful. With a top prize that is limited to 2,500 times the investment, the total potential is also disappointing.

The UK Gambling Commission has approved this game, which is provided by ELK Studios, as having gone through independent testing and meeting the requirements for UK players. You should contact The Phone Casino and follow our complaints policy if you have any issues playing this game or any other game.

Prevail or go to heaven trying to stop the siege of Acre. Play the Crusader slot where 5 rows can advance to 12 rows extending your ways to win to 98 paylines. Enjoy stunning graphics and release the warrior within you. 

Crusader Bonus Features 
Compared to the developers feature-stacked Micro Knights slot, the Crusader bonus features are quite simple. But that doesn’t take away from fun gameplay. 

The best part of the Crusader slot is the Expansion symbol which, during the bonus game, can notably transform your reels by adding more ways to win. Let’s take a look at each of the bonus features. 

Crusader Wild 
The Crusader symbol is the nudging wild which stands in for all symbols except the expansion symbols. It can only appear on reels 1 and 5, land in the part or full view and has the power to activate free spins. 

Free Spins/Respins 
Although the Crusader Wild symbol lands in two different ways on the reels – in partial view or fully, in both instances it brings you closer to the bonus game. Hitting the wild in partial view will initiate a respin which will nudge the wild one position up or down until it shows in full view. 

Filling the reels 1 and 5 fully with stacked Crusader wilds will activate the bonus game where you’ll get 8 free spins. What makes this feature thrilling is that the Crusader wild will remain sticky for the duration of the Crusader free spins round. 

During the free spins feature the Expansion symbol plays a big part in giving you more ways to win. 

Expansion Symbol 
Disguised as an upward-pointing arrow icon, the Expansion symbol is a symbol worth looking out for in the Crusader slot game. 

By landing the Expansion symbol during the bonus game, you’ll have the reels expand from the regular 5 upwards to a max of 12 rows increasing win ways to 98. Plus, you’ll be awarded an extra free spin for each Expansion symbol. 

As your reels grow one by one with each spin, the sticky Crusader Wilds also rise accordingly giving you more chances to maximise your wins.

A bet is placed only when it has been received by our server from your handset using our software. Once a bet has been placed it is final and binding and cannot be cancelled or changed. For the avoidance of doubt, a bet remains valid even if the result cannot for any reason be displayed back to your handset (due, for example, to a network failure, interruption of communication, or if you receive a phone call). In the event of a game termination, any relevant jackpot will be paid out on a random draw authorised by the regulator.

The theoretical average return to player (RTP) is up to 96.1%. This RTP represents the long-term expected payback of the game which has been calculated by an independent testing company and monitored monthly.

Malfunction voids all plays and pay outs.

A bet is placed only when it has been received by our server from your handset using our software. Once a bet has been placed it is final and binding and cannot be cancelled or changed. For the avoidance of doubt, a bet remains valid even if the result cannot for any reason be displayed back to your handset (due, for example, to a network failure, interruption of communication, or if you receive a phone call). Malfunction voids all plays and pay outs.