Knights — RTP 95.1%, max 2,000x

The chronicle · entry 11416

Knights, read closely

011. First muster

The blazon is mountain-and-castle classic: hexagonal frames holding a silver helm, a walled castle, a purple grail and a jewelled sword, with painterly A-K-Q-J-10 royals. To the right sits the game's signature — an 'ACTIVATE' orb and 'EXTRA REEL' plaques that change the reelset.

It's a 2019 build and looks it in the best way: clean, readable and unhurried. Merlin the wizard is the star charge, and the theme leans into the Arthurian roll rather than generic knights.

022. What the pool roll records

From the roll: provider Red Rake Gaming, RTP 95.1%, maximum win 2,000x the stake, released 28 March 2019. The volatility is not rated in the pool, so I'll leave it unquoted rather than guess.

A 95.1% RTP is on the cautious side and the 2,000x ceiling is respectable for its era. Just note that one of the usual figures — the variance rating — is missing here.

033. The charges on the reels

Merlin is the wild — he landed in the left column stamped 'Wild' during my winning spin, aura and all. The green-armoured young knight is the top themed premium, followed by the silver helm, the castle, the grail and the rune-sword. The A-K-Q-J-10 royals fill the rest.

In my run a Merlin line paid a clean 2.00, and I logged a 0.64 win as well. No full symbol table surfaced, so the remaining bounties are entered after the session.

044. The Extra Reel and free spins

The headline mechanic is Reelset Changing: activate the Extra Reel from the side panel and the board widens — at the cost of a larger bet. It's a neat, player-controlled way to add ways-to-win, and it's the reason to pick this one over a plainer knight.

Beyond that the sheet lists substitution symbols, free spins with a free-spins multiplier, respins and scatters — a solid, classic feature set without any money-collect gimmickry.

055. Gameplay in the demo

Calm and old-school. Wins arrive as honest line pays — Merlin's 2.00 was the pick of my run — rather than through big feature spikes, and the Extra Reel option gives you a lever to pull when you want more action. It's a comfortable, no-nonsense play.

The unrated volatility means I can't put a number on the swings, but the base game read as steady rather than punishing across my session.

066. Who it suits

For players who like a classic, readable Red Rake pokie and the novelty of a player-activated Extra Reel. If Arthurian theming and steady line play appeal, it holds up well for its age.

Anyone chasing modern money-collect fireworks will find it quaint. Whatever you spin, keep it 18+, set a limit and stop when it stops being fun. NZ support: safergambling.org.nz and the Gambling Helpline on 0800 654 655.

077. In short

A well-aged, well-drawn Arthurian pokie with a genuinely distinctive Extra Reel mechanic, held back by a cautious RTP and an unrated volatility. A dependable veteran on the roll.

Enter it as a seasoned knight — not the flashiest at the muster, but sure of its footing.