Step back in time…
Channelling the spirit of One Thousand and One Nights where the likes of Ali Baba and Aladdin sprung from, this stalwart of the NetEnt stable still charms players over a decade since its release.
We’ll be honest, it’s not going to blow you away. It doesn’t have the razzmatazz, immersive trickery or grand aesthetics of many of the more modern online and mobile slot machine releases.
But it does have something. Something good. We’re just not sure what. Let’s try and find out…
Less is sometimes more
This game feels a little sparse – the acoustics are well-pitched but minimal. But it’s the desert, at night, hardly the most cacophonous of environments: so here we get the sounds of crickets rubbing their legs, the odd hoot from an owl and now and again a scattergun burst of Arabian music. They’re not the only sounds you’ll hear. The reels make satisfying spinning then clunking noises as they whirl around and then stop.
The backdrop is pleasant enough, too. Minarets pepper an inky black sky, a snake slithers out of a basket, there is a container with what look like watermelons in there and the word “PAYABLE” emblazoned across the front. Okay, so the design and execution aren’t exactly enough to make you call up a friend and tell them, “You’ll never guess what I’ve just seen…” but it’s pleasant and relaxing enough.
Land the lucky lamps
Symbols on the reels continue the theme. Playing cards mix in with traditional Arabic fayre. You know the stuff: a camel, a fez, a red and white striped tent and a sword that looks like it would happily take your eye out. There’s a swarthy looking Arabian dude, too, dripping in gold jewelry and holding up what is either a strawberry or a valuable, red, gemstone. If you put a gun to our heads, we would guess it’s the latter. This dude’s important as he is also the wild symbol. Look out for him.
Look out for lamps, too, as they (perhaps unsurprisingly) serve as the scatter symbol. Bink three of these things and you will be treated to free spins – you don’t even need to rub them. For landing three you get 15 free spins and a generous 3x multiplier. Continue to hit lamps during the free spins feature to lead to further free spins.
Hit the progressive jackpot and get smiling
So there’s plenty to keep you entertained and amused. But the real draw of this slot and the reason for its continuing popularity must in some part lay at the feet of the progressive jackpot. To win it, you need to do two things: one, play with the maximum number of coins and, two, land five Arabian princes in a row on any active payline. Once hit, get ready to get happy: this jackpot is normally at least around several hundred thousand Euro and often hits giddier heights and swoops around, magic carpet-like into several million.
