At this point, Zeus is nothing less than a familiar face in online pokies. But as already said, he is presented here with an outstanding level of respect. Or it can be said that he isn’t technically in the game much at all, except when a special feature is triggered. The rest of the time his face carved into a stone symbol, and that is just the way it should be. After all, it wasn’t until much later that he started to be depicted as a superhero, which was done in order to make his image fit in line with the Marvel Universe.
Zeus isn’t alone on the reels, of course, and there are a number of other recognisable deities that make an appearance. Those pokie players familiar with mythology will spot Hera, the kraken, the hydra, Hercules, Hades and a few others. Each character is given a suitably sombre carving on the reels, and it is clear that the artists at Microgaming put immense effort into staying true to the source material. It is no exaggeration to say that the artwork could easily find a place in a museum, given how convincing it is.
In terms of special symbols, there are 2 to keep an eye out for. The first is a Golden Zeus, which acts as a Wild. The second is a Lightning Bolt Scatter, which triggers the Free Spins mode.
Reel Spinning Pokie Fun
Any pokie that utilises a Rolling Reel system generally also implements a Multiplier Trail, and it is the same for Ancient Fortunes: Zeus. The idea is simple; when symbols match, they disappear, allowing new symbols to fall in and occupy the empty space. This means that numerous matches can be made in a single spin, creating chain wins. However, after each match a multiplier is also added, making each consecutive match more valuable than the last. The multiplier starts at 1X, moves to 2X for the second win, then 3X, then 7X. It is a highly effective feature that makes every potential payout extra special.
But all online pokies need the equivalent of a jackpot, and in this case, it is the Free Spins bonus. When Lightning Bolt Scatters are matched, they award 10, 15 or 20 spins, depending on the number of symbols in the match. Interestingly enough, matching these Scatters is the only time that Zeus will appear in his more contemporary version, with glowing eyes, big muscles, and crackling fingertips.
The added kicker is that during Free Spins the Multiplier Trail is drastically enhanced, offering the potential for huge payouts. The trail now goes from 3X, to 7X, to 11X, and finally 21X. No more explanation is needed as to just how big payouts can get for lucky pokie players during a Free Spins sequence.