Gladiator: Road to Rome slot review
Based on Ridley Scott’s iconic Gladiator movie, Gladiator: Road to Rome is a 5×3 slot featuring expanding Wilds, a progressive jackpot, and a Free Spins round with modifiers that can boost payout potential. Are you not entertained?
Released by Playtech in 2017, the game is an enhanced version of the provider’s original Gladiator slot. With 25 paylines, medium volatility, and an RTP of 95.05%, the updated version introduces full reel Wilds alongside a more engaging Free Spins round with extra modifiers available.
Now that the stage has been set, check out my full Gladiator: Road to Rome slot review below.
Highlights
RTP 95.05%
Volatility Medium
Stakes range 125
Max win 30,000x
Number of reels 5
Number of rows 3-
Number of paylines 25 -
Jackpots Yes -
Slot type Slots, Jackpot Slots -
Slot theme Roman, Ancient, Film, Movies -
Software provider Playtech -
Launch date 27/12/2017
82/ 100
79% Playscore based on 7 critics
Gladiator: Road to Rome slot summary
Gladiator: Road to Rome is a 5×3 branded slot and a solid follow-up to Playtech’s original Gladiator game. It features a progressive jackpot and two bonus games, including a Free Spins round with six possible modifiers that can greatly increase payout potential.
In fact, the modifiers really steal the show here and range from extra free spins and Wilds to symbol multipliers and Gladiator nudges. Selecting the shields to reveal modifiers also adds an interactive, hands-on element to gameplay.
Elsewhere, the Gladiator Bonus has the potential for very solid returns and is the only way to land a potential jackpot win. While the visuals aren’t the strongest and some symbol payouts lack variety or imagination, the slot has a lot more going for it than against it.
Pros
Six modifiers available
Includes progressive jackpot
Full reel Wild in base game
Cons
Symbols can share identical payout tiers
Visuals are basic
Jackpot locked behind feature
Gladiator: Road to Rome comprehensive review
In this comprehensive review of Gladiator: Road to Rome, I step into the Colosseum to examine the game’s mechanics and unique bonus features firsthand. This includes taking a closer look at its RTP, volatility, paylines, and how its progressive jackpot works.
RTP and volatility
Gladiator: Road to Rome has an RTP of 95.05%. This includes a 1% jackpot contribution, which means that a small portion of each bet is added to the prize pool with every spin.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| RTP | 95.05% |
| Maximum win | 30,000x |
| Number of paylines | 25 |
| Volatility | Medium |
Equipped with medium volatility on a 5×3 grid, the game is home to 25 paylines. Winning combinations are paid from left to right when a certain number of matching symbols align on fixed paylines.
While only the highest win is paid per line, multiple wins can be triggered in a single spin, which in turn will be added to your payout. Excluding the jackpot, the game has a maximum win potential of 30,000x your stake.
The RTP on Gladiator: Road to Rome sits 0.5 percentage points below the industry average of 96%. However, for a progressive jackpot slot, this is still pretty decent in my book.
Its RTP score of 95.05% comfortably outperforms other jackpot titles like the Finer Reels of Life WOWPOT (87.71%) and Queen of Alexandria WOWPOT (92.50%). Sure, those WOWPOT titles feature four progressive jackpots with higher top-end prizes, but the trade-off includes significantly lower RTP scores.
That said, Gladiator: Road to Rome’s limit of 25 fixed paylines does make gameplay feel a bit stiff. On the bright side, the medium level volatility feels well-balanced and aligns nicely with my experience testing out the slot.
Alexander Teoli
Bonus features
Gladiator symbols are unique icons that can cover an entire reel when fully visible. When this happens, they turn into Wilds, substituting for all other symbols except for Scatters and bonus symbols. Gladiators can appear on any reel during the base game and Free Spins round.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Bonus features | Wilds, Scatters, Bonus symbols, Bonus multipliers, Bonus nudge, Extra Wild symbol, Symbol pays as Scatter |
| Top features | Colosseum free games: 5, 8 or 12, Extra free games |
| Jackpot | Yes |
Represented by an axe and sword crisscrossed against a blue background, the Scatter symbol is key to unlocking Colosseum Free Games, the slot’s version of a Free Spins round. Landing three Scatters anywhere on the reels awards five free spins, four Scatters gets you eight, while five Scatters grant you 12 free spins.
Once triggered, the reels make way for a grid consisting of 12 shields. Behind each shield lies a modifier that can significantly increase payout potential. You must select three shields to reveal three modifiers. Some modifiers can be duplicated and are as follows:
- Win Multiplier: Adds a x2 or x3 multiplier to every win during the Free Spins round
- Extra free games: Awards you with an additional three to five free spins
- Extra Wild symbol: Transforms one random existing pay symbol into a Wild
- Symbol payout boost: Randomly adds a x5 multiplier to an existing symbol
- Symbol pays as Scatter: Allows a chosen symbol to pay anywhere on the reels, just like the Scatter icons
- Gladiator Wild nudge: When a Gladiator icon lands partially in view, a nudge mechanic will force the reel in question to spin until the Gladiator is in full view
If multiple Win Multipliers have been selected, their values are combined. For instance, landing a x2 and x3 multiplier will earn you a x5 multiplier with every winning combination.
When it comes to unlocking a potential jackpot win, an entirely separate mechanic needs to be triggered during the base game. Depicted as a helmet against a purple background, you need to land three bonus symbols on reels 2, 3, and 4.
Once triggered, the Gladiator Bonus game is activated and the reels make way for an empty 3×3 grid. This grid is then filled in with nine helmets that vary from gold, silver, and bronze. Each type of helmet carries a different value based on the size of your total bet.
Bronze helmets award x1 your stake, silver helmets award 2x, while golden helmets reward x4 your bet. The total value is then combined at the end and added to your final payout before play resumes.
However, if you are lucky enough to land nine gold helmets, the progressive jackpot is won. Aside from the jackpot win, the total value of nine golden helmets is also included in the final payout.
Starting out with just five free spins might not seem that exciting, but the inclusion of random modifiers creates that element of suspense that I look out for. Plus, the original Gladiator slot doesn’t give you a fixed number of free spins and lacks features like Wild nudges.
The game’s modifier-based system reminded me of Pragmatic Play titles like Bigger Bass Splash and Bigger Bass Christmas Bash.
However, while those games are visually more engaging and creative, they rely on random collection mechanics.
In contrast, Gladiator: Road to Rome feels more interactive as it allows you to actively select shields in the hope of landing something big. You could argue that some of the modifiers aren’t as generous as those seen in the Pragmatic Play titles, but the Gladiator Bonus game more than makes up for this with its potential for high returns.
Alexander Teoli
Symbols and payouts
Gladiator: Road to Rome features eleven pay symbols. This includes six low-paying card icons and four high-paying symbols based on characters from the movie.
The remaining pay symbol is the Gladiator icon, which can also turn into a Wild. It also happens to be the highest paying icon in the game, rewarding 1,000x your stake for five-of-a-kind.
Four Gladiator symbols reward 375x your stake, three matches get you 50x, and two gets you 5x your stake. It’s worth noting that the paytable values remain fixed and are calculated as multipliers of your total bet.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Theme | Ancient Rome, Movies |
| Reel layout | 5×3 |
| Highest paying symbol | Gladiator symbol |
| Adjustable paylines | N/A |
| Visuals | Fair |
| Sound | Great |
| Mobile quality | Good |
The next two high-paying symbols are based on Commodus and Lucilla, portrayed by Joaquin Phoenix and Connie Nielsen in the film. Five Commodus symbols pay 500x your stake, while five Lucilla icons return 375x your stake.
The last two remaining high-paying symbols feature Proximo, played by the late Oliver Reed. Alongside him is one of the iconic Roman gladiators seen in the film. Both symbols feature identical payout values, rewarding 250x for five-of-a-kind, 100x for four, and 25x for three matches.
While there are six low-paying card icons, they can be grouped into three matching payout tiers. This is because A and K share identical values, as does Q with J, while 10 and 9 also share the same values with each other.
Collectively, low-paying icons have a payout range between 200x your stake on the higher end and 5x your stake on the lower-end.
Firstly, I liked the way payouts are structured in Gladiator: Road to Rome. In my opinion, it’s a lot more straightforward and easier to follow compared to coin-based systems like the ones seen at Hall of Gods by NetEnt.
This is because to determine payouts in coin-based slots, your coin-value is multiplied by the bet level, with that result then multiplied by the paytable value. In contrast, Gladiator: Road to Rome simply multiplies your total bet by the paytable value. This makes it easier to work out beforehand, especially if you’re like me and not a whizz at math.
As for overall value, the higher-paying symbols are strong but by no means are they exceptional. Plus, I also wasn’t too impressed with the amount of symbols that carry duplicate payout tiers as it makes gameplay feel repetitive and stagnant at times.
Alexander Teoli
How to play Gladiator: Road to Rome
Gladiator: Road to Rome consists of 17 bet levels with stakes ranging from $0.25 up to $125 per spin. To set your wager, select the plus and minus icons to either increase or decrease your bet before playing.
Once you are satisfied with your bet per spin, simply select the ‘SPIN’ button on the bottom right hand corner of your screen. For automated play, there are four preset options ranging from 10, 25, 50, or 99 autospins.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Min bet | $0.25 |
| Max bet | $125 |
| Autoplay | Available |
| Turbo mode | Available |
| Game history | N/A |
Alternatively, you can select ‘UNTIL FEATURE’ and autospins will keep playing until a bonus is triggered. There is also a ‘Turbo Mode’ button available which will speed up gameplay while the reels are spinning.
To view information on payouts, pay symbols, and bonuses, simply select the ‘i’ icon and use the arrow buttons to scroll through the menu. In the top right hand corner of your screen, you’ll find a speaker icon to mute or unmute sound.
Alongside the speaker, you’ll find a gear icon which opens up additional settings. From here you can access ‘Options’, giving you greater control over sound settings and volume. You can also choose to skip the intro video and disable the splash screen.
The gear icon also gives you access to the ‘Help’ section, which offers a more in-depth breakdown of game rules. The ‘Paytable’ option leads to the same information as the ‘i’ icon.
Casinos where to play Gladiator: Road to Rome
Playtech has been delivering reliable, fun, and engaging games to gambling platforms for many years. You can find Gladiator: Road to Rome, along with many other titles from the developer, at the following online casinos:
| Casino Logo | Rating | Bonus | Go-to-casino button | Show more | T&C |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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81/100
Expert rating
by Sophie P.
86%
Playscore
based on
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200% up to $100 + 25 free spins
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Play now |
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Expert verdict
If you’re like me and enjoy history, film, and engaging gameplay with innovative bonus mechanics, then Gladiator: Road to Rome will be right up your alley. The inclusion of actual clips from the movie is a bit cheesy, but I actually think it works really well.
Branded slots like this can often feel hit or miss, sometimes coming across as quick and lazy cash grabs by providers. However, Playtech has done a solid job here. It’s proof that you don’t need cutting-edge visuals for a slot to feel fun and well put together.
This is largely down to the Free Spins round, where the modifier system adds an interactive, hands-on dynamic to gameplay. It’s clear that a lot of thought has gone into how these features interact and complement each other.
However, I generally prefer jackpot slots where you don’t need to unlock a feature for a shot at the top prize. That said, the Gladiator Bonus still offers strong returns, even if you don’t win the jackpot.
FAQs
What is the RTP of Gladiator: Road to Rome?
Gladiator: Road to Rome has an overall RTP rating of 95.05%, with 1% allocated to jackpot contributions. This places it 0.5 percentage points below the industry average of 96%.
Does Gladiator: Road to Rome have a jackpot?
Yes, Gladiator: Road to Rome has one progressive jackpot prize that can only be won during the Gladiator Bonus.
What kind of bonuses can I expect on Gladiator: Road to Rome?
The base game includes a full reel Wild symbol, while the Free Spins round features six modifiers that can increase payout potential. There is also a Gladiator Bonus where you can potentially win the jackpot.
What modifiers are available in the Free Spins round?
With up to six modifiers, you can only have a maximum of three per round. These include Win Multipliers, extra Wilds and free spins, symbol payout boosts, symbols that pay as Scatters, and Gladiator Wild nudges. Some modifiers can be duplicated, with multipliers combining together if more than one is selected.
What is the volatility of Gladiator: Road to Rome?
Gladiator: Road to Rome comes with medium volatility, creating a good balance between smaller, more frequent wins, dry spells, and potential for larger payouts.
