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A New Blueprint for Ancient Egyptian Slots
The concept of gradual assembly, evolving from humanity’s earliest tool-making endeavors to complex modern projects, finds a compelling parallel in the world of online slots. The satisfaction derived from building something piece by piece is a powerful motivator, and this principle of progressive enhancement is what elevates certain titles, offering players a deeper, more engaging experience. Slingshot Studios, a partner of Games Global, channels this very idea in its release, “Links of Ra ASSEMBL’EM,” a game that transports players to the sands of ancient Egypt to construct a uniquely powerful bonus experience.
This title builds on the innovative foundation seen in games like Alchemy Gaming’s “Bass Cash ASSEMBL’EM,” where players unlock and combine features to customize the gameplay. In this Egyptian adventure, deities and powerful cards converge on a 5-reel, 3-row grid, giving players significant agency in shaping the lucrative Free Spins round. The game is set against the backdrop of a grand stone tomb, with an atmospheric soundtrack of haunting Egyptian melodies enhancing the immersive setting. At its core, this is a high-volatility slot with a respectable 96% RTP and a maximum win potential of 15,500 times the stake.
Core Gameplay and Payout Structure
The game operates on a 5×3 reel layout with 20 fixed paylines. Victories are secured by landing combinations of three or more identical symbols on adjacent reels, starting from the leftmost reel. The paytable is composed of nine standard symbols.
- Low-Value Symbols: Four distinct gems constitute the lower tier, awarding up to 1.5x the bet for a five-of-a-kind combination.
- High-Value Symbols: Five character symbols, representing Egyptian deities, offer more substantial rewards, paying out between 2x and 4x the bet for a full payline.
- Wild Symbols: Appearing exclusively during the base game, Wilds can substitute for any standard paying symbol to help complete winning lines.
The ASSEMBL’EM Mechanic: Crafting Your Bonus
The standout feature of this title is the ASSEMBL’EM system, which revolves around unlocking, combining, and upgrading special Feature Cards. This mechanic allows players to progressively build a more potent bonus round over time.
Unlocking and Upgrading Feature Cards
Throughout the base game, players can unlock a total of five Feature Cards and their corresponding active positions. This is achieved by meeting specific in-game milestones, such as completing a certain number of spins. The fourth and fifth card slots have an additional requirement: they only become available after all five collected cards have been upgraded to at least the silver level.
Each card can be randomly upgraded from bronze to silver, and subsequently from silver to gold. These upgrades can occur after completing the ULTRA Link&Win feature or simply upon returning to the game for a new session, adding value to continued play. Players have the flexibility to swap unlocked cards into active positions between spins, tailoring the potential bonus trigger to their preference.
The Five Feature Cards and Their Powers
When the ULTRA Link&Win bonus is triggered, the active Feature Cards and their current upgrade levels dictate which special modifiers will be in play. The effects are as follows:
- Unlocker Card: Expands the game grid for the bonus round.
- Bronze: Adds 1 extra row.
- Silver: Adds 2 extra rows.
- Gold: Adds 4 extra rows.
- Collector Card: Introduces Cash Collector Booster Coins.
- Bronze: Allows up to 3 standard Collector Coins to land.
- Silver: Allows up to 3 Semi-Persistent Collector Coins.
- Gold: Grants 1 Persistent Collector Coin.
- Jackpots Card: Enables the appearance of Jackpot Coins.
- Bronze: Up to 1 of each Jackpot Coin can land.
- Silver: Up to 1 of each Jackpot Coin can land with doubled values.
- Gold: Up to 1 of each Jackpot Coin can land with doubled values and a reduced award countdown.
- Multiplier Card: Adds Multiplier Booster Coins to the reels.
- Bronze: Up to 3 coins with a 2x multiplier can land.
- Silver: Up to 3 coins with a 3x multiplier can land.
- Gold: Grants 1 Persistent 2x Multiplier Coin.
- Adder Card: Introduces Adder Booster Coins that increase other values.
- Bronze: Up to 3 standard Adder Coins can land.
- Silver: Allows up to 3 Semi-Persistent Adder Coins.
- Gold: Grants 1 Persistent Adder Coin.
The ULTRA Link&Win Bonus Feature
During the base game, any standard symbol can appear with an overlay token corresponding to one of the five Feature Cards. These tokens are collected only if their matching card is unlocked and in an active slot. Collecting a token can randomly initiate the ULTRA Link&Win Bonus, which starts with three respins.
This hold-and-win style round features Cash Coins with values from 0.2x to 10x the bet. When these coins land, they lock in place and reset the respin counter to three. The round concludes when respins run out or the entire grid is filled, at which point all collected values are paid out. Depending on the triggering Feature Cards, several special symbols can appear:
- Jackpot Coins: These coins correspond to the four fixed jackpots: MINI (15x), MINOR (50x), MAJOR (500x), and GRAND (2,500x). Each Jackpot Coin has a spin countdown, and the prize is awarded when the counter hits zero.
- Cash Collect Coins: When these land, they gather the values of all other active prize coins on the grid (excluding Jackpots).
- Multiplier Booster Coins: The 2x and 3x coins apply their multiplier to up to four prize values once. Persistent Multiplier Coins apply their effect on every subsequent respin.
- Adder Booster Coins: These add their value to all Cash Coins and other Adder Coins. Standard coins activate once, Semi-Persistent coins activate for three consecutive spins, and Persistent coins activate on every remaining respin.
Additional Player-Driven Features
Upsizer Feature
When the ULTRA Link&Win round is triggered, the game may present the Upsizer option. This allows players to purchase additional Feature Cards to activate for the upcoming bonus. The cost is dynamically calculated based on the number and upgrade level of the cards already active for the trigger.
Bonus Buy
For those wishing to bypass the base game grind, a Bonus Buy option is available. This feature provides immediate entry into the ULTRA Link&Win bonus, activating all currently unlocked and active Feature Cards. The price is determined by the specific combination and upgrade level of the active cards and maintains the game’s RTP at 96%.
Final Assessment
The primary appeal of the ASSEMBL’EM series lies in the element of choice and long-term progression it offers players. Links of Ra ASSEMBL’EM successfully adapts this concept to the popular hold-and-win format, creating a deeply strategic and rewarding experience. While the system of card upgrades and various modifiers may seem intricate at first, the core loop is straightforward: play to unlock and upgrade cards, then choose a lineup to craft a powerful, customized bonus round.
The game’s design encourages return visits, as game progress is saved and players can be rewarded with random card upgrades just for coming back. The potential for combining multiple high-level Feature Cards in a single bonus trigger creates immense potential, and the Upsizer feature adds another layer of tactical decision-making. With its excellent Egyptian theme and dynamic, player-influenced mechanics, Links of Ra ASSEMBL’EM is a stellar addition to the genre and a must-try for fans of feature-rich, progressive slot gameplay.
