Step into the underworld of ancient Egypt with Hand of Anubis, a dark and powerful slot game from Hacksaw Gaming. This is not your typical Egyptian-themed slot filled with golden scarabs and sunny pyramids. Instead, it’s a gritty, high-volatility journey into the realm of the dead, where the god Anubis in xo 88 holds the key to massive riches—and potentially deadly surprises.
A Dark Egyptian Setting Like No Other
Hand of Anubis reimagines the typical Egyptian theme with a much darker and more intense atmosphere. The visuals are striking: a haunting tomb lit by ghostly blue flames, looming statues of jackal-headed Anubis, and ominous stone symbols carved with ancient glyphs. There’s a brooding quality to the art design, evoking mystery and danger rather than traditional royalty or splendor.
Accompanied by an eerie soundtrack of chants, heavy drums, and desert winds, the entire experience feels like a descent into the underworld—perfectly fitting for a slot centered around the guardian of the dead.
Cluster Pays and Cascading Mechanics
This game features a 5×6 grid with a cluster pays system. Instead of paylines, wins are formed by at least five matching symbols connected vertically or horizontally. When a cluster lands, it triggers a cascade, where the winning symbols vanish and new ones fall from above, potentially forming fresh clusters and additional wins.
Winning symbols include scarabs, glowing orbs, and various colored Anubis masks. The low-paying symbols are colored orbs, while high-paying symbols include more elaborately carved icons that glow with energy. The minimalist user interface ensures the focus stays on the gameplay action.
Two Types of Skulls: Ice and Fire
A key part of the Hand of Anubis base game is its Ice and Fire skull features, which can activate randomly:
- Ice Skull: When this blue skull lands, it freezes multiplier values under the grid. These multipliers accumulate with each cascade and are applied to your total win once no more winning clusters land.
- Fire Skull: The red skull acts as a power multiplier. If multiple fire skulls land during a spin, their values are added and then applied to the win—boosting payouts dramatically when clusters align properly.
These features don’t appear every spin but when they do, they can completely change the trajectory of the round.
Bonus Rounds with Massive Multiplier Potential
Hand of Anubis comes with two unique bonus modes: Underworld Bonus and Judgement Bonus.
- Underworld Bonus: Triggered by landing three scatter symbols. In this mode, each reel contains a multiplier beneath it. Every winning cluster contributes to these reel-based multipliers, and they keep building as long as cascades continue. At the end of the round, your total win is multiplied by each reel’s final value—making this mode an opportunity for huge rewards.
- Judgement Bonus: Activated by landing four scatter symbols. Here, you enter a Hold & Win-style feature with multiplier blocks, enhancers, and more. You begin with three spins, and every time a multiplier block lands, spins reset. Special symbols can double, boost, or unlock new rows, turning this into a tense and rewarding endurance test.
This round can stretch out for a while and reach thrilling heights if the right modifiers land.
Volatility and RTP
Hand of Anubis is a high volatility slot with an impressive maximum win of 10,000x your stake. It’s tailored for players who enjoy the thrill of chasing big, less frequent wins. The RTP (Return to Player) stands at a solid 96.24%, aligning with other top-tier online slots.
Mobile and Desktop Experience
Like all Hacksaw Gaming titles, Hand of Anubis is fully optimized for both mobile and desktop. The game runs smoothly across all platforms, and its vertical-friendly layout makes it perfect for portrait play on smartphones.
Final Verdict
Hand of Anubis is a bold, atmospheric, and feature-rich slot that brings a fresh twist to the overused Egyptian theme. With its immersive design, inventive bonus features, and explosive win potential, it stands out as one of Hacksaw Gaming’s most memorable releases.
If you’re brave enough to enter the underworld, Anubis may just reward you with riches beyond imagination.