Slot Review: Ways of Athena

Fantasy, legend, and myth are encapsulated in a time when togas were tight and life was good for the ancient gods of Greece. Software Provider Thunderkick released a new online slot game on 11 December 2024 called Ways of Athena, and the goddess of war and wisdom is here to guide you through this online casino game that contains Matching Mystery icons and a progressive free spins bonus round.

When Ways of Athena’s base game appears on players’ screens, they are greeted by a beautiful arcadia. The sun-drenched environment that Ways of Athena presents definitely seems like the kind of location that might harbor those qualities. It can be entertaining to romanticize the past, especially the far-off, ancient past, as a place of splendor, literature, and wisdom. It’s a soothing balm in a world where slots games are usually far more colourful and can sometimes be harsh to the eyes.

The Ways of Athena grid is comprised of three rows and five grids, played from left to right and provides 243 ways to win. There is also a mechanism of splitting symbols that means the ways to win increase exponentially to 49,923. There are two RTPs (Return to Player), the highest being 94.21%, and the game is considered highly volatile. Players can choose the feature buy option or the BET+ante bets feature and can wager anything from £0.10-£100 per spin. The maximum win on this female-driven slot is 25,000 x the bet.

Graphics and Sound

You are welcomed with golden hues and verdant rolling hills, with strings and percussions that remind you of ancient times long gone. Considering Athena was the goddess of war, the music and background are surprisingly peaceful and calm. The 3×5 grid is filled with more vibrant tones as the symbols spin, and overall, it is one of the more relaxed slot games to play, with no jarring bells or whistles to shock you.

You may find it somewhat surprising then, that the bonus round is inside a depressing and dark temple, albeit with candles lighting up the screen. Here is where the bells and whistles should be played, but there is a melody that signals victory, so you can feel a small sense of achievement as the free spins unfold.

Payouts and Symbols

Athena’s Ways has 2 special icons and up to 10 regular symbols. Unfortunately, even the goddess of wisdom and war cannot advise players on how to strategise, as slot games are random and really depend on when the reels stop spinning.

If 3 symbols that are the same land from left to right, you will win, but this is a simplified version of the payout rules. Players can find more information, such as the win amounts and all the payout information, on the paytable. Keep in mind that all that changes depending on the amount that is wagered.

Ten, Jack, Queen, King, and Ace pay between 0.2 and 2x your stake, while the harp and ancient vase pay 0.4- 2x. The helmet and shield pay 0.5-2.5x, and Athena herself pays 1, 2, or 5x the stake depending on where she lands (over 3, 4, or 5 reels).

The Wild icon will replace any paying symbol to complete a winning sequence and it is 5x the bet when there are 5 Wilds on a payline. The Scatter symbol is Athena ready to do battle and can be purchased if not triggered. There is no particular position that the symbols have to be in in order to pay.

Bonus Features for Ways of Athena Slot

There may not be a slew of bonus features in this slot game, but they may help in getting closer to wins of up to 25,000 your bet, so it’s worth it to know about them.

Matching Mystery

This symbol can appear anywhere from the second to the fifth reel, but will only appear twice per reel. Whatever symbol is displayed on the first reel is what the Matching Mystery symbol becomes, essentially creating two pay ways per symbol.

Bonus Game

Three or more bonus symbols get a player eight free spins, while every bonus symbol after that awards them an additional two up to forty-four free spins. Should a bonus symbol land on the first reel, followed by a Matching Mystery one on any other, it will become double bonus symbols that activate free spins as well.

The bonus game also has a unique feature where players can collect Matching Mystery orbs that fill up a metre below the reels. The pay ways are increased by the first and second spill as per any Matching Mystery symbol from reels 3 to 5. Any further fill-up gives players a couple of extra spins and other rewards. No bonus icons will appear when this feature has been activated.

Potential Wins for Ways of Athena Slot

Although every slot game uses RNG software to determine how the reels will spin and land, there are some things players can take into consideration when playing this game.

The five columns and three rows mean that initially, Ways of Athena can pay 243 ways. However, once a Matching Mystery symbol appears and matches with any pay symbol on the first reel, it doubles up, and then the payways increase to 43,923.

Wins happen when the same symbols appear from left to right. You can bet from £0.10 to £100 per spin by clicking on the Spin button or spacebar on your computer. Players can also select Autoplay to wager the same amount for a few spins.

Conclusion

Online slots fall into two categories: sophisticated with complex game mechanics or simple and straightforward. Thinderkick has developed one in Ways of Athena that falls in the latter category, with a beloved Ancient Greek mythology theme.

There is no complex theme or elements of this slot that make it hard to play. The features are few but unique and powerful. Matching Mystery symbols can become expanding symbols that increase ways to pay. There are also buy feature, Bet+ and free spins options.

It may seem conventional, but we prefer to think of it as classic, and there are many players who would find it appealing and what they have come to know from an Ancient Greek slot game.

The 25,000 max win is impressive and even though it’s a high-volatility slot, there are enough betting options that it will suit most budgets.

Similar Online Slot Games

If ancient times and mythologies are up your street, here are a few other slot games you can try at PokerStars:

Divine Fortune: Also an Ancient Greek theme, this NetEnt slot has a jackpot, free spins, and an RTP of 96.59%.

Book of 99: Relax Gaming has developed a slot game that takes you along for the epic journey that is Homer’s Journey. It has Wilds, Scatter symbols and a 99% RTP.

Amazing Link Medusa: The Ancient Greek gorgon Medusa features in SpinPlay Games slot and is the 10th sequel in a series that started with Amazing Link Zeus in 2021. There are bonus symbols, free spins, and fixed jackpots, and the slot has a 96% RTP, which ranges depending on the wager made.

Gates of Olympus 1000: Pragmatic Play landed a winner with this slot game, having been voted Slot of the Year and Most Watched and Most Streamed Slot game. It has a Multiplier Mechanic, cascading reels, and a 96.50% RTP.

FAQs for Ways of Athena Slot