Excalibur Slot Machine
Excalibur slot machines deal with the classic legend of Camelot, and they’re designed by the award-winning developers from Net Entertainment (also known as “NetEnt”). The company has been makinggames since their debut in 1996, so you can count on a quality casino experience without leaving the comfort of your own castle.
In this article, we’ll examine the finer points of the 20-payline slot, from its paytable and to the overall presentation of the game. While reading this text won’t turn you into an automaticwinner or successful tourney knight, it should adequately prepare you for what’s to come.
Sights and Sounds
The Excalibur slot machine from NetEnt is a colorful game, but there’s not a lot in the way of animation or an exciting soundtrack. The images on the reels are rendered in a cartoonish style, andthe background sounds hearken back to an ancient marketplace (complete with horses, carts, and an annoying flute player).
While there’s nothing wrong with the basic look of the game, I was hoping for something more. The tale of Camelot is one of the most enduring legends of all time, filled with action, sex,intrigue, and betrayal. To reduce it to nothing more than a one-dimensional cartoon slot is doing both the story and the players a disservice.
How hard would it have been to include a couple of period-themed songs as part of the soundtrack? NetEnt did it on the Guns N Roses slot, and I wish they would’ve given similar consideration tothis game. As it stands, the crowd sounds provided on the basic reel seem to loop every few seconds, which quickly becomes annoying.
Excalibur Paytable
In this section, we’ll be looking at the paytable for the Excalibur slot machine. All symbols are discussed in detail, including their various payouts and some basic information about thedepicted items and characters.
- King Arthur
- According to legend, King Arthur was a visionary British leader who fended off the invading Saxons in the late 5th and early 6th Armed with an enchanted sword namedExcalibur, he vanquished his enemies and assembled a collection of the best knights from across Europe. He also created Camelot, an enlightened kingdom that valued the nobler human qualitiesand promoted chivalry in an otherwise barbaric world. Unfortunately, a betrayal from within his own inner circle eventually led to the downfall of the kingdom, and Arthur was whisked away tothe enchanted isle of Avalon after being mortally wounded in the Battle of Camlann by the treacherous Mordred. When this symbol makes up a winning combination, it pays one of the followingamounts: three credits for two matches, 25 for three, 100 for four, and 750 for five.
- Merlin
- In legend, Merlin is usually depicted as an ancient wizard with human and demon bloodlines who serves as the chief advisor to Arthur. He often uses his great magical powers to arrange eventsin the king’s favor, although he’s eventually imprisoner (or slain, depending on the story) and unable to prevent the fall of Camelot. According to one scholar, the character may have beenbased on an actual druid who lived in southern Scotland during the 6th The slot machine version of Merlin pays the following when he makes up a winning payline: 25 credits forthree matches, 100 for four, and 500 for five.
- Lancelot and Guinevere
- Sir Lancelot du Lac was a French knight, best friend to Arthur, and the most formidable fighter of his era. Guinevere, meanwhile, was the beautiful wife of Arthur and the queen of Camelot.The pair were loved and revered, but they entered into an affair that led to civil war and resulted in the eventual fall of the kingdom. Lancelot spent the rest of his life living inseclusion, while Guinevere went to a convent and became a nun. He tried to visit her in her dying hours, but she passed away shortly before he arrived (thus fulfilling an earlier promise thathe would never see her alive again). When part of a winning payline, this tragic couple pays one of the following amounts: 15 credits for three matches, 100 for four, and 500 for five.
- Lady of the Lake
- In some versions of the tale, the Lady of the Lady is a fairy creature. In others, she was a mortal woman who gained her vast magical powers from an infatuated Merlin. She’s most famous forgiving Excalibur to Arthur, but she also raised Lancelot following the death of his father. Her symbol offers the following payouts: 10 credits for three matches, 75 for four, and 250 forfive.
- Morgan le Fey
- One of the chief enemies of Camelot, Morgana la Fey is often depicted as a vengeful sorceress and sometimes the half-sister of Arthur. She lusts after Lancelot, but he spurns her advances.She also has a special hatred for Guinevere, perhaps because the queen stands between her and the French knight. In early versions of Arthurian tales, it’s interesting to note that she wasoften depicted as a helpful healer and not a sex-crazed villainess. Her symbol pays the following: 10 credits for three matches, 75 for four, and 250 for five.
- Mordred
- One of the most complicated characters in Arthurian legend, Mordred is sometimes depicted as a vile villain and other times as the rightful heir to the throne. Regardless of his motivations,however, he’s always given the distinction of being one of the chief reasons for the fall of Camelot. The most commonly accepted legends have him fighting Arthur one-on-one during the Battleof Camlann, with Mordred being slain and Arthur carried to the isle of Avalon after being mortally wounded. When this black knight symbol makes up a winning combination, the following payoutare available: 10 credits for three matches, 50 for four, and 200 for five.
- Ace
- The highest icon in the game of poker, it’s commonly used on slot machines to round out the symbols. In this case, it’s worth the following amounts when part of a winning combo: five creditsfor three matches, 50 for four, and 150 for five.
- King
- This playing card icon seems more appropriate on this slot than most, as Excalibur deals with an actual king (or at least a fictional one). When the symbol results in a winning combination,the following payouts are offered: five credits for three matches, 25 for four, and 125 for five.
- Queen
- Another symbol that seems at home on the Excalibur slot, the queen icon rewards the following credits to those who hit a winning combo: five for three matches, 25 for four, and 125 for five.
- Jack
- Yet another poker symbol that serves as filler on the reels. The least of the face cards, this icon pays the following amounts: five credits for three matches, 25 for four, and 125 for five.
- Ten
- The lowest overall playing card value offered in this game, the ten symbol provides the following payouts: two credits for two matches, five for three, 25 for four, and 100 for five.
- Wild
- The game’s wild symbol takes the form of a sword embedded in a rock. This is likely meant to be Excalibur, although some versions of the tale show it to be a mundane weapon. Regardless of itsproperties, the legend was that anyone who could draw the sword from the stone would become the next ruler of Britain. Many men tried and failed, at least until Arthur came along andaccomplished the life-altering feat. This symbol substitutes for all icons except the Scatter and Golden Wild, and it doubles any winning payout it’s associated with. Cash prizes for the wildinclude the following: 10 for two matches, 250 for three, 2500 for four, and 10000 for five.
- Golden Wild
- This is the supercharged version of the above symbol. It substitutes for all icons except the Scatter, and it multiplies any winning amount by x4 when substituting for a regular game icon.
- Scatter
- Depicted as the mythical Holy Grail, this symbol is used to unlock the game’s free spins. Reputed to be a magical cup that contained the blood of Christ, the Grail was famed for itsmiraculous powers. Many of Arthur’s knights tried to find the artifact, but only the virtuous Sir Galahad (the illegitimate son of Sir Lancelot) was ever allowed to set eyes upon it. A shorttime later, he chooses to die in order to experience the eternal rapture of Heaven, and a host of angels descend to carry him away. The icon pays two credits for two matches, five for three(plus 10 free spins), 25 for four (plus 20 free spins), and 500 for five (plus 30 free spins).
Bonus Features
The Excalibur slot machine is lacking in the bonus department. While most games from NetEnt have a number of special features, the only one offered by this title is a free spins round. Duringthis phase, all winning combinations are tripled in value. While that’s certainly a welcome bonus, it’s disappointing that the designers didn’t come up with anything else to attract players.
Depictions of the Arthurian Legend
If you’d like to learn more about King Arthur and Camelot, there’s plenty of material available. From the serious to the absurd, the Arthurian legends have migrated through the ages and inspiredboth storytellers and their audience. For those with extra leisure time and a passion for heroism, I suggest giving any of the following a try:
Camelot 3000
Written by Mike W. Barr and drawn by Brian Bolland, this comic book limited series is set in the year 3000. When Earth faces an invasion from an alien army, King Arthur returns to save the day.His knights are also returned, although they’re reincarnated in existing human bodies (which leads to all manner of problems). Published in 12 issues from 1982 to 1985, it has been collected inboth paperback and hardcover editions.
Monty Python
Released in 1975, Monty Python and the Holy Grail is an irreverent comedy that turns the Arthurian legends on their ear by introducing killer rabbits, taunting Frenchmen, and gigantic knightswho utter the word “Ni” with terrifying effect. Years later, the basic plot and characters were recycled by Python troupe member Eric Idle into the hit Broadway musical Spamalot.
Once and Future King
Written by T.H. White and published in 1958, this novel provides a number of interesting takes on several Arthurian characters. For example, Merlin is aging backwards through time, whileLancelot is the ugliest knight in Camelot (as well as a sadist). The first part, The Sword in the Stone, has a light tone, while later sections become increasingly dark. Respectedfantasy historian Lin Carter once referred to it as “the single finest fantasy novel written in our time.”
Excalibur
The 1981 fantasy classic was shot on location in Ireland and helped launch the careers of performers such as Helen Mirren, Liam Neeson, Patrick Stewart, and Gabriel Byrne. Based on ThomasMalory’s highly-regarded Le Morte d’Arthur, it follows King Arthur from his days as a well-meaning squire to the eventual fall of Camelot. While it might sometimes look dated to modernviewers, the solid performances and combination of magic and swordplay immediately elevate it into must-see territory.
The Mists of Avalon
This 1983 novel from Marion Zimmer Bradley tells the stories of Camelot through the eyes of female characters such as Morgaine (aka Morgan le Fay), Guinevere, Igraine, and others. Morgaine isthe main character, and she’s anything but a stock villain. If you’re looking for a feminist interpretation of the Arthurian legends, then this novel is a fine place to start.
Conclusion
If you’re a fan of the tales of Camelot, then the Excalibur slot machines from Net Entertainment are worth a look. The graphics are colorful, the symbols are plentiful, and up to 120,000 coinscan be won on a single spin. On the downside, the sound and graphics could’ve been much better, and the lack of significant bonus rounds is a major disappointment. This isn’t NetEnt’s besteffort, but it’s still better than a lot of games offered by their competitors.