In today’s Aztec Twist slot review, we are hacking through the Jungle to discover the treasures which may have been left behind by the Aztec people. Players are transported to lush, deep woodlands that were home to the Aztec nomadic culture that formerly roamed over what is now modern-day Mexico. Head deeper into the endless jungle and you will find something unexpected: a huge cube-based slot grid. Another brilliantly creative slot game from Hacksaw Gaming, Aztec Twist is strongly influenced by the well-known Rubik's cube and has a top payout of 6800x your total wager. If the strange combination of one of the 70s' most popular toys and rich Aztec culture has piqued your interest, then keep on reading our Aztec Twist slot review to learn more.
The 5x8 reel set of Hacksaw Gaming's Aztec Twist slot machine uses a cluster pays game mechanic. To achieve a winning spin, you must line up five or more identical symbols in a winning cluster that connects either vertically or horizontally. The developer provides a symbol-locking method that can hold symbols in place even if no cascade will occur (more on this later). Another unique factor when it comes to the reel configuration of the Aztec Twist slot is the fact that when you click spin each of the grid spaces spins independently in a horizontal factor, which is where the 'twist' in Aztec Twist comes from, which pays homage to the movement mechanism of a Rubik's Cube.
Getting started with the Aztec Twist slot is very easy and the game is compatible with all devices including smartphones. Before delving into the mysteries of the Aztec civilization, you must select your wager value and the betting menu can be opened by clicking on the triple-bar button. The Aztec twist slot caters to wagers starting at £0.20 per spin up to £100 which should suit the budgets of the average player base. To select your preferred bet use the arrows to increase and decrease your wager until you are satisfied.
Before clicking or tapping spin be sure to review the paytable to learn more about the symbol values as well as the mechanics of bonus features. You can also tinker with other settings such as sound settings too. Players outside the UK can configure the Aztec Twist slot to play 10-1000 spins automatically thanks to the autoplay function.
The Aztec Twist slot has a generous theoretical RTP of 96.36% - but check the stats before playing as alternative maths models may exist. It is also worth taking into account that the Aztec Twist slot game has been given a high volatility rating by developers Hacksaw. Players can win up to 6,800 times their total wager when playing Aztec Twist which can be achieved during the free spins bonus game thanks to the re-spins, and multipliers that are included in the feature.
At Gambling Zone we recommend playing the Aztec Twist slot machine at any of the following top online casinos. Here are the best slot sites to check:
Players of Aztec Twist are thrust deep into Mesoamerican territory, where legendary creatures and antiquated buildings come to life. With a rich colour scheme of golds, greens, and earthen tones that evoke the jungles and temples of the Aztec realm, the game's visually captivating features create an immersive experience. A captivating soundtrack, along with mysterious symbols and a themed backdrop, create an authentic gaming experience that piques players' senses.
The vivid motifs engraved on the stone reels are cut from the stone. With such a large reel size, symbols must be easy to recognise, which Hacksaw Gaming has done well in Aztec Twist by keeping their design simple and assigning them bold colours, meaning its easy to track gameplay when playing on small-screened mobile devices. There are five distinct Aztec symbols engraved in blue, green, purple, red, and yellow on the paytable. You will earn 15 times your stake if you are fortunate enough to produce a cluster of 21 symbols or more with these symbols. Masks painted in blue, green, purple, and yellow are the higher-paying symbols. You will win 40 times your bet if these symbols are part of a winning cluster.
Except for the sun scatter, which is used to access the free spins bonus round, every symbol in play can be substituted by the wild symbol, which is the palm symbol painted in orange and turquoise. The full paytable for the Aztec Twist slot is as follows:
Blue square, green oval, purple circle, red triangle, orange diamond.
Blue mask, green mask, purple mask, red mask, orange mask.
Looks like an orange palm on a light blue background. The wild can substitute for all other symbols aside from the scatter to form a winning combination.
Looks like a sun and can trigger the free spins bonus round when three or more are landed within a single spin in any reel position.
Aztec Twist is a responsive HTML5 slot machine. Although it may be played on any laptop or desktop, it is primarily optimised for use on mobile devices. The game runs nicely on all devices and is compatible with all operating systems.
The Aztec Twist slot machine has two base game features; the aforementioned wild symbol and the sticky symbols feature. There is also a free spins bonus round with a unique wild and multiplier mechanic. All features have been explored in more detail below:
Following a base game spin, if a row is filled with the same symbol, it becomes sticky along with any other matching symbols on the board. Matching symbols stay sticky while the reels respin until your winning cluster stops expanding. A multiplier of 2x to 5x is awarded to you for each complete row. These multipliers are totalled up and then applied to your spin wins.
When three Sun Symbol scatter symbols fall anywhere on the same spin, eight extra spins are awarded. A unique Golden Mask symbol that spans a complete row when it appears is included in the free spins. The two cylinders that have appeared at the top of the reels for the free spins bonus now function, and the row becomes sticky.
The smaller left-hand cylinder spins to award a multiplier between 1x and 8x, while the right-hand cylinder shows a starting multiplier value of 10x the wager. The first time you land the Golden Mask symbol, you can win between 10x and 80x your stake. With each feature trigger, the prize value goes up from 10x to 20x, 30x, 40x, 50x, 100x, 250x, and 500x plus an additional 2 spins are awarded for each trigger.
If applicable in your country, non-UK players can purchase the bonus round directly; this will cost you 115 times your total stake value. The next spin will then yield a guaranteed 3 scatters, which will start the bonus round with 8 free spins.
The Aztec Twist slot machine is one of those games which will be some players' dream come true, and others will prefer to look elsewhere. Overall, on paper, the Aztec Twist slot ticks all the boxes for a smash-hit slot. The 96.39% RTP is great, the high volatility is matched by a strong top payout potential of 6,800x a player's stake, and the mobile-first game uses the vastly popular cluster pays mechanism. The sticky symbols feature spices up base gameplay, and the free spins bonus round can be very lucrative.
Where this game might turn some players off comes down to its visual elements. First of all, the large reel set can be overwhelming for some, and might be difficult for some players to track gameplay if playing on small screens or if they are visually impaired; though Hacksaw Gaming has done as much as they can to mitigate this. While the individual grid spaces spinning horizontally independent of one another is a fun gimmick, for some visually sensitive people this design feature feels like it could be headache central.
Personally, as someone with traits of dysgraphia, I can struggle to follow horizontal lines such as in a grid. For some reason, Hacksaw has decided to tilt the game grid slightly a la the title screen in Star Wars (if you know, you know). This not only decreases the grid size but creates a visual imbalance between symbols at the top of the grid, and those at the bottom. One of the best things about online slots is how they can be accessible to all regardless of their limitations, impairments, and disabilities. With Aztec Twist, it feels like Hacksaw Gaming has overlooked the needs of a section of the online gaming community for the sake of visual gimmicks.
On the whole, though, Aztec Twist features a lot of elements that a good deal of players will enjoy and should keep suitable players entertained for multiple spins which is why I have rated Aztec Twist at 7.5.
Rating: 7.5
Here are some of the most common questions we get asked about Aztec Twist.