Hand of Anubis
Hand of Anubis takes Hacksaw Gaming into the Egyptian afterlife, but it does not play like a typical tomb-raider slot. There are no reels spinning past scarabs and pharaohs. Instead, 30 symbols tumble into a grid, clusters of matching tiles pay, and glowing Soul Orbs act as wilds with multipliers that grow as they become part of wins. Released in April 2022, it is rated 5 out of 5 for volatility by its developer and has a top prize of 10,000x the bet.
The game also has two quite different bonus rounds: the Underworld free spins with multiplier meters below the grid, and the Judgement bonus, a collect-style round built on skulls and crushing blocks. This review walks through both, explains the RTP settings and gives practical tips for managing a bankroll on a slot this volatile.
Where to Play Hand of Anubis
Hand of Anubis is a regular title in the Hacksaw Gaming portfolio and appears at most casinos that stock the studio. The sites below carry Hacksaw games, accept Australian players and have full reviews on BetsAuthority. When the slot loads, open its information panel to see which RTP version the casino has chosen.
Quick Facts About Hand of Anubis
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Slot | Hand of Anubis |
| Provider | Hacksaw Gaming |
| Release | April 2022 |
| Layout | 30-position grid (5 reels by 6 rows) |
| Pay system | Cluster pays, 5+ matching symbols, with tumbles |
| RTP | 96.24% top setting (94.32%, 92.28% and 88.41% versions exist) |
| Volatility | High (5 out of 5) |
| Bet range | 0.10 to 100 per spin (casino limits may differ) |
| Maximum win | 10,000x the bet |
| Hit frequency | About 36.9% |
| Wilds | Red and blue Soul Orbs with growing multipliers |
| Bonuses | Underworld free spins, Judgement bonus |
| Extras | Bonus Buy for both rounds (where allowed) |
How Hand of Anubis Works
Each spin fills the grid with symbols, and a win needs a cluster of at least five matching symbols touching horizontally or vertically. Winning clusters are removed, the remaining symbols drop and new ones fall in from the top, so one spin can produce several wins in a row. The lower half of the paytable uses stone-carved card ranks from 10 to A, while the five premium symbols are gold and jewelled Egyptian tokens. Larger clusters pay much more: an 11-plus cluster of a top token is the best regular result on the board.
A hit rate of roughly one in three spins means the base game pays small amounts fairly often, but most of those wins are below the stake. The real swings come from the Soul Orbs and the two bonuses.
Soul Orbs: Wilds with Multipliers
Soul Orbs can appear randomly during base game spins. They substitute for regular symbols and carry a multiplier that grows as they take part in wins:
- Red Soul Orb increases its multiplier by +1 for every symbol in each winning cluster it joins.
- Blue Soul Orb increases its multiplier by +1 for each winning cluster it joins.
If more than one orb is involved in a win, their multipliers are multiplied together, not added. Because the tumbling continues while the orbs stay in play, one orb landing in the middle of a busy grid can keep building through several cascades. That is the main way the base game produces wins worth noting.
Underworld Free Spins
Three bonus symbols trigger the Underworld round. Below the grid sit five multiplier meters, one per reel, all starting at zero. Every winning cluster adds the number of winning symbols on each reel to the meter under that reel. Anubis Skull symbols can multiply the meter below them by x2, x3, x4, x5 or x10.
A meter only counts once it is activated by a green Soul Orb landing on the same reel. Each newly activated meter awards +3 extra spins, and the values of all active meters are added together and applied to winning clusters. Each meter can climb as high as x9,999, so a long round with several activated reels is where the 10,000x maximum becomes realistic. A short round with no active meters, on the other hand, can return very little.
Judgement Bonus
Four bonus symbols trigger Judgement, a different style of round. Regular symbols are removed, so only blanks and special blocks can land, and the round starts with three spins. Above each reel is a multiplier value:
- Skulls add +1 to +100 to the multiplier above them; Epic Skulls add to every reel.
- Anubis Skulls multiply the value above them by x2 to x10; Epic Anubis Skulls do so for every reel.
- Ice Blocks shatter into Multiplier Blocks that take the value of the multiplier above.
- Crusher Blocks smash the Multiplier Blocks below them, merge their values into one block and reset the spin count to three.
The round ends after three spins in a row without a relevant block landing. It is a slower, more tactical-looking feature than Underworld, but it is just as random and can end almost immediately.
Bonus Buy Options
Where the casino and local rules allow it, both bonuses can be bought directly:
| Option | Cost | Top RTP |
|---|---|---|
| Underworld free spins | 129x the bet | 96.29% |
| Judgement bonus | 200x the bet | 96.18% |
At a A$1 stake that is A$129 or A$200 per attempt. Bonus buys remove the base game but do not make big wins more likely in any way that changes the overall return. They simply concentrate the risk into fewer, larger bets.
RTP Versions: Check Before You Play
Hacksaw publishes four RTP settings for Hand of Anubis: 96.24%, 94.32%, 92.28% and 88.41%. Casinos choose which one to run, and the game looks identical in every version. The only reliable way to know which one you are playing is to open the info or rules screen inside the casino and read the RTP figure there. On a 5/5 volatility slot, playing an 88% version instead of a 96% version adds a lot to the expected cost of a session.
Worked Example: Two Soul Orbs in One Win
Say you bet A$1 and a red orb has already grown to x6 while a blue orb sits at x3. If both join the next winning cluster, the multipliers are multiplied together, so the cluster pays x18. A cluster worth A$0.50 on its own therefore returns A$9. If the orbs had been added instead, the win would only be x9, which shows why two orbs in the same cluster are so valuable.
Bankroll Tips for Hand of Anubis
- Budget for at least 250 spins at your chosen stake; both bonuses are rare in the base game.
- Remember that the frequent small cluster wins rarely cover the stake, so the balance usually drifts down between features.
- If you use Bonus Buy, count each purchase as a full session’s spend and set a hard cap on the number of buys.
- Do not raise the stake to “catch up” after a poor bonus. Every round is independent.
- Use deposit limits and reality checks offered by your casino.
Pros and Cons of Hand of Anubis
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Two very different bonus rounds | 5/5 volatility with long quiet stretches |
| Growing Soul Orb multipliers in the base game | Bonus mechanics take time to understand |
| Underworld meters can reach very high values | Four RTP settings, the lowest is 88.41% |
| Frequent small cluster wins keep the grid busy | Bonus buys are expensive (129x and 200x) |
| 10,000x maximum win | Bonus Buy not offered in all jurisdictions |
Demo Play vs Real Money
The free demo lets you learn how the meters, skulls and crusher blocks interact before risking money. Try both bonuses a few times each and note how widely the results vary. The demo uses the same rules and maths as the real game, only with virtual credits.
For real money play, pick a licensed casino that shows RTP information inside the game, pays out quickly and offers responsible gambling tools. Our casino reviews compare these points side by side.
Frequently Asked Questions
The top setting is 96.24%. Versions at 94.32%, 92.28% and 88.41% also exist, so check the game info at your casino.
Hacksaw Gaming rates it 5 out of 5, the highest level on its scale.
The maximum win is 10,000x the bet.
Three bonus symbols trigger the Underworld free spins and four bonus symbols trigger the Judgement bonus.
Soul Orbs are wilds with multipliers. Red orbs grow by +1 per symbol in each winning cluster, blue orbs by +1 per winning cluster, and several orbs in one win multiply each other.
Where allowed, Underworld costs 129x the bet and Judgement costs 200x the bet. Bonus buys are not available at every casino.
Responsible Gaming Note
Hand of Anubis is a game of chance designed for entertainment. Only play if you are 18 or older, decide on a budget before you start and stop when it is gone. If gambling is causing stress or harm, free and confidential help is available 24/7 from Gambling Help Online on 1800 858 858.
Final Verdict
Hand of Anubis is one of Hacksaw’s more inventive cluster slots. Soul Orbs give the base game real potential, the Underworld meters can climb to enormous values and Judgement offers a completely different bonus style. It is also extremely volatile and comes in several RTP versions, so test it in demo mode, confirm the 96.24% setting at your casino and keep your stake modest.
