Pirots is a pirate-themed online slot developed by ELK Studios and released on March 6, 2023. The game introduces four colourful parrots that collect gems and special symbols across an expanding grid.
Unlike traditional online slots, Pirots does not rely on paylines or conventional winning clusters. Instead, its unique collection mechanic allows the parrots to move across the grid and collect adjacent symbols.
The game features a starting grid of 5×5 positions, which can expand to 8×8. It offers an RTP of 94%, medium-high volatility and a maximum advertised payout of 10,000× the stake.
Theme and Visual Design
Pirots takes place in a tropical pirate setting, surrounded by palm trees, calm water and colourful scenery.
The main characters are four parrots, each representing a different colour: blue, green, purple and red.
These parrots move across the playing area and collect matching gems, creating winning combinations through their movements.
The game has a playful visual style, with detailed animations and a distinctive soundtrack.
Compared with traditional pirate-themed slots, Pirots focuses more on puzzle-like gameplay than spinning reels.
Gameplay and Symbol Collection
The central mechanic in Pirots is symbol collection.
Each parrot collects gems matching its own colour.
The parrots can collect symbols positioned directly above, below, left or right of them.
Diagonal symbols cannot be collected.
When a parrot collects a matching gem, it moves into that position and can continue collecting additional adjacent symbols.
This process continues until no further matching gems are available.
The mechanic creates chain reactions as parrots move across the grid, collecting symbols and activating special features.
Gem Symbols and Upgrades
Pirots features four gem colours: blue, green, purple and red.
Each gem has five upgrade levels.
Higher levels increase the value of collected gems.
At their maximum upgrade levels, the gems offer the following values:
| Gem Colour | Maximum Value |
|---|---|
| Blue | 3× stake |
| Green | 5× stake |
| Purple | 7.5× stake |
| Red | 15× stake |
Upgrade symbols can increase the value of gems during gameplay.
A white Upgrade symbol increases the level of gems matching the colour of the parrot that collects it.
A multicoloured Upgrade symbol increases the levels of all gem colours.
Upgrades can increase gem levels by one to three steps, up to the maximum level of five.
This progression system becomes particularly important during free spins.
Special Symbols and Features
Pirots includes several special symbols that interact with the collection mechanic.
Wild Symbols
Wild symbols can substitute for gems and contribute to winning collection sequences.
Their value depends on the current upgrade level of the corresponding gem.
Coin Symbols
Coin symbols carry cash values expressed as multiples of the selected stake.
When collected by a parrot, their displayed values are awarded.
Transform Symbols
The Transform symbol appears as a barrel of rum.
When collected, it can change surrounding gems into the same colour as the collecting parrot.
Alternatively, it can introduce additional special symbols.
This creates opportunities for longer collection sequences and further feature activations.
Bomb Symbols
Bomb symbols activate after the current collection sequence has finished.
When triggered, a bomb removes nearby regular symbols while leaving special feature symbols in place.
New symbols then fall into the empty positions.
Bomb explosions can also expand the grid, eventually reaching the maximum size of 8×8.
This increases the number of positions available for future collection sequences.
Feature Award Meter
A progression meter appears above the playing grid.
As the parrots collect symbols, the meter fills.
When enough symbols have been collected, the game activates a Feature Award.
These awards can introduce additional special effects and create further opportunities for the parrots to collect symbols.
The meter is particularly important during free spins because its progress carries over between spins.
Free Spins Bonus
The free spins feature activates when the parrots collect three Scatter symbols.
The bonus begins with five free spins.
During the feature, several elements remain persistent between spins:
- The expanded grid size.
- The current upgrade levels of the gems.
- Progress on the Feature Award meter.
This allows the bonus to develop over multiple spins rather than resetting after every collection sequence.
Collecting another three Scatter symbols during the bonus awards five additional free spins.
The combination of persistent upgrades and expanding grid positions creates the game’s main opportunities for larger payouts.
X-iter and Bonus Buy Options
Pirots includes ELK Studios’ X-iter system, allowing players to purchase different gameplay conditions.
| X-iter Option | Cost | Feature |
|---|---|---|
| Bonus Hunt | 3× stake | Increased chance of triggering free spins |
| Feature Bonanza | 10× stake | Guaranteed Feature Award |
| Maximum Grid Size | 25× stake | One spin with the maximum grid size |
| Bonus Game | 100× stake | Direct access to free spins |
| Super Bonus | 500× stake | Free spins with maximum grid size and enhanced upgrades |
The Super Bonus begins with the maximum grid size.
During this feature, Upgrade symbols affect all gem colours rather than only one.
This creates additional opportunities for higher gem values.
However, all X-iter options involve increased costs and do not guarantee a profitable result.
Availability may vary depending on the casino and jurisdiction.
RTP and Volatility
Pirots has a theoretical RTP of 94%.
This is lower than the approximately 96% RTP commonly found in many online slots.
The game has medium-high volatility, meaning that payouts can vary significantly between sessions.
Its reported hit frequency is 26.8%.
RTP represents the theoretical long-term return of the game and does not predict individual outcomes.
Players should verify the active RTP within the game’s information menu.
Maximum Win and Betting Range
Pirots offers a maximum advertised payout of 10,000× the stake.
The largest potential wins depend on collecting valuable upgraded gems, activating special symbols and developing the expanding grid during free spins.
The betting range is 0.20 to 100 per spin in the referenced configuration.
Betting limits may vary depending on the casino and currency.
The maximum payout is a theoretical limit rather than an expected result.
Mobile Compatibility
Pirots is available on compatible desktop computers, smartphones and tablets.
The colourful parrots and gems remain recognisable on smaller screens, although the expanding grid can create a relatively detailed interface.
The collection mechanic is well suited to touchscreens, where players can follow the parrots as they move across the grid.
Availability and performance depend on the casino platform and supported device.
Pirots vs Pirots 5
Pirots introduced the original symbol collection mechanic that later became the foundation of the series.
The game established the four parrots, gem upgrades, expanding grid and special symbols.
Pirots 5 builds on this concept with additional mechanics and a more developed bonus structure.
Both games share the same core idea of collecting symbols rather than relying on conventional paylines.
Players familiar with Pirots 5 may find the original particularly interesting as a way to understand how the series began.
Slotinia’s Verdict on Pirots
Pirots is one of ELK Studios’ more distinctive releases.
Its greatest strength is the innovative symbol collection mechanic, which creates gameplay that feels different from traditional reel-based slots.
The combination of moving parrots, gem upgrades, bombs and an expanding grid introduces several interacting features.
The free spins bonus adds further depth through persistent upgrades and grid expansion.
However, the game can initially feel complicated, particularly for players unfamiliar with ELK Studios’ mechanics.
The 94% RTP is another notable drawback compared with many competing slots.
Overall, Pirots offers an original and visually appealing experience that helped establish one of ELK Studios’ most recognisable slot franchises.
Responsible Gambling
Pirots is a game of chance involving financial risk.
Its RTP, hit frequency and maximum advertised payout do not guarantee any particular outcome.
The X-iter options can significantly increase spending, particularly the 500× Super Bonus purchase.
Players should verify the active RTP, understand the rules and establish a budget before playing.
Gambling should always be treated as entertainment rather than a source of income.
