Our rating of Cleopatra:
An iconic game at both land-based and online casinos in New Zealand, Cleopatra is a pokie that was released by IGT in 2012. It features an ancient Egyptian theme, with a 5x3 reel layout and 20 paylines, along with in-game bonuses including free spins that triple your wins. With big payouts of up to 10,000x your stake and a wide range of betting limits available, Cleopatra has consistently remained a popular title with pokies fans.
You can start playing the Cleopatra pokie for real money within just a few minutes by following the steps below:
Cleopatra is perhaps the definitive ancient Egyptian-inspired pokie, with an old-school but enjoyably immersive theme. The reels overlook eye-catching temples adorned by a bright purple sky, while featuring lots of recognisable Egyptian icons, such as the Eye of Horus and scarab beetle. The theme is completed by the exotic soundtrack, which adds to the excitement whenever you land a winning spin.
There’s a total of 13 symbols which can award payouts in Cleopatra, comprised of 11 regular symbols and two special symbols. The regular symbols are divided between the lower-value playing card values (10, J, Q, K and A) and higher-value Egyptian-themed symbols (eye, crook flail, gold pendant, lotus and scarab beetle).
The two special symbols are the Cleopatra wild multiplier and sphinx scatter. Not only does the former substitute for most other symbols, it’s also the highest-paying symbol and doubles your payout whenever it’s featured in a winning combination. Meanwhile, getting three or more scatters will award you with 15 free spins, during which all wins are tripled.
| Symbol | 2 symbols | 3 symbols | 4 symbols | 5 symbols |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cleopatra (wild) | x10 | x200 | x2,000 | x10,000 |
| Scarab beetle | x2 | x25 | x100 | x750 |
| Lotus | x2 | x25 | x100 | x750 |
| Gold pendant | - | x15 | x100 | x400 |
| Crook flail | - | x10 | x75 | x250 |
| Eye | - | x10 | x50 | x250 |
| A | - | x10 | x50 | x125 |
| Sphinx (scatter) | x2 | x5 | x20 | x100 |
| K | - | x5 | x50 | x100 |
| Q | - | x5 | x25 | x100 |
| J | - | x5 | x25 | x100 |
| 10 | - | x5 | x25 | x100 |
| 9 | - | x5 | x25 | x100 |
Cleopatra has two in-game bonuses: free spins and wilds, which both feature multipliers.
Getting three or more sphinx scatters on the same spin triggers 15 free spins, which come with a 3x multiplier to triple your wins. If you land another set of three or more scatters during a free spins round, you’ll be rewarded with another 15, and they can be re-triggered up to a maximum of 180.
The Cleopatra wild can substitute for all other symbols (except the scatter) to help create winning spins. Better than that, it if does, a 2x multiplier is applied to double your payout.
Cleopatra perhaps most shows its age with a return to player (RTP) rate of 95.02%, which is notably below the 96% average for online pokies. Thankfully, this is somewhat offset by the low to medium volatility, which means wins are expected to land fairly often and should suit low budget players.
As with all online pokies, Cleopatra is a game of chance that offers no guaranteed way to land winning spins. However, by following our top tips, you can have more fun while playing:
The popularity of the original Cleopatra pokie means it’s since spawned a full franchise including plenty of other fun slots. Here are other titles in the series we suggest playing:
Cleopatra is a smartphone-friendly pokie that runs smoothly on iPhone and Android at mobile casinos. The game’s use of HTML5 technology means you can enjoy quick loading games and high-quality graphics on all devices and screen sizes. By playing Cleopatra on mobile sites and/or apps, you may also be able to take advantage of exclusive mobile bonuses.
There’s no doubt that Cleopatra is an iconic online pokie that was innovative for its time. While the subsequent sequels and spin-offs may appeal more to some players, the original still offers fun and fast-paced gameplay with constant chances to land massive wins. The graphics and soundtrack also remain genuinely immersive and make this a top title for good, old-fashioned slots fun.
Laura is a writer who focuses on both the iGaming and land-based gambling sectors. With years of experience covering the New Zealand market, she’s always seeking the latest updates and insights into the gambling world. A keen backgammon player, Laura particularly enjoys writing about the newest pokie releases and legislation changes.
If you enjoy playing Cleopatra, make sure to check out our reviews of other popular real money pokies available at top casinos in New Zealand:
