Pirots 2 slot review

What kind of game is the Pirots 2 slot?

Pirots 2 is the sequel to Pirots, from Stockholm's ELK Studios, a studio founded in 2013 and licensed by the Gambling Commission under account 40844. The Pirots series is one of its best-known lines alongside Wild Toro.

Forget reels and lines. Pirots 2 uses ELK's CollectR system, where wins come from birds collecting gems rather than symbols lining up. That makes it closer to a puzzle board than a traditional fruit machine, and it takes a few rounds to read what is happening.

How the features work in Pirots 2

There are three layers: the birds and gems, the feature symbols, and the Free Drops bonus. PokerListings' Pirots 2 page (opens in a new tab) covers the same features; the explanation below is ours.

Birds and gem collection

Four birds, each a different colour, sit on the grid. A bird moves to collect any neighbouring gems that match its colour, and each collection pays. When gems are taken, the gaps fill with new symbols dropping in, which can give the birds more to collect. The round carries on until no bird has a matching gem to move to.

Feature symbols

Special symbols can also land in the grid. Depending on the type, they upgrade gem values, award coin prizes, expand the grid from 6×6 towards 8×8, or shuffle the birds into new positions. A bigger grid simply means more cells for gems and more chances for birds to find a match.

Free Drops

Collecting three Dino Skull scatters within a single round triggers 5 Free Drops. The key difference from the base game is memory: any grid expansion and gem upgrades you build up are kept from one drop to the next, rather than resetting. That carry-over is what makes the bonus potentially more valuable than ordinary rounds.

What a 94% RTP costs on a £20 budget

A 94% RTP leaves a 6% house edge. Over a long run, the game keeps 6p of every £1 staked. Many slots we review publish around 96%, where the edge is 4p, so Pirots 2 costs about half as much again per pound played.

With high volatility on top, a £20 budget at £1 a round could disappear in 20 rounds with nothing back, or produce a single large result. Neither outcome tells you anything about the next session. If you want your money to last, lower stakes give you more rounds; they do not change the 6% edge.

The 10,000× maximum works out at £1,000 at 10p, £10,000 at £1, £20,000 at the £2 cap for 18 to 24-year-olds and £50,000 at the £5 cap. Treat that as a ceiling, not a target.

Lower RTP isn't something casino apps add on top. The 94% figure is the published rate; check the help screen in your app to confirm which version that casino uses. Our guide on whether RTP is lower on casino apps explains the myth.

Pirots vs Pirots 2: what changed

Both games use birds and gems, and both publish a 94% RTP and a 10,000× top prize. The headline change is the starting board: Pirots 2 opens on a 6×6 grid where the original starts at 5×5, though both can expand to 8×8.

The volatility label also moves up a notch, from medium–high to high. If the first game felt swingy, expect the sequel to feel more so.

Playing Pirots 2 on a phone screen

An 8×8 board holds 64 cells, against 15 on a classic 5×3 slot, so detail matters on a phone. Gems and bird positions are the information you need to follow, and they shrink as the grid grows. A larger phone or a tablet makes the full-size grid easier to read; see our phone vs tablet comparison.

The game runs inside a casino app or mobile browser rather than as its own download. Orientation options depend on the casino's build, so try both ways round.

1. Search your casino app's lobby for 'Pirots 2'.
2. Before you stake, open the info screen and confirm the RTP version.
3. Read the symbol guide so you know what each feature symbol does.
4. Pick a stake that gives you enough rounds for your budget.
5. Watch the net position display, and stop when you reach your limit.

UK rules that apply to Pirots 2

As an online slot, Pirots 2 is covered by the slot stake limits: £5 per game cycle for those aged 25 and over and £2 for 18 to 24-year-olds, as set out in the Commission's stake limit guidance (opens in a new tab). A game cycle runs until all stakes are lost or all winnings are made available, so the whole collect sequence counts as one.

• At least 2.5 seconds per game cycle and no slam-stop or turbo (RTS 14).
• No autoplay: each paid round needs a new tap.
• No celebrating a return that is equal to or less than your stake.
• Your net position and session time must be shown in real time.

In Britain, since a Gambling Commission warning to online operators in January 2020 (opens in a new tab), feature buy-ins are not offered to British players, so Free Drops come only from Dino Skulls. The full design rules are in RTS 14 (opens in a new tab) and our summary of UK game design rules.

Pirots 2 review: strengths and weaknesses

Slots like Pirots 2

For other grid-based games, Reactoonz from Play'n GO uses a 7×7 cluster-pays grid with a published 96.51% RTP. Within ELK's catalogue, Nitropolis and Cygnus both publish around 96.1% with medium–high volatility. Learn how grids pay in our cluster pays explainer.

Hand of Anubis shares the 10,000× ceiling with a higher published RTP. Browse every game in our slots hub, or see the best slot apps.

Where to play Pirots 2 with a welcome offer

None of our partner offers applies to Pirots 2, and we can't confirm whether their lobbies carry it, so check the game list once you're set up. The offers are 18+ and terms apply.

• PlayOJO: 80 free spins on Big Bass Bonanza at 10p each for new UK customers (not Northern Ireland) on a first deposit of at least £10, with no wagering and winnings paid in cash.
• Coral: deposit and bet £10+ on slots for 100 free spins on selected games at 10p each; accept within 48 hours, use within 7 days, no wagering on winnings. Some methods, including PayPal and prepaid cards, are excluded.
• Ladbrokes: spend £10+ on slots for 50 free spins a day for 10 days (500 maximum) at 10p each on selected games, claimed before 23:59 daily and valid 7 days; no wagering.

Coral and Ladbrokes are run by the same company, LC International Limited, so one person may not be able to open new accounts at both. Because Pirots 2 carries a 6% edge, any money you play through it after an offer costs more on average than on a 96% game.

18+. Every casino game has a built-in house edge, so over time you should expect to lose what you stake. Set a budget before you play and stop when it’s gone: safer gambling tools and support. Free, confidential help: National Gambling Helpline 0808 8020 133.