7×7 Zeus

7×7 Zeus Review

7×7 Zeus is the latest online slot by the London-based game developer 4ThePlayer. The game is powered by Thunder Reels mechanics and pays for 7 or more symbols of any kind. It was exclusively launched on the 20th of August, and the wide release was executed on the 29th.

The 7×7 Zeus slot was crafted with the help of Yggdrasil Gaming within the YGG Masters Program. It was released through the provider's publishing network and proprietary GATI platform for better reach and higher quality. The selected payout system is Pay Anywhere, so you only need to secure the minimum number of symbols in view!

4ThePlayer has a limited portfolio of Ancient Greece slots, but plenty of masterpieces in its repertoire. The company was established in 2018 and almost immediately joined Yggdrasil in the Masters partner program. However, this slot title seems inspired by another top iGaming developer - Pragmatic Play!

Seasoned gamblers are well-aware of Gates Of Olympus, its sequels, and the hype that followed the release of the original. In fact, it has not gone yet, and the 7×7 Zeus is another proof of that. Then again, the UK provider has added a twist or two here and has increased the potential of the machine.

First, let's check out the setting! The mighty Zeus the Thunderer has granted his favor and will accompany you on this mythological adventure. He will stay on the left side of the 5x5 grid and will frequently add Multiplier symbols to the reels. Behind him is the Olympus realm, designed in a dreamy fashion, exuding epicness.

The extreme visual quality and selection of designing technology remind me of another 4ThePlayer slot - 9K Yeti. It was quite successful, actually, and it turned into a series with a couple of awesome sequels. The soundtrack is of high quality and includes theme-related effects, like thunderbolts and Hellas tunes.

7×7 Zeus is built with mobile gamblers in mind and is based on HTML5, which explains the slot's compatibility with Android and iOS. It's easy to play in any mode and via any browser, but I recommend Chrome and landscape view. You can use various features to make the gameplay even smoother, like Buy Feature and Autoplay, but Quickspin is not available!

As I already mentioned, the basic board consists of 5 reels and 5 rows. However, it also boasts Thunder Reels or an expanding grid. I will introduce the special mechanic in one of the following sections, but for now, I'll only say that the active zone can increase up to 49 symbols in total.

7×7 Zeus Slot - Reels Screen

7×7 Zeus stands out with amazing symbol artwork and epic animation effects when a win is scored. A couple of mythological creatures land as the highest-valued characters, while the medium and low-paying figures are heroic artifacts and multicolored gems.

Pegasus pays 8x the bet for 7 to 9 matches, 20x for 10 or 11, and 100x for 12 and more in view. Griffon is also generous - 3x, 10x, and 30x the stake, respectively. The Helmet of Ares and the Trident of Poseidon pay up to 20x and 12x, while the Goblet of Dionysus - up to 10x the wager.

Red, yellow, purple, blue, green, and cyan gems form the most common win combinations and pay different prizes between 0.20x and 8x the bet. Sadly, substituting wilds are missing, and skaters land as Zeus' Thunderbolt. The betting range is slightly shallower than usual - €0.20 to €80 per spin.

The 7×7 Zeus RTP ranges, but both official rates are lower than expected - 94% and 90.50%. All that in a medium to highly volatile environment with an average Hit Frequency coefficient. All that only calls for applying betting strategies to your play! The 7×7 Zeus max win is 10,149.70x the bet or up to a pretty decent €811,976.

7×7 Zeus Features

7×7 Zeus might look like Gates of Olympus on steroids, but actually, it is not another complete copycat. The provider has taken full advantage of GATI's resources and has combined them with some pretty wild ideas. It’s not just the expanding grid, but let’s start with it to show you why it’s rather unique!

Pay Anywhere

The favorite scatter-pay mechanics find a new application in this Legendary slot. If you spot any of the primary symbols on at least 7 places anywhere on the grid, a prize is paid according to the Paytable. Symbols involved in the combinations are removed, and the combos are listed in the Drop History panel beneath Zeus.

The rest of the symbols on the grid fall down, creating cascades and as usual, new ones come from above to fill out the empty spaces. This sequence can continue for as long as new winning formations appear on the reels. These mechanics are active during the base game and bonus round!

Thunder Scatter & Thunder Reels

The Thunder Scatter is a special symbol that may land randomly on any spin and in different numbers. Each one will then increase the grid with either a row upwards or a reel - to the left or to the right. The maximum exposure is 49 symbols, but they can be distributed in different grid layouts.

Thunder Reels can modify the board in any of the following configurations: 5x5 to 5x9, 6x5 to 6x8, 7x5 to 7x7, 8x5, 8x6, and 9x5. Larger grids increase the chance of landing winning combinations in more massive sizes. Each expansion affects the Multiplier Symbols in view, if any.

Multiplier Symbols

Zeus has the power to cast Multipliers on the playing grid on each spin or consecutive symbol drop. They can have the following values: 2x, 3x, 4x, 5x, 10x, 15x, 20x, 50x, 100x, or 250x. Each Multiplier symbol in view double ups in case of a win or a Thunder Scatter expansion.

The maximum value of any Multiplier is 250x, and the total win from a spin is multiplied by the combined Multiplier symbols in view. From my experience, while testing the slot, Zeus intervenes pretty often, but the dropping rate during the base game is not stable.

Divine Free Spins

If you are lucky to land 3, 4, or 5+ bonus scatters, you'll get a cash prize of 2.50x, 5x, or 150x the bet, respectively. But also, they will trigger the Free Spins minigame and will award 12 wager-free rounds. Keep in mind that the bonus triggering rate is 1 in 281 spins, so don't expect it too often!

The bonus round starts with a grid layout of 5x5, and if it gets enlarged via Thunder Scatters, the new configuration doesn't reset. It will stay the same until the end of the feature or until new Thunder Scatters appear. In any case, it can't exceed the 49-symbol maximum!

Similar to Gates of Olympus, Free Spins in 7×7 Zeus is played with a Total Multiplier, which starts from zero. The total spin Multiplier is added to the counter in case at least 1 winning combination was formed. New combos will be increased by the combined value of the new Multiplier symbols and the current Total Multiplier.

7×7 Zeus Slot - Free Spins Gameplay Screen

Buy Feature

7×7 Zeus is packed with a Bonus Buy, but it might eb disabled by some casino operators. Whenever active, it provides players a couple of options at the asking prices:

• Free Spins - 85x the bet - triggers the bonus instantly
• Multiplier Spins - 125 the bet - triggers a guaranteed win with one or several Multiplier Symbols

Pros And Cons Of 7×7 Zeus Slot

Our Verdict

So, to wrap all this up and continue forward, 7×7 Zeus is an excellent alternative if you are a fan of Greek Mythology slots with advanced mechanics. Indeed, there are too many there, and most features Pay Anywhere, or Cluster Pays with cascades and other grid modifiers.

Well, here 4ThePlayer has added a few dramatic twists like an expanding grid, in a rather unique way, and doubling multipliers. Both have massive potential and, combined, can easily bring the win cap. Perhaps that's why the number of Zeus' add-ins is lower than expected, especially during Divine Free Spins.

The max win and the lower cap on the Multipliers ranks the title behind Gates of Olympus 1000, but in terms of features, it's way ahead. Perhaps this is the reason why I would like to recommend 2 Gods Zeus vs Thor as an alternative and not one of the Pragmatic Play upgraded copycats.

Overall, 7×7 Zeus won’t disappoint you and I recommend the game warmly. Nevertheless, the approach should be with caution due to the several "underwater traps". The Multiplier drop rate and betting range's wideness might not be enough for you to develop a winning strategy. Therefore, I advise our free 7×7 Zeus demo as the best way to give this title a first spin!