Ghost Pirates Slot Review

Ghost Pirates Overview

Right, so Ghost Pirates is a spooky pirate-themed video slot from NetEnt, released back in November 2013. It runs on a classic 5-reel, 3-row grid with 243 ways to win instead of fixed paylines. The vibe is ghostly buccaneers hunting for cursed treasure, and honestly, the animated symbols still look decent for a slot of its age.

Symbols and Paytable

Symbols on the reels lean hard into the pirate theme: parrots, monkeys, medallions, treasure chests, anchors and weapons all show up, plus the standard lower-value card icons. The high-paying symbols are the themed ones, as you'd expect, with the parrot and monkey doing most of the heavy lifting in the base game.

Wild substitutes for everything except the Scatter, helping you complete more of those 243 ways. Scatter is your ticket into the free spins round. Nothing fancy or reinvented here, just classic NetEnt symbol design with proper animations when wins land.

Symbols and Paytable

Symbol	Quantity	Payout
	5	x1500
	4	x500
	3	x100
	5	x1000
	4	x400
	3	x50
	5	x500
	4	x200
	3	x30
	5	x400
	4	x100
	3	x20
	5	x200
	4	x80
	3	x10
	5	x150
	4	x40
	3	x10
	5	x100
	4	x15
	3	x4
	5	x100
	4	x15
	3	x4
	5	x100
	4	x15
	3	x4
	5	x80
	4	x15
	3	x4
	2	x2
	Scatter
	5	x80
	4	x15
	3	x4
	2	x2
	Wild

Bonus Features

Free Spins is the main event, triggered by landing enough Scatter symbols on the reels. Wins during the round can stack up a treat thanks to the 243-ways setup, where multiple symbol combinations pay across the grid at once. There's no bonus buy option, which fair enough, the slot predates that whole trend.

The Wild symbol does its job in both base and bonus, filling gaps and turning near-misses into proper wins. Don't expect re-spins or multipliers, this is an older title and keeps things fairly straightforward. For a relaxed session it works, just don't go in expecting modern Megaways-style madness.

RTP, Volatility and Bets

RTP sits at a tasty 96.88%, which is above average and one of the better numbers you'll find on a NetEnt slot. Variance is rated Med-High, so you'll get dry patches followed by bigger hits. Not the brutal volatility of some newer titles, but balance is decent.

Bets start from 0.01, so it's properly low-stakes friendly. Max win is listed at 1000x your bet, which by today's 10,000x+ standards is on the modest side. Still, for a casual spin it's not bad, and the higher RTP gives you a fair shot at sticking around.

FAQ

How many ways to win does Ghost Pirates have?

It uses a 243-ways system across 5 reels and 3 rows, so any matching symbols on adjacent reels from left to right will pay, no fixed paylines to worry about.

What triggers the free spins in Ghost Pirates?

Landing enough Scatter symbols on the reels triggers the free spins bonus. The 243-ways mechanic stays active during the round, so wins can really stack.

Is there a bonus buy option in Ghost Pirates?

No, there's no bonus buy. The slot was released in 2013, well before bonus buys became standard, so you'll need to trigger the free spins the old-fashioned way.

Final Verdict

Honestly, Ghost Pirates is a solid mid-tier NetEnt slot that's aged reasonably well. The 96.88% RTP is generous, the 243-ways setup keeps things fluid, and the spooky pirate theme has a bit of charm. It's not flashy, the max win is fairly tame, and you might struggle to find it at UK casinos these days.

For a relaxed session with low stakes and decent payback, it does the job. If you want huge multipliers, bonus buys or 10,000x potential, look elsewhere, but for a casual spin with a proper old-school feel, it's worth a few rounds.

Screenshots