Sword Of Shoguns Slot Review

Sword of Shoguns Slot Overview

Sword of Shoguns is Thunderkick’s Japanese sword slot, clearly following on from their earlier sword adventure but with far bigger potential. I step into a 6 reel set-up with rows changing from 2 to 7 symbols on every spin, yet the maths engine always lines things up for 5040 ways to win. Stakes range from 0.10 to 100 per spin, and high volatility means this one can hit hard in both directions.

Visually it is very much a classic Asian slot view, with a pagoda-style frame, mountains in the distance and the sun rising or setting behind the reels. The scene has that meditating in the mountains feel, and the Thunderkick stamp is obvious. It does look quite close to the previous sword slot, but I still find this version handsomely presented and easy on the eye during long sessions.

Sword of Shoguns Slot Information

The game plays smoothly on mobiles, tablets and desktops, with the same layout on every device. Wins land when I hit 3 or more matching symbols on adjacent reels starting from the leftmost side, or 2 or more of the top shogun symbol. Random reel heights from 2 to 7 symbols combine in a fixed pattern that always gives 5040 ways. Main features here are the Wild Symbol, Random Reel Heights, Bonus Game and Bonus Buy.

Symbols and Payouts in Sword of Shoguns

Sword of Shoguns uses 11 regular symbols plus the sword special. The lower-paying icons are the 9, 10, J, Q, K and A card ranks, paying about 1 to 1.3 times the bet for a 6 of a kind hit. Higher-paying symbols are shogun-related objects with blue, turquoise, green, purple and orange backgrounds. Land 6 matching premium symbols and you are looking at 2 to 5 times your stake.

The highest-paying symbol is the shogun himself, and I like that he already pays 0.5 times the bet for just 2 on a win way, scaling up to 5 times for 6. The sword symbol is both scatter and wild, substituting for regular pays in base game and bonus rounds, but not for expanding symbol wins. I often check the paytable before spinning, as all payouts are clearly listed relative to the current stake.

Symbols and Paytable

Symbol	Quantity	Payout
	6	x5
	5	x2.5
	4	x1.5
	3	x1
	2	x0.5
	6	x3
	5	x1.8
	4	x1
	3	x0.5
	6	x2.5
	5	x1.6
	4	x0.9
	3	x0.5
	6	x2.2
	5	x1.4
	4	x0.8
	3	x0.5
	6	x2
	5	x1.2
	4	x0.7
	3	x0.5
	6	x1.3
	5	x0.8
	4	x0.5
	3	x0.3
	6	x1.2
	5	x0.7
	4	x0.5
	3	x0.3
	6	x1.1
	5	x0.7
	4	x0.5
	3	x0.3
	6	x1
	5	x0.6
	4	x0.4
	3	x0.2
	6	x1
	5	x0.6
	4	x0.4
	3	x0.2
	6	x1
	5	x0.6
	4	x0.4
	3	x0.2
	Bonus

Sword of Shoguns Bonus Features

Random Reel Heights make Sword of Shoguns feel a bit Megaways-ish without actually using that engine. On every spin the six reels land with random heights between 2 and 7 symbols, yet the pattern is pre-set to generate exactly 5040 win ways. From my experience, the real excitement comes when the fuller reels line up with premiums or expanding symbols, as that is where serious hits can appear.

The sword acts as wild and scatter. Landing 3 or more swords in the base game triggers the Bonus Game, awarding a random number of free spins from 5, 7, 8, 9, 10 or 12. The reel set that triggered the feature stays fixed for the whole bonus. At the start, a random paying symbol (never the sword) is chosen as a special expanding symbol. When it lands on at least three reels, or two for shogun, it expands to cover full reels and pays from any position.

During free spins, hitting 3 or more swords retriggers with 3 to 7 extra spins and adds another random expanding symbol, up to a maximum of four. Once all four expanders are active, swords no longer appear, but previously selected symbols still expand when they qualify. Expansions only happen if they create wins, and they do not need to be adjacent. There is also a Bonus Buy, where I can pay 120 times the stake to jump straight into the feature with an increased 96.40% RTP and a shot at the 25200x max win.

RTP & Volatility in Sword of Shoguns

Sword of Shoguns runs on high to very high volatility, so I expect dry spells between the better sequences. The default RTP is 96.15 percent, which is slightly above average, though casinos can choose lower setups of 94, 92 or 90 percent. The combination of 5040 ways to win, expanding symbols during the bonus and a maximum payout of 25200 times the bet makes this slot attractive for those who enjoy sizeable risk.

Sword of Shoguns Slot Verdict

From a seasoned player’s point of view, Sword of Shoguns does not reinvent anything, and it leans heavily on the sword-and-books style concept Thunderkick used before. The set-up, expanding symbols and free spins structure will feel instantly familiar if you like that style of game. That said, the upgraded graphics, Japanese atmosphere and much higher win potential keep this version on my radar whenever I fancy some expanded symbol action.

What really sells Sword of Shoguns to me is the mix of fixed 5040 ways, random reel heights and up to four expanding symbols during the bonus. Hits can be rather swingy, but that is part of the charm. When the special symbol expands across all six reels, especially if it is the shogun, the game shows why it carries that 25200x cap. For fans of high-risk expanding symbol slots, this one is a very tempting option.

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