Pirots X

Pirate Birds Are Back

Imagine a flock of wild-eyed parrots, eye-patches and all, hitting an island ravine hunting for treasure. That’s the whole mood with Pirots X, the crazy crossover of pirate mischief and cartoon birds, put together by ELK Studios. If you’re used to their polished, animation-rich style—think Wild Toro or Nitropolis—this one doesn’t break the streak. Graphics are lively, with bright gems, chunky character symbols, and an ever-present ocean backdrop that peeks behind a grid flanked by barrels. Every win triggers colorful visual chaos, and you’ll notice the soundtrack leans into adventure—think dramatic, playful notes with a bit of tension that fits the pirate theme. No background lullabies here; this is a score that wants you to chase after plunder and get a little hyped while you do it.

How It All Works

Pirots X strips back the CollectR system from earlier entries and goes all-in on the cluster pays concept. Instead of paylines, you’re watching for clusters of five or more matching symbols touching each other, anywhere on the grid. The starting board is 5x5, but it can blow up to a 7x7 through bonus events—more room for those birds to cause havoc.

Bets start at 0.20 and go up to 100 per spin, which makes it handy for casual sessions or more ambitious chases. But heads up: RTP sits at 94%, lower than you see on most big releases (96% is the average most expect). It’s a high-volatility slot too, so winning combos can be dry for stretches. When action hits though, it’s all at once—classic high-risk, high-reward momentum. This slot doesn’t coddle you: a few chills, then moments where it feels like you can land a game-changing win out of nowhere.

There’s an autoplay button if you want to let the birds do their thing hands-free, and a turbo spin mode if you prefer the chaos on double-speed.

Features Worth Shouting About

If the base spins are all about landing clusters, it’s the bonus features that take this game from ordinary to unfiltered madness. Wilds show up as usual, subbing in for any regular symbol—but there’s a twist: if a wild lands next to more than one cluster, it’ll actually split, giving a wild to each cluster. Stack up several, and when they connect, those wilds merge, turning into a multiplier wild that can seriously pump up the payout. And every single wild multiplier stacks with a global multiplier that climbs with every winning cluster.

Then come the bomb features. These drop in randomly but are far from cosmetic—when a bomb explodes, it clears symbols away and grows the reels up to 7x7. More clusters, more chances, a bigger playing field. There’s also a Big Drop symbol, which bulldozes a line through the grid, crushing regular symbols as it falls and clearing space for high-value ones.

One quirk unique to Pirots X is that the pirate birds aren't just spinning—they wait above the grid and swoop in when their nest symbols appear. Each Pirot will only collect gems of its color, bumping that global multiplier every time. That multiplier boost is steeper for higher-value bird clusters and a bit less for the low-paying gems. The real gold here is when the features start stacking: bombs set off cascades, those cascades call in wilds, and if you’ve snagged a big multiplier, things escalate fast.

The bonus round? Triggered by three scatter symbols. It opens up with five free drops (their word for free spins), and whatever multiplier you racked up in the base game stays put through the whole bonus. You can even boost this by landing extra free drop symbols. Hit the coveted Super Bonus Scatter with your standard scatters, and the bonus starts on a fully expanded grid with a guaranteed bonus chest thrown in—never a bad way to start a free play session.

Paytable Rundown

Symbols break down into basics: four colored gems do the low-paying work, but the parrots steal the show on the high end. Land 16+ of a bird cluster and you’re looking at 50x your bet, and that's before any multiplier magic happens. Wilds have no base value but drive most big wins thanks to their multiplying, splitting, and merging antics.

Scatters are pretty straight-up: three triggers the main bonus, while two plus a Super Bonus Scatter lands you on a maxed-out grid and upgrades the whole experience. The way symbols animate—not just simple flashes, but actual movement and effects—makes a string of wins much more satisfying to watch, especially with those chunky birds hopping and flapping around the grid.

Getting Started Quick

If you’re trying Pirots X free play or launching a real money session, setup is painless. Adjust your bet with the chip icon—easy to spot below the reels. The big spin button launches each round. Hit the three-bar menu for the paytable, settings, and to check out all the bonus icon explanations.

Every spin will tumble in fresh symbols. Win clusters vanish, new ones drop in, and any time the birds swoop for their colored loot, the global multiplier ticks up. From the first few spins, expect a mix of dry spells and sudden pops of action—classic for a high-volatility slot like this.

How It Compares

Fans of the first Pirots won’t feel lost, though the loss of the CollectR mechanic shifts the whole pace. If you’ve played cluster slots like Jammin' Jars or ELK’s own Nitropolis series, you’ll spot similarities—expanding grids, bursty bonus rounds, wild multipliers stacking up. The Gulf? Pirots X has more random modifiers and the graphics are even bolder. For those who love the up-and-down ride of Bompers or want to see what ELK does with a pirate theme, this is a definite step up.

Slots like The Goonies Megaways or Dead Man’s Trail deliver that chaotic, feature-rich pirate energy, but Pirots X offers a more modern, animated flair and a truly wild mix of bonus modifiers. Wherever you’re coming from, the blend of cluster pays, persistent multipliers, and grid expansion is instantly addictive.

Similar Games to Try

Craving more after a round or two? The Pirots X demo is worth spinning for some free chaos, especially if you want to get your feet wet without any risk. If the combo of pirates and wild clusters hooks you, other ELK slots like Pirots or Bompers hit a similar sweet spot. For more pirate-themed mayhem, Booty Bay and Arrr 10K Ways push the theme even further, with their own twist on free spins and grid mechanics.

Pirate fans looking for feature-packed slots will also want to try Dead Man's Trail or Captains of the Coast. If bright visuals and unpredictable bonus action are your things, you’ll feel right at home with any of these.