Pirate Gold: coins on the reels, sails on the horizon

Gold coins are what this game is about. In Pirate Gold, Pragmatic Play mixes a regular line slot with money symbols: coins that land on the reels showing a cash value, which count towards the bigger moments of the game. Around them sits a classic pirate set, with the usual pirate props and crew, on a grid taller than the usual three rows.

The coin symbols

Each coin displays an amount when it lands. On its own, a coin is a promise rather than a payout; the paytable explains exactly when coins are collected and paid in this version. Reading that screen before your first spin is worth the thirty seconds, because it changes what you watch for. Once you know the rule, every coin that drops tells you whether a spin is building towards something.

Free spins

Scatters open the free spins, and this is where the game shows its best side. The coins become the focus of the round, and a bonus with several valuable coins on screen can turn a flat session around. Rounds vary a lot from one trigger to the next, so judge it over several, not one.

How it differs from the sequels

Pirate Gold was followed by Pirate Gold Deluxe and, later, Pirate Golden Age. The original is the simplest of the three in look and rules, which is why it remains a good first stop.

Pirate Gold free play: a test plan

You get 1,000 virtual credits with no account. Play 200 spins at around 20p, count how many times you reach the free spins, and note the best and worst rounds. That range is the real character of the game. The demo runs smoothly on mobile.

Ready for the real thing? The same Pirate Gold slot is available for real money at the casinos below.