Quick Facts
| Spec | Detail |
|---|---|
| Provider | Hacksaw Gaming |
| Release Date | April 2022 |
| Grid | 5 reels x 6 rows |
| Pay Mechanic | Cluster Pays (5+ adjacent symbols) |
| RTP | 96.24% (94.32%, 92.28%, 88.41% variants also exist) |
| Volatility | Very High |
| Max Win | 10,000x stake |
| Min/Max Bet | Typically $0.10 to $100 CAD equivalent |
Introduction
Hand of Anubis launched in April 2022, taking players into a genuinely dark, gritty vision of the ancient Egyptian afterlife rather than the sun-drenched, treasure-hunting aesthetic most Egyptian-themed slots favor. Built on a large 5x6 cluster-pays grid with two meaningfully different free spins modes, it earned a strong 4.7/5 rating among reviewers and remains a well-regarded, atmospheric high-volatility title within Hacksaw Gaming's catalogue.
Theme and Presentation
Hand of Anubis embraces a moody, dark mythology aesthetic, trading the bright, sun-baked visuals typical of Egyptian slots for something considerably more atmospheric and foreboding. Anubis himself, along with mummies and ancient deities, populate a grid rendered with genuine cinematic weight, giving the game a tone closer to dark fantasy than traditional treasure-hunting adventure.
How Hand of Anubis Plays
The game runs on a cluster pays system across its 5-reel, 6-row grid: landing five or more matching symbols connected horizontally or vertically anywhere on the grid creates a win. When a cluster pays, an Avalanche mechanic replaces the winning symbols with new ones, potentially chaining into further wins from a single spin. Soul Orb wild symbols appear throughout play, capable of increasing their attached multiplier in two distinct ways as they contribute to winning combinations.
Two Distinct Free Spins Modes
Landing exactly three bonus scatters in the same cascading sequence triggers the Underworld free spins mode, awarding 10 spins with five separate multipliers positioned below the reels, each starting at zero. Every win adds the number of winning symbols on a given reel to that reel's corresponding multiplier, and Anubis Skull symbols can multiply a reel's accumulated value by 2x, 3x, 4x, 5x, or 10x - with a Green Soul Orb specifically activating a reel's multiplier while also adding three extra free spins. A separate mode, the Judgment bonus, uses a hold-and-win structure instead: triggered by four bonus scatters in the same sequence, it starts with three spins where only blank tiles or special multiplier tiles can drop, with each column carrying its own bet multiplier that four distinct special symbols can further increase.
RTP and Volatility in Practical Terms
At 96.24%, Hand of Anubis's RTP is solidly above the roughly 96% industry average, with reduced configurations at 94.32%, 92.28%, and 88.41% also reported depending on the operator. Volatility is rated very high (5 out of 5 on Hacksaw's own scale), though the published hit frequency of 36.92% is notably active for a title of this volatility class - softening the harshness of the extreme variance somewhat by delivering more regular, smaller wins between the game's larger, feature-driven payouts.
The 10,000x max win, while conservative relative to Hacksaw's absolute highest-ceiling releases, is genuinely well-supported by the game's dual bonus structure, with both the Underworld's accumulating reel multipliers and the Judgment mode's stacking column multipliers offering real, distinct paths toward the full ceiling.
Bonus Buy Options
Hand of Anubis offers direct purchase access to both of its bonus modes: the Underworld free spins cost 129x your stake and run at a slightly improved 96.29% RTP, while the Judgment feature costs 200x your stake at a 96.18% RTP. This gives Canadian players in supported markets a transparent way to target whichever bonus mode's mechanics appeal to them most.
Playing Hand of Anubis in Canada
Hand of Anubis is widely available across Canadian-facing online casinos carrying Hacksaw Gaming's catalogue. In Ontario, it's accessible through operators regulated under the AGCO's iGaming Ontario framework. Elsewhere in Canada, players typically reach it through provincial lottery corporation platforms where Hacksaw content is licensed, or through operators licensed by the Kahnawake Gaming Commission or another internationally recognized regulator accepting Canadian traffic.
Bankroll Considerations
With very high volatility softened somewhat by a genuinely active 36.92% hit frequency, Hand of Anubis offers a slightly more forgiving rhythm than its volatility rating alone might suggest. A reasonable guideline is budgeting for 300 to 450 spins at your chosen stake, which should provide a representative mix of regular cluster wins along with a reasonable chance at triggering one of the two distinct bonus modes.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Strong 96.24% RTP
- Genuinely distinctive, atmospheric dark mythology presentation
- Two meaningfully different bonus modes (Underworld and Judgment) offer real structural variety
- Notably active 36.92% hit frequency softens the very high volatility rating
- Transparent bonus buy options for both bonus modes
Cons:
- 10,000x max win is conservative given the game's extreme volatility rating
- Wide range of RTP configurations requires careful checking
- Very high volatility still demands real bankroll discipline
- Complex dual bonus structure may take some adjustment for newcomers
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the RTP of Hand of Anubis? 96.24% by default, with reduced versions at 94.32%, 92.28%, and 88.41% also reported depending on the operator.
What is the maximum win on Hand of Anubis? 10,000x your total stake, achieved through either the Underworld free spins' accumulating reel multipliers or the Judgment bonus's stacking column multipliers.
What's the difference between Underworld and Judgment? Underworld is a traditional free spins round with per-reel multipliers built up by winning symbols and boosted by Anubis Skulls, while Judgment is a hold-and-win style feature where blank and special tiles drop to build per-column bet multipliers.
Is Hand of Anubis available to Canadian players for real money? Yes, through Ontario's regulated iGaming market and through Kahnawake- or internationally licensed operators serving the rest of Canada.
Final Verdict
Hand of Anubis distinguishes itself among Egyptian-themed slots through a genuinely dark, atmospheric take on the ancient afterlife, paired with two meaningfully distinct bonus modes that give Canadian players real structural variety within a single title. Its strong RTP and notably active hit frequency make the very high volatility rating feel somewhat more manageable than the number alone suggests, and for players drawn to a moodier, more cinematic Egyptian theme, Hand of Anubis remains one of Hacksaw Gaming's more thoughtfully constructed cluster-pays releases.
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