Pirots 4 Slot (ELK Studios)

In the base game, the Pirots 4 slot is played on a 6x6 grid with a CollectR mechanic. Unique to ELK Studios, there are 4 collecting bird symbols that move around the grid. With each bird paired with gems of the same colour, the birds collect gems of the same colour, as well as feature symbols. They collect symbols by moving horizontally or vertically adjacent collectable symbols.

The birds continue to collect until they cannot collect any more with a bird moving multiple times before a symbol refill occurs. Collected symbols and activated feature symbols are removed from the grid with all remaining symbols and birds moving vertically until they reach a resting position: new symbols then drop in from above to fill the empty positions. This continues as long as at least 1 bird can move. Above the grid, you’ll see a symbol collection meter: this keeps track of all collected symbols.

With a 20p minimum bet, the most you can play at is £5 a spin (or £2 a spin for under 25s): this applies in the UK only. To change your bet, press or click the Coins icon to see a menu of all available options. Non-UK players can opt for ‘Quick play’ (within the Settings section) and Autoplay (10, 25, 50 or 100 auto spins).

As with all ELK Studios slots these days, the Pirots 4 RTP rate is 94%. This may be lower than the 96% slot game average but there are no other varieties. If RTP rates are important to you, check out the best RTP slots in the UK which range up to 99.07%.

Classed as high volatility (7/10), Pirots 4 comes with a 25% hit frequency rate: this means a win will occur every 1 in 4 spins, on average. In terms of win potential, Pirots 4 benefits from 10,000 x bet max wins: this is the same max win potential as all other Pirots slots.

Fresh off their Wild West triumph in Pirots 3, the Pirots 4 slot takes you to outer space. According to ELK, the fearful four’s celebrations were cut short when a space monster appeared through a black hole and stole their treasure. The 4 birds jumped into the vortex (before it sealed) in order to reclaim their stolen bounty.

With planets and asteroids in the background, the soundtrack is eerie. On the grid, you’ll red, purple, green and blue gem symbols: they increase in value when you fill the meter and reach further levels. The 4 bird symbols are all wearing space suits, appropriately.

Pirots 4 comes with several special symbols: you’ll encounter substituting Wilds and Coins, as well as a Black Hole, Upgrade, Spacecorn and Transform. More on these below in the Bonus Features section.  

Pirots 4 Mobile

All ELK Studios games use HTML5 technology meaning that Pirots 4 can be played on mobile, tablet and desktop devices. If you play on a smartphone device, you’ll play using Portrait Mode, which is compatible with iOS and Android devices. To experience to CollectR mechanic in all its glory, I recommend a laptop or PC.

The below section is one of the longest I’ve written for a slot game. ELK Studios has packed plenty of new features into Pirots 4 so brace yourself!

Collection Meter

As alluded to above, the CollectR mechanic sees 4 birds move around the grid, collected gems of the same colour and feature symbols. With a Collection Meter above the grid, all gems and Wilds collected fill the meter. When you fill the meter, 1 pending feature symbol is added. Up to 3 feature symbol releases can be kept pending which will be awarded at the same time.

Corner Bombs

Corner Bombs are located in each corner of the space station (around the grid). Each assigned a random bird’s colour at the start of the spin and free spin. If a bird collects a symbol on top of a Corner Bomb of the same colour, the bomb activates.

It then removes all birds from the grid and removes all gems within a 3x3 area adjacent to the Corner Bomb. When it explodes, the Corner Bomb also removes the connect space station section, with the grid size increasing up to 8x8 in size.

Surrounding the grid there is a space station, with 4 sections. When a Corner Bomb removes a section, birds can move through the space stations to collect more symbols. Each tunnel can also reveal up to 2 collectable feature symbols. When the grid expands to 8x8 in size, a space portal is available: this allows birds to teleport through the sections.

Feature Symbols

A feature symbol release is awarded before a Corner Bomb explodes: this occurs as part of the first drop in the free spins or when the birds cannot collect any more symbols. The feature symbol release will transform a number of random gems into random feature symbols. With 10 different types of feature symbols, the details are below:

• Bonus & Super Bonus: 3 trigger the Bonus Game feature (free spins) with the ‘Super’ version activating a super version (more details below).
• Wild: substitutes for all paying symbols.
• Coins: contain a random bet multiplier value. Look out for the Max Win Coin as this pays the remaining amount required to land the game’s max win of 10,000 x your total bet.
• Upgrade & Upgrade All: upgrades gems of the same colour as the bird by 1-3 steps. The Upgrade All upgrades all 4 gems by 1-3 steps.
• Spacecorn: fills empty grid positions with Spacecorn when collected by a bird. This allows the birds to cross the empty positions 1 time each to reach additional clusters of symbols.
• Transform: transforms a cluster of gems next to the bird into the same colour as the bird that collected the transform symbol. It can also transform a random number of gems into feature symbols.
• Black Hole: absorbs all symbols and up to 3 birds and then places them back into random positions on the grid.
• Alien Invasion: triggers the Alien Invasion feature when a bird collects it. It is kept ‘pending’ and activates when the birds are unable to collect more symbols. 
  
  

Power Clash

If 3 or more birds end up adjacent/next to each other, they will trigger a Power Clash. The birds ‘clash’ into 1 position and remove all gems in a 5x5 area. The birds then fly away either horizontally, vertically or diagonally. The Corner Bombs, Alien Invasion, Black Hole, Coins, Bonus and Super Bonus symbols will be collected or activated if in a bird’s path.

Switcheroo 

When 2 birds appear adjacent to one another, a Switcheroo may activate (when they cannot collect more symbols). When triggered, the birds switch places horizontally or vertically. A space Switcheroo can also be triggered: 1 of the birds is moved to the edge of the grid or to the next symbol so it collect in its trajectory.

Alien Invasion

When triggered, the Space Bandit collects symbols column by column, in random order. Activating the Corner Bomb when collecting symbols in those positions, the collection is interrupted when collecting a bird to instigate a Space Duel.

If the Space Bandits wins the duel, the spaceship multiplier increases and the defeated bird is removed from the grid for the remainder of the feature. The Space Bandit then chooses a random column and continues to collect symbols. If the bird defeats the Space Bandit, the Alien Invasion feature ends with the spaceship multiplier applied to the total win.

If the Space Bandit defeats all 4 birds, the Space Bandit collects all remaining symbols on the grid with the spaceship multiplier applied to the total value. A random number of Coins are then added to the grid, with the feature ending and the birds returning.

Lost in Space

The Lost in Space feature is activated when you clear the entire grid during the Spacecorn feature.  With activated features kept pending, the feature played on an 8x8 grid with 1 bird in each corner. With 3 spins/drops awarded, landing 1 or more Coins or bridge symbols resets the drop counter to 3.

When you run out of drops/spins, the birds start collecting horizontally or vertically adjacent coins: bridges can be uses to reach collectable coins. If 2 or more birds are connected by the same Coins, the collected bird value becomes collectable for the next bird.

Charlie’s Extra Chance

The Charlie’s Extra Chance feature can be randomly activated when the birds are unable to collect any more symbols. Activating 1, 2, 3 or 4 Corner Bombs, the bombs explode sumultanously with the birds leaving the grid. The remaining symbols then fall vertically with new symbols dropping into to fill the empty positions.

Bonus Game

The Bonus Game feature is triggered when birds collect 3 Bonus symbols during the base game. With 5 free spins awarded, each Bonus symbol collected during the feature will give you 1 extra free spin. Beginning with the current active grid size, the ‘Super’ version will be triggered 1 of the 3 Bonus symbols is a ‘Super’ Bonus symbol: this is played on an 8x8 grid with all upgrade symbols upgrading all gems. Finally, if there is an Alien Invasion feature, Corner Bomb or feature symbol release pending when you trigger the Bonus Game feature, they are activated on the first free spin.

Pirots 4 Slot

Rating: 4.3/5

Pirots 4 builds on the popular series but with an interstellar twist: it's deeply layered, full of kinetic potential, and enriched by grid expansion and lots of new bonus features, with up to 10,000 x bet max win potential.

Chris Taylor

The Pirots 4 slot follows on from a series of Pirots games using the unique CollectR mechanic. With the birds collecting gems and various feature symbols, ELK Studios has stayed true to the game’s predecessors, but with an interstellar twist.  

Visually superb, I love how all the bonus features interact with one another. It can be quite hard to keep up with what is going on though. I love the Corner Bombs as well as the Switcheroo and Power Clash extras. The Alien Invasion sees symbols collected column by column with Space Duels also taking place with potential spaceship multiplier increases.

If you clear the grid during the Spacecorn extra, you’ll place the Lost in Space feature: played on an 8x8 grid, you get free spins with Coins landing. With Bridge symbols allowing birds to reach more Coins, this can lead to some pretty big wins, especially if you see the Max Win Coin.

All in all, the Pirots 4 slot is another great game in this innovative series. With ELK Studios adding several new bonus features, the way everything comes together makes this game to the best so far in my opinion. The only gripe I have is that the 10,000 x bet max win potential could have been raised to distinguish it from its predecessors.

If you’re a fan of slot sequels, Relax Gaming’s Money Train 4 and Nolimit City’s Tombstone Slaughter are highly recommended. Check out my top 10 sequels in my dedicated article.

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The Pirots 4 slot review was written by Chris Taylor from our OLBG Expert team who has written over 10,000 slot game reviews in an iGaming career spanning over 2 decades.

Chris Taylor

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Chris Taylor is an industry veteran originally from Gibraltar. Having worked in the online gambling industry since 2004, Chris loves slots and has reviewed over 10,000 online slot games. Running a slots-focused website for 13 years, Chris is the go-to guy for everything slots-related.