Go beneath the earth’s surface in Pragmatic Play’s Gates of Xibalba slot, out in December 2023! When you see the word ‘Gates’ in a Pragmatic Play title, you know that it’s likely to be a mythology-themed game using a similar base to their famous Gates of Olympus title and its successors. We can therefore expect to find common mechanics such as Scatter Pays or multipliers and free spins, but there are also some eminent new features.
Until now, these games have transported us to mythical worlds such as the Greeks, the Aztecs and the Vikings. But this is the first time that Pragmatic Play has plunged us into the fascinating world of Mayan mythology.
The Best Online Casinos & Bonuses to Play Gates of Xibalba for Real Money
Gates of Xibalba - Slot Review
The name Xibalba may conjure up a few memories for you, either because you’re a fan of Native American civilisations or because you played Peter & Sons’ Xibalba slot of the same name released a little earlier. In both cases, it refers to the underground kingdom ruled by the Mayan gods of death and disease. Xibalba means “frightening place”, and this is apparent from the very first moments in the game. The dark atmosphere of Gates of Xibalba is reinforced by the representation of the god swept up in a tornado to the right of the grid, producing menacing flashes of lightning. Surrounding braziers and piles of rocks, sculpted columns and venomous snakes complete the décor, then strong percussive passages energize the whole, for total immersion in the fascinating world of Mayan mythology.
Join the underground world of the Mayans.
Gates of Xibalba is played on a 6×5 reel grid with a Scatter Pays payout mechanism, high volatility, an RTP of 96.25% and a maximum win potential of 5000x the stake. As a result, symbols pay anywhere as long as at least 8 identical symbols are positioned on the grid. There are different Mayan masks as strong symbols and other carved designs for weak symbols. These symbols can pay between 0.25x and 50x the stake depending on the type and number present on the reels. In addition, the Scatter pays 6x, 10x or 200x the bet with just 4, 5 or 6 symbols, but there are no wildcards.
In terms of features, tumbling symbols, multipliers and free spins accompanied by a progressive function fill out the Gates of Xibalba gameplay.
Tumble
Each win allows the winning symbols to disappear, sending the remaining symbols tumbling down the grid and filling the empty spaces with new symbols from above. The tumbling continues until there are no more winning combinations.
PROs & CONs of Gates of Xibalba
PROs
4 bonus buy options + bonus bet
Different levels of the bonus round
Up to 100x single multiplier
Wide betting range
CONs
We found none
Multiply Symbols
The coloured spheres are multiplier symbols, they are present on all the reels and can appear during any spin or cascade with a random multiplier of between 2x and 100x the stake. When the tumbles end, the values of all the multipliers on the screen are added together and the total win is multiplied by the final value.
Free Spins
The Free Spins feature is activated when 4 or more Scatter symbols appear anywhere on the screen. Find 4, 5 or 6 to win 10, 15 or 20 Free Spins respectively. The bonus works with a progressive mechanic. It starts on level 1 and each time multiplier symbols land, they are collected, gradually increasing the level. At each new level, only certain multiplier values can appear as follows:
Level 1: Multipliers can be between x2 and x100.
Level 2: After collecting 6 multipliers, the value of the multiplier symbols is between 8x and 100x.
Level 3: After collecting 5 more multipliers, the value of the multiplier symbols is between 15x and 100x.
Level 4: After collecting 4 more multipliers, the value of the multiplier symbols is between 50x and 100x.
It is not possible to upgrade the level after this, but you can win 5 extra spins every time you collect 3 or more Scatters on screen.
Gates of Xibalba vs. 4 other slots with similar mechanics
Slot name
Max. Win
Multipliers
Betting range
Bonus
Gates of Xibalba
5,000x
Yes
0.20-125
Free Spins
Candy Jar Clusters
10,000x
Yes
0.20-240
Free Spins, Jackpot
Spellbinding Mystery
10,000x
Yes
0,20-100
Free Spins
Wild Hop & Drop
5,000x
No
0,20-100
Free Spins
Sweet Bonanza
21,000x
Yes
0,20-100
Free Spins
Buy Free Spins & Ante Bet
You can access features more quickly with these options. The Ante Bet increases your bet by 25% and doubles your chances of accessing Free Spins. Alternatively, you can purchase access at any time. Four purchase options are available, the first for 100x the stake triggers Free Spins at Level 1, the second for 200x the stake triggers Free Spins at Level 2, the third for 400x the stake triggers Free Spins at Level 3 and the last for 500x the stake triggers Free Spins at Level 4.
Gates of Xibalba takes its inspiration from a Mayan theme, which is a welcome change from the darker atmosphere we’re used to in games inspired by pre-Columbian civilisations. Admittedly, the game is inspired by many of Pragmatic Play’s other titles, but it’s always good to be able to try out new worlds with the studio’s solid mechanics, especially as prizes of up to 5000x the stake can be triggered at any time.
FAQs
We offer a free version of this Pragmatic Play slot, so you don’t need to worry about spending any money.
In order to win in this slot, you must land on 8 or more of the same symbols anywhere. Plus, Gates of Xibalba has a waterfall feature, which increases your chances of winning big! If you’re not so lucky, try our other slots.
Yes, you can choose from one of four bonus-buy options and purchase them for a certain amount.
Every time a multiplier lands, it is collected to the progress bar and that way it progresses to the higher level.
Kate joined CorrectCasinos' game team in the late 2021. She's here to find and review all new and upcoming slots titles, so you can just enjoy their free play.
