The three slots most like Sword of Ares are Gates of Olympus, Wisdom of Athena, and Gates of Hades. All three share the pay-anywhere tumble framework and multiplier accumulation that define Sword of Ares, though each handles the multiplier system differently – and that distinction is what matters most when picking your next session.
Top picks for slots like Sword of Ares are: Gates of Olympus, Wisdom of Athena, Gates of Hades. Original provider: Pragmatic Play. RTP: 96.40% (Varies). Volatility: High.
Quick answer: Sword of Ares uses a unique multiplier collection meter instead of random multiplier orbs, but these three alternatives share the tumble-and-multiply core with their own twist on how multipliers build.
- Gates of Olympus – the original tumble-and-multiply template with random multiplier orbs up to 500x
- Wisdom of Athena – same Greek mythology family with a 500x multiplier cap and pay-anywhere wins
- Gates of Hades – cluster pays variant with wild multiplier columns and a 10,000x ceiling
The Gameplay Fingerprint of Sword of Ares
Sword of Ares plays on a 6×5 grid using the pay-anywhere system where eight or more matching symbols form a win regardless of position. Every win triggers the tumble mechanic, removing winning symbols and dropping replacements from above. What sets this slot apart from the rest of the Gates family is the Multiplier Collection meter. Instead of random multiplier orbs landing on the reels, you unlock multipliers by collecting winning symbols. In the base game, three locked multiplier tiers sit above the grid: collect 20 symbols to unlock a 2x-4x value, 50 for 5x-8x, and 100 for 9x-15x. During free spins, the meter extends to six tiers reaching up to 500x. Bomb symbols add to the collection by clearing patterns of symbols when they explode. The highest unlocked multiplier applies to your total tumble sequence win. This goal-based structure makes each spin feel more purposeful than the random multiplier drops used in Gates of Olympus. The 10,000x max win is double the standard Pragmatic Play cap, and the hit frequency sits around 20%. Bonus rounds trigger roughly once every 200-250 spins.
| Slot Name | Provider | RTP (%) | Volatility | Max Win (x stake) | Key Feature |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sword of Ares | Pragmatic Play | Varies | High | 10,000x | Multiplier collection meter + bombs |
| Gates of Olympus | Pragmatic Play | Varies | High | 5,000x | Random multiplier orbs up to 500x |
| Wisdom of Athena | Pragmatic Play | Varies | High | 5,000x | Random multiplier orbs up to 500x |
| Gates of Hades | Pragmatic Play | Varies | High | 10,000x | Cluster pays + wild multiplier columns |
| Starlight Princess | Pragmatic Play | Varies | Very High | 5,000x | Pay anywhere + multiplier orbs (anime theme) |
| Sweet Bonanza | Pragmatic Play | Varies | Medium-High | 21,175x | Pay anywhere + bomb multipliers in free spins |
RTP and max win can vary by slot version, so the in-game paytable is the cleanest source for the exact numbers.
Gates of Olympus
Gates of Olympus is the slot that established the framework Sword of Ares was built from. The grid, the tumbles, the pay-anywhere system, and the 500x multiplier cap all originate here.
- Similarity: Both use 6×5 grids with pay-anywhere wins and tumbles. Both accumulate multipliers during free spins that apply to total sequence wins. The core rhythm of spinning, tumbling, and hoping for multiplier values to land is shared between both games.
- Standout feature: Multiplier orbs in Gates of Olympus land randomly on any tumble, carrying values from 2x to 500x. Multiple orbs on the same spin have their values added together. This random system is simpler and less predictable than Sword of Ares’ collection meter.
- Best for: Players who want the tumble-and-multiply experience without the goal-based collection system. If tracking a meter and counting collected symbols feels like too much to monitor, Gates of Olympus strips it back to pure randomness.
- Drawback: The 5,000x cap is half of what Sword of Ares offers, and the random multiplier system can feel less engaging since there is no sense of building toward a target.
Wisdom of Athena
Another entry in Pragmatic Play’s Greek mythology pay-anywhere lineup, Wisdom of Athena follows the Gates of Olympus template closely while giving the setting a shift from Zeus to the goddess of wisdom.
- Similarity: Same 6×5 grid, same pay-anywhere wins, same tumble mechanic, same multiplier orb system with values up to 500x. Mechanically, this is closer to Gates of Olympus than to Sword of Ares, but the overall formula is from the same family.
- Standout feature: The visual identity and character design set it apart. If you have been cycling through Zeus and Ares variants and want a different face within the same franchise, Athena provides that without altering any core mechanics.
- Best for: Players who enjoy Sword of Ares’ Greek mythology setting and want another option in that world with the simpler random multiplier system rather than the collection meter.
- Drawback: The 5,000x max win and the absence of any unique mechanical twist mean this feels more like a reskin than a genuine alternative. It does not offer the collection challenge or the double max win that Sword of Ares brings.
Gates of Hades
Gates of Hades takes the tumble-and-multiplier formula to a 6×6 cluster pays grid, replacing pay-anywhere wins with connected clusters and introducing wild symbols that carry multiplier values collected on column-specific meters.
- Similarity: Both games share the idea of collecting multiplier values over a tumble sequence and applying them to the total win. The collection concept in Gates of Hades – where wild multiplier values are gathered above each column – is the closest relative to Sword of Ares’ meter system. Both also share the 10,000x max win cap.
- Standout feature: Wild multipliers up to 500x accumulate on a per-column basis, and during free spins the meter never resets. The Super Free Spins mode guarantees a minimum 10x value on every wild, which can build to enormous totals during extended tumble sequences.
- Best for: Players who enjoy Sword of Ares’ collection mechanic and want a version where the accumulation happens through wilds on a column-by-column basis rather than through a single shared meter. The 6×6 cluster grid also gives a slightly different win pattern.
- Drawback: Cluster pays requires five or more connected symbols, which is a different skill to read at a glance than the pay-anywhere system. The bonus trigger frequency is roughly one in 270 spins, making it harder to access than some alternatives.
Starlight Princess
Starlight Princess is mechanically identical to Gates of Olympus under the hood, but the anime-inspired princess theme offers a complete visual departure from the Greek mythology slots that dominate this category.
- Similarity: Pay-anywhere wins on a 6×5 grid with tumbles and random multiplier orbs. The free spins structure of 15 spins with accumulating multipliers mirrors the framework that Sword of Ares evolved from.
- Standout feature: The anime aesthetic is the primary draw. If you have been playing Greek god variants back to back, the visual change alone can refresh the experience. The mechanics underneath are proven and reliable.
- Best for: Players who want the tumble-and-multiply formula but are tired of Greek mythology themes. The session feel is familiar, just wrapped in a completely different visual package.
- Drawback: Very high volatility with long dry spells, and the 5,000x cap is half of Sword of Ares. There is no collection meter, no bombs, and no unique mechanic to differentiate it beyond the visual change.
Sweet Bonanza
Sweet Bonanza predates both Sword of Ares and Gates of Olympus, using the same pay-anywhere tumble concept with multiplier bombs that only appear during free spins. The candy theme is about as far from Greek warfare as you can get.
- Similarity: Pay-anywhere wins requiring eight or more matching symbols, tumble mechanic that clears winners and drops new symbols, and multiplier values that apply to tumble sequence wins in the bonus round. The fundamental session rhythm is shared.
- Standout feature: The 21,175x max win is significantly higher than Sword of Ares’ 10,000x ceiling. Multiplier bombs carry values from 2x to 100x during free spins and are added together, creating a simpler accumulation system than Sword of Ares’ tiered collection meter.
- Best for: Players who prioritise max win potential above all else and want a lighter, more colourful atmosphere. The medium-high volatility also makes Sweet Bonanza slightly less punishing during base game stretches.
- Drawback: Multipliers only appear during free spins, so the base game has zero multiplier action. In Sword of Ares, you can unlock multipliers up to 15x in normal play, which keeps non-bonus spins more interesting.
At £10 / €10 / $10 stake, a 10,000x max win on Sword of Ares would return £100,000 / €100,000 / $100,000.
If You Loved Sword of Ares but Hated One Thing
If the collection meter feels too slow to build, Gates of Olympus is the cleanest swap. Random multiplier orbs skip the collection grind entirely – they either land or they do not, and when they do, their values apply immediately. The trade-off is a lower max win and less of a sense of progression within each spin. If the 10,000x cap is what keeps you coming back and you want the same ceiling with a different mechanic, Gates of Hades matches that max win while using column-specific wild multipliers instead of a shared meter. The cluster pays format changes the win pattern, but the multiplier accumulation and volatility profile are closely aligned.
| Slot | Wilds | Scatters | Bonus Rounds | Multipliers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sword of Ares | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Gates of Olympus | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Wisdom of Athena | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Gates of Hades | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Starlight Princess | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Sweet Bonanza | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
FAQs
What slot is most similar to Sword of Ares?
Gates of Olympus is the closest overall. Both use the same 6×5 pay-anywhere grid with tumbles and multipliers that accumulate in free spins. The key difference is the multiplier delivery – random orbs in Gates of Olympus versus a collection meter in Sword of Ares. Gates of Hades is the closest if you specifically value the collection-style multiplier system and the 10,000x cap.
Are there slots with higher RTP than Sword of Ares?
Sword of Ares sits at 96.40% at its highest setting. Gates of Olympus, Sweet Bonanza, and Starlight Princess all offer 96.50-96.51% at their top tier. The Big Bass franchise reaches 96.71%, and Dog Mansion Megaways hits 98%. Remember that casino operators can select lower RTP versions.
What Pragmatic Play slots are like Sword of Ares?
The entire Gates family shares Sword of Ares’ DNA. Gates of Olympus, Gates of Hades, Gates of Valhalla, Starlight Princess, Sweet Bonanza, and Wisdom of Athena all use variations of the pay-anywhere tumble engine with multiplier accumulation. Sword of Ares is unique among them for its collection meter and bomb symbols.
Can I play slots like Sword of Ares for free?
Yes. Demo versions are available for all the alternatives listed in this article. Playing in demo mode is the most practical way to compare the multiplier collection system of Sword of Ares against the random orb system used by Gates of Olympus and the column-based wild system in Gates of Hades.
How does the Sword of Ares multiplier meter work?
Winning symbols and bomb explosions add to a counter above the reels. In the base game, collecting 20 symbols unlocks a multiplier of 2x-4x, 50 unlocks 5x-8x, and 100 unlocks 9x-15x. During free spins, the thresholds drop (starting at 15 symbols) and the meter extends to six tiers, reaching up to 500x. Only the highest unlocked multiplier applies to your total tumble sequence win.
Final Pick
Closest mechanical match: Gates of Hades. It shares the 10,000x max win, the multiplier accumulation concept, and the Greek underworld theme. The collection happens through wild multiplier columns rather than a shared meter, but the end result – multipliers building across a tumble sequence and applying to your total win – produces a very similar kind of tension. Best overall alternative: Gates of Olympus. It is the most widely available, the most straightforward to play, and the most proven performer in this entire family. The random multiplier system is simpler to follow than Sword of Ares’ collection meter, which makes it a better starting point if you are still exploring the tumble-and-multiply formula.