Ancient Tumble

Prepare yourselves for a Tumble in the Jungle, packed full of features, bonuses and stone-splitting action as Relax Gaming introduce Ancient Tumble into their dynamic slot catalogue. No strangers to the world of tumble drop mechanics with the widely successful Temple Tumble series, Templar Tumble 2 Dream Drop and Cluster Tumble, Ancient Tumble surely needs to arrive packing an extra punch and leaving players exploring for more and not just be seen as ancient history.

As a provider, Relax Gaming has always had a real knack when it comes to theming. Right from the get go, it is obvious that Ancient Tumble is far from an exception to this rule. Set deep in the heart of a forgotten aztec jungle, the game is played against an overgrown, ancient ruin over a backdrop of dense vines and towering rock faces. Additional detailing of draping, over-head vines in the foreground really helps immerse you into the sense of true adventure. To the left of the game grid stands our explorer, a bit of a cross between Indiana Jones and someone on a rescue mission deep in Jurassic Park. In his hand, he holds a key, ready to unlock any one of five exciting bonuses, deep within the temple.

Ancient Tumble base game play

Similar to that of the Temple Tumble series, Ancient Tumble is played out on a 6 by 6 grid, featuring visible pay symbols and blank stone blocks which can be destroyed should a win connect adjacent to them, giving up to 46,656 ways to win. A high volatile game with an RTP of 96.10% and potential Max Win of 10,000x bet.

Ancient Tumble is set for release to UK Casinos on the 25^th June 2024 which gives us just enough time to explore the true riches the game has to offer.

Ancient Tumble Base Features

Each game begins with a maximum of 24 symbols tumbling onto the grid. Where symbols are not present, stone blocks are dropped in their position. Wins occur by matching symbols from the left to the right, regardless of their position on the row. Matching symbols then disappear and are replaced as the rows tumble down into the removed spaces. If a win occurs next to a stone tile, directly horizontally or vertically, the stone will break and a pay symbol will enter play in its place. This process is repeated until no further connections can be made and the screen resets for the next game.

There are 9 paying symbols during the base game; low paying J, Q, K, A, higher paying blue, green and red gems and premium paying green and red tribal masks.

Low paying symbols offer a win value between 0.05x bet to 0.20x bet for a single line of 6 matching symbols.

Higher paying gems offer a win value of 0.10x bet to 0.50x bet for a single line of 6 matching symbols.

Premium symbols offer a win value of 0.20x bet to 1x bet for a single line of 6 matching symbols.

Multiple symbols can land on each row to create higher win values.

A Wild symbol may also land on reels 2 to 6 and substitutes for all paying symbols.

Now, I mentioned at the beginning that Relax really needed to pack the punches to make Ancient Tumble a game to remember and they have truly come out swinging with the amount of features to explore during game play.

Ancient Tumble is packed with features and contains 5 potential bonus rounds

Unbreakable Wild

Randomly, any stone block in rows 2 to 6 may reveal an Unbreakable Wild symbol. An Unbreakable Wild will destroy any regular paying symbol beneath it after each cascade, though cannot destroy stone blocks, coin symbols or other Unbreakable Wilds. Once the wild reaches the bottom row, or as far down as it can break, it will remain in play until included in a win or the round ends.

This feature is available in normal spins, Enhanced Spins, Classic Free Spins and Super Free Spins.

Coin Symbols

A feature available in Coin Spins, Coin Free Spins and Super Free Spins, certain stone blocks may be partially concealing coins. Destroying a coin block will reveal a coin on the grid, displaying question mark. Coins may also drop randomly on a cascade. At the end of a round, all revealed coins will be assigned a pay value of between 1x and 25x bet.

Coin Multiplier Symbols

During any spin, a coin multiplier block may randomly appear and, if destroyed, the multiplier displayed on the block will multiply the win from all coin symbols present at the end of the round. Coin Multiplier symbols can be tumbled in during cascades and are only featured during Coin Spins and Coin Free Spins.

Colossal Symbols

During Colossal Spins, Colossal Free Spins and Super Free Spins, symbols may randomly tumble in larger, colossal versions ranging from 2×2 to 5×5. This mechanic is slightly similar to that seen in the ELK “Gold” series although symbols below do not get destroyed here. A colossal symbol will appear every spin during Colossal Spins and Colossal Free Spins and may appear during Super Free Spins.

Golden Spin

During normal spins, Enhanced Spins and Colossal Spins, it is possible for any spin to randomly activate a Golden Spin. A Golden Spin increases chances of winning and if you are able to fully destroy all stone blocks on the grid, Super Free Spins will be awarded as an upgrade to regular Free Spins.

Land Colossal Free Spins to drop big stacked symbols

Ancient Tumble Bonus

Relax Gaming just keep on giving here as, during the base game, if you can successfully destroy all stone blocks on the grid, you will be awarded 6 free spins and a choice between 4…yes 4 Free Spin game modes. When free spins are activated, graphically, Relax has made some nice, advanced touches from predecessors which sees the player become the explorer as you venture on down the dark tunnels of the ancient temple before entering the mystic chamber. Here, you will have the choice of 4 doors which represent the different game modes, the 5^th door in the middle being for the elusive Super Free Spins Bonus that we will get to shortly.

Coin Free Spins – Each free spin can see between 3 and 14 coin stone blocks appear on the grid. A Coin Multiplier may also appear.

Classic Free Spins – Free spins play out similar to the base game with the addition of Extra Spins Blocks and Multiplier Blocks present. Extra Spins blocks, if destroyed can award between 1 and 3 extra spins and destroyed Multiplier blocks will add between 1x and 3x to the overall multiplier.

Colossal Free Spins – A guaranteed colossal version of normal paying symbols will appear every spin. The size of the colossal symbol can be between 2×2 and 5×5.

Multiplier Ladder Free Spins – Using a multiplier mechanic that fans of Beast Mode will be familiar with, every win and the beginning of every spin will see the multiplier move up the ladder by one place. The multiplier starts at 1x and can reach a maximum of 100x. Reaching 10x, 20x and 50x will reward the player with an extra spin and reaching 100x will reward 2 extra spins.

Super Free Spins bonus

Maximum features for maximum volatility! Should you clear the grid of all stone blocks during a Golden Spin, the elusive middle door in the bonus chamber will be unlocked. During Super Free Spins, all features from the 4 regular free spin bonus options are brought together into one enhanced bonus. Destroying a multiplier stone block will move the multiplier ladder by one step. Any revealed coins will be multiplied by the current multiplying stage of the ladder at the end of each round.

Multiplier Ladder Free Spins can see a win multiplier up to 100x

Lucky Boost

Ancient Tumble has been graced with a Lucky Boost, the popular feature with Relax Gaming with titles such as Book of Power and Net Gains, which can see increased chances of winning big inside the bonus free spins rounds. Lucky Boost can randomly be triggered at the start of any Free Spins mode.

Feature Spins and Bonus Buys

Where applicable, Ancient Tumble offers a selection of Feature and Bonus Buy options. Feature Spins each have an RTP of 96.1% and Bonus buy an RTP of 96.5%

• Enhanced Spin – Increases the chances of revealing Unbreakable Wilds and gaining Free Spins by 67% at the cost of 1.5x bet per spin.
• Coin Spin – Between 3 and 14 Coin Stone Blocks will randomly drop on each spin. A Coin Multiplier Block may also appear. At the cost of 5x bet per spin.
• Colossal Spin – A Colossal version of a regular paying symbol will land on every spin. The block can be 2×2 to 5×5 in size. At the cost of 7x bet per spin.
• Bonus Buy – A regular Free Spins buy will cost 50x bet and the Super Free Spins buy will cost 400x bet.

Pros and Cons of Ancient Tumble

• Packed with plenty of features
• Enhanced visuals compared to predecessors
• High Volatile super bonus
• Easy to understand
• Feature-wise, nothing really new
• Bonus can be difficult to trigger

Similar Games to Ancient Tumble

• Temple Tumble
• Beast Mode
• Cluster Tumble
• Templar Tumble
• Templar Tumble 2 DreamDrop

Upgrade to Ancient Tumble’s volatile Super Free Spins which sees all 4 regular bonus features combine into one

First Impression

I have always had a soft spot for Relax Gaming. I’m not sure if it is the theming, the mechanics or the high-volatility-chasing big wins. Whatever it is, Ancient Tumble seems to have it, and that sort of surprises me. Coming from a long line of “Tumble” games before it, this one had to feel like something a bit more. The “Aztec Jungle Explorer” theme works very nicely here and that is only complimented and enhanced by Relax giving us a choice of 4 different bonus options. You almost get lost exploring the game, discovering every feature, every bonus and learning which works best for you.

In some ways, it is nice how the game has incorporated bonus features from other sources; the multiplier from Beast Mode for example. In other ways, it would have been much greater to see Relax bring in some new features of their own. Coin collecting has never really been on Relax Gaming’s menu and usually associated with Push Gaming more often than not. Although, having to unveil the coins and not simply land the coins does make for more interesting gameplay.

One thing is for sure, however, and that is the quality of production that has been placed intricately throughout of Ancient Tumble; the mechanics, the graphical touches, the vast amount of features and bonuses…this isn’t a “release for the sake of releasing” and so it shouldn’t be. The Tumbles that came before it much deserved a significant follow-on and this is certainly one Jungle where most won’t be shouting “GET ME OUT OF HERE!”

*The screenshots taken of games reviewed on this site are taken from Demo Play, as reviews are often written before games are released for real play.