John Hunter Slots
John Hunter slots, developed by Pragmatic Play, have captivated gamblers worldwide through their vibrant visuals and not overly complex gameplay. So, now, strap on because what follows is an examination of every entry in this franchise.
- Introducing John Hunter
- John Hunter and the Quest for Bermuda Riches
- John Hunter and the Mayan Gods
- John Hunter and the Book of Tut
- John Hunter and the Tomb of the Scarab Queen
- John Hunter and the Aztec Treasure
- John Hunter and Da Vinci’s Treasure
- John Hunter and the Book of the Fallen
- John Hunter and the Book of Tut Respin
- Other Archaeologists of the Slot World
- Our John Hunter Slots Series Overview
- John Hunter Slots Series FAQs
Introducing John Hunter
A screenshot from Pragmatic Play's John Hunter and the Book of the Fallen. (Source: Pragmatic Play)
For those not in the online gambling loop, let us tell you that adventure slots are kind of a big deal.
Book of Ra, Novamatic’s physical machine, wowed gamblers in brick-and-mortar locales across the globe for years, and when its online iteration — developed by Greentube — hit the web, it had a similar effect on players. The same can be said for Play’n GO’s iconic Book of Dead, responsible for igniting the Indiana Jones rip-off genre, which includes the John Hunter slots series.
Reel-spinning games with bold adventurers wearing cowboy hats are a dime a dozen these days. There is even a game in this mix that features anthropomorphised cats called Whiskers Jones by 1X2gaming.
Yet, the John Hunter slots series has managed to do something only the Book of Dead serial had achieved: build a successful franchise with a loyal user base looking forward to every new addition.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at all the slots in this series, shall we?
John Hunter and the Quest for Bermuda Riches
We kick off our analysis of John Hunter slots with highlights of the addition to the series fans seemingly adore the most, the Quest for Bermuda Riches.
It debuted in online casinos lobbies in October 2021, capturing players’ attention by being the first entry in the John Hunter slots series to implement a 7×7 grid.
Most of the franchise’s games have 5×3 grids, with Aztec Treasure featuring a 5×6 one. It is also unique in that it implements a Tumble/Avalanche feature and has a money-collect mode. When it comes to gameplay, it is undoubtedly the most varied of all the John Hunter slots.
The variance of John Hunter and the Quest for Bermuda Riches is high. While the default RTP here has been set to 95.5%, some operators have adjusted this setting to go as high as 96.5%, with others lowering it to 94.5%. The max win of this game set on the tropical isle of Bermuda is 5,000x, with a maximum wager option of 100 and a minimum of $0.2.
John Hunter and the Mayan Gods
Mayan Gods is the follow-up to Aztec Treasures, which we will discuss below. It is a more modest entry in the series than its predecessor, but it once again proved that Pragmatic Play does not intend to ride the John Hunter brand name. Instead, it continuously strives to reinvent each addition, giving it a vibe of novelty and uniqueness.
The gameplay is simple, with Mayan Gods implementing the standard 5×3 grid and attaching only 10 paylines to it. The variance, RTP, and max bet here are identical to the Quest for Bermuda Riches (high, 95.5%, and 100), but the maximum win potential of this game is half that of the Quest for Bermuda Riches, standing at 2,500x. The smallest bet one can make on Mayan Gods is a wager of $0.1.
Concerning bonus features, this is one of the barer John Hunter slots, as it only leans on its expanding Wilds and Free Spins rounds in this department. The Free Spins mode here uses a six-level upgrade system, which those not sure about playing this game should test at sites providing John Hunter slots demos.
In our opinion, Mayan Gods is one of the more mediocre games in this slots series.
John Hunter and the Book of Tut
King Tut, also known as Tutankhamun, was an Egyptian pharaoh who was likely the son of the pharaoh Akhenaten. His golden mask, found in tomb KV62 in the Valley of the Kings in 1922, is one of the most famous Ancient Egyptian relics ever.
Needless to say, this makes an appearance in the John Hunter slots series in the appropriately-named reel spinner, Book of Tut, which appeared online in May 2020. As a game, it follows in the footsteps of the aforementioned Book of Ra and is the fourth instalment in the John Hunter slots series.
Unsurprisingly, the variance here is high, and the RTP ranges from 94.5% to 96%. The max win is 5,000x, with a max bet option of 100 and a minimum one of 0.1, placing it firmly in our low-stake slots list.
As in most Book-of spinners, the free spins round here begins with a random pay symbol selected to act as the expanding one for the round, which is the heart and soul of these games.
John Hunter and the Tomb of the Scarab Queen
When John Hunter and the Tomb of the Scarab Queen joined the ranks of the other games in this series, many fans complained about the excessively long title, voicing that maybe Pragmatic Play should drop their adventurer’s name from future franchise releases. The Malta-based provider did not agree.
In the Tomb of the Scarab Queen, the third John Hunter slots game, Pragmatic Play takes players to the great pyramids of Giza on a 5×3 ride with 25 paylines.
Like with the Quest for Bermuda Riches, this is another title that incorporates a Money-Collect bonus. It also has a Free Spins round that gives gamblers eight complimentary reel rotations if they hit three pyramid Scatters on reels 2, 3, or 4 of this medium-variance slot with an RTP of 95.5%. This title offers a stunning max win of 10,500x, and a betting range of $0.25 to $125 per spin.
John Hunter and the Aztec Treasure
Many Aztec Treasure fans like to point out that the original title of this game was Book of Mystery, but it got renamed so that the John Hunter brand could peel the ‘Book’ off the label.
It was Pragmatic’s sophomore inclusion in the John Hunter slots series and did its job terrifically well by making the franchise feel like its own thing. It did so by parting from the Book-of mechanics, implementing up to 7,776 paylines, and a 5×6 grid that houses medium-to-high-variance slot action.
The RTP of Aztec Treasure is 95.5%, which is in line with most other titles in the John Hunter slots series. Graphically, this game is on par with most Ancient Civilization spinners, with its primary appeal laying in its Free Spins round, where a multiplier of up to 10x can boost wins. Landing two Scatters, awards you more free spins. The minimum bet of Aztec Treasure is $0.2, and the max one is $100.
John Hunter and Da Vinci’s Treasure
Here is the product that started the John Hunter slots series, although it did not have John Hunter in its title upon its launch. It entered casinos' gaming pages in August 2018 and marked the start of the rise of Pragmatic Play as a serious player in the provider landscape among industry insiders. Of course, the renowned Leonardo da Vinci plays a substantial role in this game, and so do a few of his famous inventions.
Despite this being the first in the series, it is not light on bonus features. It delivers a Map Quest mode that can yield a multiplier of 100x, progressive multiplier free spins, and a prize picker game that provides cash rewards. The RTP of Da Vinci’s Treasure is 96.53%, the variance high, and the bet sizes here range from $0.25 to $50 per spin. The max exposure is a whopping 48,000x.
John Hunter and the Book of the Fallen
The Book of the Fallen is Pragmatic Play’s return to its roots; the comeback of the traditional Book-of mechanism in an Egyptian setting. In truth, this game is the perfect alternative for fans of the ever-so-famous Play’n GO Book-of reel spinner.
In fact, if a casino does not have the title and someone wants to play it, know that Book of the Fallen is an appropriate recommendation, as it is essentially the same slot. It has the same ante bet and special expanding symbols features.
Spec-wise, John Hunter and the Book of the Fallen does not dramatically differ from most titles in the series, so if you enjoyed any of the games mentioned in this article, you can expect wins to happen in this one with a similar degree of regularity. That means that its variance is high, its RTP is 95.5%, and the betting range starts at $0.1, ending at max wagers of $50 per spin.
You can try this out by playing John Hunter slots demos on your favourite platforms.
John Hunter and the Book of Tut Respin
Of course, the Book of Tut Respin is a sequel within a sequel as this is the software developer’s second take of King Tut. In short, this is the remake of the original John Hunter and The Book of Tut, landing on gambling sites two years later. Its specs include an RTP of 95.5%, a high variance, and bet sizes from $0.1 to $100.
John Hunter and the Book of Tut Respin does not seek to reinvent the wheel; all it does is inject a respin feature to the Book-of genre. Other than this aspect, nothing extraordinary or unique can get said about this release — it even keeps many of the classic Book-of presentation effects. Respins here happen in the base gameplay and the Free Spins round, keeping the gaming entertainment flowing nicely.
Other Archaeologists of the Slot World
Over the years, the slot-verse has become riddled with archaeologists and explorers of ancient civilisation ruins.
Without question, Play’n GO’s Rich Wilde is the most renowned of these, with the Rich Wilde franchise rivalling the John Hunter slots series in number and quality. Wilde’s popularity has reached such levels that the makers came up with a daughter for this famed explorer, Cat Wilde, and gave her too a line of games.
To grab a piece of the adventure-theme slot market, Genni introduced Destiny Wild; Spearhead Studios came up with Lara Jones; Vibra Gaming devised Spin Jones; and Spinomenal conceived Lucky Jack.
These are only a few examples of Indiana Jones-like characters that inhabit the online gambling sphere. There are many more but rarely can any compete with entries in the slots series covered here.
Our John Hunter Slots Series Overview
The games in the John Hunter slots series may not deliver complicated bonus features or 3D graphics, but they cater to a different audience, targeting mid to high-rollers. In our opinion, the mix of ancient ruins, uncomplicated gameplay, and alluring max prizes are what is driving most players back to these slots., and the reason why they rank so highly in so many markets.
We suggest trying out John Hunter slots demos to see if these products are a fit for you before playing them with looming real-money prizes on the line at one of our suggested casino sites.
John Hunter Slots Series FAQs
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The John Hunter slots series were developed by Pragmatic Play, one of the most prolific game providers in the sector.
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At the time of writing, the makers have released eight John Hunter slots.
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It was Da Vinci's Treasure, unleashed on online gambling hubs in August 2018.
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That is a matter of personal preference. However, from our experience, most fans love John Hunter and the Quest for Bermuda Riches, which is the most complex game of the franchise.
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No, they are not. No John Hunter game can produce a progressive reward; though, most can churn out max wins of 5,000x a player’s stake. That is impressive, considering the max bet option on most of these titles is 100+.
Ramona D
