Thanks to Skunk Software for the review code

Title: Slots- Pharaoh’s Riches
System: Wii U (eShop)
Price: $19.99 (Price after current 50% off sale)
Release date: 4/14/2016

Graphics

Thankfully the first thing I noticed were that the visuals were slightly improved from the developer’s prior two releases, though that doesn’t really say much considering how the game is once again just a single screen with no menus to speak of, but at least it’s no longer a pain to look at after a few moments.

Music and Sound

The music is also a slight improvement over the previous titles, thanks to the fact that the song inserted doesn’t loop nearly as much as the songs from the prior games. That being said, it still will get on your nerves after a while, and since it’s the only song in the entire game, you better get used to it.

Gameplay

Pharaoh’s Riches is your typical slot game, similar to one you would find on mobile marketplaces. You bet a certain amount of money per line, choose how many lines to bet on, and get those slots spinning! Similar to the previous game I reviewed from this developer, 6 Hand Video Poker, the game runs infinitely, with no penalty for going into a negative balance, which again brings back the point on how frustrating it is to see a game with no point in trying your best. Thankfully, there are a few minor things that almost saves this game from being a waste of time. For one thing, you can choose to bet your current earnings with a “Gamble” button. A coin will flip, and you get to choose between Heads or Tails, and if you get it right, it doubles your earnings! This adds a nice risk and reward system to the game, which can improve how much your winnings earn you if you decide to take the gamble. Unfortunately, with the lack of any “highest earnings” counter to encourage you to set new records, it doesn’t do much to keep you engaged.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Pharaoh’s Riches has the foundations of a decent slots game, only hampered by the “infinite gameplay” destroying any point to even trying your hardest. Still, I would normally be willing to give this a moderate recommendation for folks interested in a way to pass the time while waiting for a friend to come over or something along those lines, but there’s just one issue, one so baffling and mind-blowing that it yet again makes me wonder if this is all just a poor joke that I don’t understand.

The game is 20 dollars. Yes, the publisher actually had the audacity to charge a ridiculous amount of money for a game with only one mode and barely any replayability to speak of! Currently, it’s advertised as a “Limited time 50% off sale”, so the price for now is at $9.99, but even that is way too much money for a game like this. To even think that anyone would be willing to price such a shallow game at the same price as discounted retail games is just mind-blowing!

To make matters even more confusing, this game is apparently a “limited time offer” according to the trailer, which also adds to my suspicion that this game is meant to be a joke of some sort. It’s a shame, as we could have had a decent experience if this was just priced at $1.99, but to see it priced so highly, presumably to make customers brag about how they are so rich. Next thing you know, some crazy person will sell a Wii U with the game installed when the game is eventually taken off the eShop, despite there being no reason for it to be removed.

I give Slots- Pharaoh’s Riches a 2 out of 10, and I strongly discourage you from spending the $20 or even the temporary $10 price tag on this game. The foundations of a decent time killer is here, but when the reasonable price tag ends up multiplied by ten, there’s no reason you should ever pick such a game up for a ludicrous price. If this game ends up being discounted to the price it should be, then perhaps give it a shot if you’re a fan of these sorts of games. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem like that’s the plan anytime soon…