Return to player
94%
Min bet size
0.20
Game type
Video Slots
Variance
High
Reels
6
Progressive Jackpot
No
Popularity
Max bet size
100
Game provider
Elk Studios
Bonus Features
Yes
Paylines
Cluster Pays
Theme
Arcane
Arcanum online slot game
Arcanum is an ELK Studios slot that uses a cluster-pays system and cascading reels to create ongoing win sequences within a single spin. The game is set in a magical, arcane-themed world, but the visuals mainly support the gameplay rather than drive it. Wins are formed when clusters of matching symbols disappear and are replaced by new ones, allowing multiple wins to land in succession. Alongside this, a symbol collection system builds toward feature activations, adding an extra layer of progression as you play. Overall, Arcanum focuses more on interactive mechanics and chained wins than on standalone spin results.
Theme, Gameplay, and Mystical Visual Design Explained
Arcanum transitions between two mysterious environments: a blue-dominated realm of floating planets and rugged hills in the base game, and a peach-colored domain featuring towering hooded statues in the bonus rounds. The 6x7 grid is housed within a stone archway adorned with various meters to track feature progression. Wins are achieved by landing clusters of five or more identical symbols touching horizontally or vertically.
The paytable symbols are divided as follows:
- Low-Paying Symbols: Four small gems encased in rock, paying up to 75x for a 36+ cluster.
- High-Paying Symbols: Four larger crystals, paying between 150x and 1,000x for 36+ matching symbols.
- Wizard Symbols: These act as persistent Wilds that move to new empty positions before each symbol refill; the Wizard is guaranteed on every game round.
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Key Features: Spell Inventory and the Wizard Win Tracker
The core of Arcanum's complexity lies in its Spell Inventory. We found that magical spells and multipliers are hidden beneath paying symbols and are collected into the inventory when a winning cluster occurs on top of them.
- Wizard Win Tracker: This tracker monitors cluster wins involving the Wizard symbol. Once three cluster wins are achieved, all stored spells in the inventory are unleashed simultaneously at the end of the spin sequence.
- Magical Spells: There are five distinct types, including Expanding (replaces symbols in an area up to 6x6), Add Wild (adds additional Wilds for each spell collected), Wild Transform, Wild Column, and Wild Cross.
- Global Multiplier: Multiplier symbols add +1 to a global total that applies to all winning combinations, though this resets at the end of a base game spin.
- Feature Symbols: The Transform Orb upgrades pay symbols to higher-value types, while the Explosive Orb removes symbols in areas up to 6x7 to collect revealed spells and multipliers.
Free Spins Bonus Games: Persistent Arcane Energy
Landing 3, 4, or 5 Scatter symbols triggers 7 Free Spins in the Standard, Mirage, or Arcanum bonus modes, respectively. The primary difference between the tiers is the inclusion of one or two extra Mirror Wizard symbols, which act as persistent Wilds.
The most significant change in the bonus rounds is the element of persistence. Unlike the base game, the Global Multiplier, Spell Inventory, and the Wizard Win Tracker do not reset between spins. We observed that this allows the features to escalate quickly, potentially leading to the "chaos" of multiple spells being cast simultaneously as the bonus progresses.
Maximize Your Spells: X-iter Feature Buy Strategy
After experiencing the X-iter options, we’ve been led to think that these features are well-suited to provide players with direct access to specific game states without extended base-game progression. By allowing players to skip earlier, lower-activity phases, the X-iter options offer an alternative entry point into feature-heavy gameplay while maintaining the same underlying mechanics and payout structure.
- Bonus Hunt (2.5x): More than quadruples the chance of triggering a bonus game.
- Spellstorm (10x): Guarantees a game round where spells and multipliers are collected before the initial symbols drop in.
- Mirage Bonus (250x): Provides direct access to the higher-tier bonus with an additional Mirror Wizard.
Best Alternatives to the Arcanum Slot
If you enjoy Arcanum’s cluster-pays mechanics and feature-heavy gameplay, the following slots offer similar high-volatility experiences with their own twists on progression and bonuses:
- Cathedral 9 is a dark, high-volatility 6x5 scatter-pays slot from ELK Studios with an RTP of around 94% and a maximum win potential of up to 25,000x your bet. Set in a gloomy cathedral theme, it features cascading wins, a Feature Reelwith modifiers, Mystery Coffins that can nudge global multipliers, and Free Drops with a Super Bonus mode for explosive payouts.
- Avalon X is a high-volatility cluster-pays slot from ELK Studios played on a 6x7 grid with an RTP of around 94% and a maximum win potential of up to 10,000x your bet. It blends Arthurian myth with features like global multipliers, wilds, multiplier wilds, mystery boxes, free drops and X-iter bonus buys for layered, dynamic gameplay.
- Reactoonz 100 is a high-volatility 7x7 cluster slot from Play’n GO with a default RTP of around 96.2% and a maximum win potential of up to 10,000x your bet. Set in a chaotic interstellar theme, it uses cascading reels and cluster pays, with Quantum features, energized multipliers and Gargantoon wilds adding dynamic, unpredictable action across every spin.
Final Verdict: Is Arcanum Worth the Spin?
Arcanum is an ELK Studios slot built around a cluster-pays grid and a set of interdependent mechanics designed to operate in sequence. The gameplay loop is structured so that individual features support one another, creating continuity between cascades, symbol collection, and feature activation.
The Spell system primarily introduces Wild symbols or transforms existing pay symbols, and while these mechanics follow established design patterns, they have a measurable effect on win formation within the cluster-based grid. Their interaction with cascading reels and global multipliers increases the likelihood of extended spin sequences rather than isolated outcomes.
From a structural perspective, the game presents a feature-dense configuration that emphasizes mechanical interaction over visual or thematic variation. Compared with other ELK Studios titles, the design prioritizes controlled complexity and system linkage rather than high-intensity pacing, making it suited to players who prefer interconnected mechanics and persistent feature progression.
James is a casino games expert on the Playcasino.com editorial team. With many years of professional experience at a leading casino game development company and a passion for playing casino games, James has become a true expert in slots, blackjack, roulette, baccarat, and other games.
James uses this expertise to provide reliable, insider advice through his reviews and guides, breaking down the game rules and offering tips to help you win more often. Rely on James's extensive experience for expert advice on your casino play.
