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Kronos Quick Verdict
Is this game cool?
Greek-themed slots are always cool in my opinion, and I think the dramatic imagery helps this game to stand out from others covering the same subject. It’s an easy game to play, with wilds and free spins among the most popular slot features, but it could be too basic for some.
Is this game old?
Yes, over 15 years old. Kronos dates back to at least 2009. WMS's US trademark record lists November 17, 2009, as its first use in commerce. It became part of the studio's G+ Deluxe range of land-based slots before making the move online in 2012.
About the Online Kronos Slot Machine
| Genre | Video Slot |
|---|---|
| Developer | WMS (Light & Wonder) |
| RTP | 95.94% |
| Volatility | High |
| Min/Max Bet | $0.01 / $60 |
| Reels | 5 |
| Paylines | 20 |
The Kronos slot machine from WMS is an epic, Greek-themed game that has been a success since its launch in the late 2000s. Originally only available at physical casinos, it is now getting harder to find in Las Vegas and other gambling centers. Luckily, its online version is playable for free right here at CoolOldGames, accessible on both desktop and mobile platforms.
This 5-reel, 3-row, 20-line slot packs card suit symbols, temples, winged horses, and Kronos, the father of Zeus onto the grid. His powers include paying when seen in combinations from either the left or right sides, while wild substitutions and free spins are the other features that can lead to generous gifts from the gods.
Not having played the land-based version of Kronos in a long time, I was keen to test its online version for free and see how well it has aged. A low minimum stake, high payout potential, and the excitement of high volatility have been standouts for me, although I found fractionally low returns of 95.94% here.
What You Need to Know Before Playing
Like many slots that follow the topic of ancient Greek mythology (including WMS’ Zeus), Kronos sets the reels among the clouds and has a dramatic visual style to go with the legendary theme. Colorful card suit symbols feature on the 5×3 grid, along with a decorative armband, golden shield, Pegasus the horse, and a temple at the top of Mount Olympus. Kronos glares from the reels and can appear stacked up to 3 high for an even more impressive view of this vengeful character.
The soundtrack is something of a letdown, as it’s just a series of beeps and mechanical effects, which may be acceptable on the floor of a casino, but for online play, I would much prefer something linked to the subject.
It’s an easy game to set up, with a bet range of just 0.01 to 60.00 per spin, which makes it a good fit for most budgets. Because of the high volatility, I started at a lower level, although if your virtual bankroll drops too low, there’s always the option to reload the game on this page.
You can have anything from 1 to all 20 paylines active, although I always play with the maximum number, and adjust my bet per line to suit. This way, I don’t miss out if a winning combination appears on an inactive line.
The Paytable
You win prizes as matched symbols land on adjacent reels across an active payline. Most pay from left to right, but combinations of Kronos can start at either end. Here’s how many times the bet you win from each –
| Symbol | Three on a Payline | Four on a Payline | Five on a Payline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diamonds | X0.25 | X1 | X5 |
| Clubs | X0.25 | X1 | X5 |
| Hearts | X0.5 | X1 | X10 |
| Spades | X1 | X2 | X20 |
| Arm Band | X1 | X2.5 | X20 |
| Throne | X1 | X3.75 | X20 |
| Pegasus | X1.5 | X5 | X30 |
| Temple | X1.5 | X7.5 | X30 |
| Kronos | X2 | X10 | X37.5 |
Something I found unusual about this slot is that the regular suit symbols each have three different forms. There is the basic form, for example, a Spade; then there are Spade B and Spade T, which both substitute for the regular Spade. The golden shield symbol partly overlaps the row above and below it, so I’m assuming it is just the developer’s way of saying “even though these symbols look different, they count the same”. The illustration below explains it better than words can:
Wild & Free Spins Feature
Kronos has a limited range of extra features, but that made it an easy game to play for casual visitors to physical casinos, which goes some way to explaining why it’s such a hit. If you want lots of bonus rounds, it may be too basic for your style, however, for those of us who enjoy straightforward games, this is a good choice.
A golden lion face is the wild symbol, and while it only lands on the 3 middle reels, this valuable symbol helps to complete winning combinations by acting as all except the shield when possible. The shield in any 3, 4, or 5 places triggers 10, 25, or a vast 100 free spins respectively.
I only saw 3 shields at once, but free spins are a welcome feature and triggered a couple of times over the course of my session on the game. An alternative set of reels is active throughout the bonus round, although payouts remain the same.
RTP & How I Experienced the Volatility
Kronos has a high volatility, and like other games with a similar format, you’ll tend to see fewer wins than lower variance slots, but higher prizes to make up for it. The Return to Players of 95.94% is so close to the 96.0% or more than I expect from highly volatile games that it makes no difference.
I experienced choppy gameplay and expect swings in my bankroll during my sessions playing this slot. That’s why I recommend lower stakes on each spin, and even though this is a free version of the slot that uses virtual money, it’s good to be disciplined when playing any type of gambling game.
How to Play the Kronos Slot Online
The best introduction to Kronos is via the demo game on this page. As mentioned, it’s getting harder to find it at land-based casinos, but along with Bier Haus and the Amazon Queen slot, it’s one of the few games in the same G+ Deluxe series that you can now enjoy across desktop and mobile devices.
Here’s how to get started –
Step 1 – Click the ‘Play For Free’ Button on This Page
Load the free Kronos online slot onto your PC, laptop, Mac, or a mobile device running the Android or iOS operating systems. It works in exactly the same way on all platforms, with no download or commitment needed. You can display it in part, or full screen mode, and a big advantage with free slots is that you can reload your virtual balance to play for as long as you want.
Step 2 – Explore the Control Options
The controls let you pick from a bet range of just 0.01 (or 0.20 with the recommended 20 lines in play), to a maximum of 60.00. Arrow tabs under the reels make it easy to select your ideal stake, while the arrow in a circle triggers Autoplay settings for hands-free spinning.
Click the lined button next to this, and you reach a paytable, which is where you find further details on features, symbol values that adjust to match your bet level, and a display of how the 20 paylines cross the 5 reels and 3 rows.
Step 3 – Unleash the God and Gather Shields
It’s now time to see what happens when Kronos lands across a payline starting from either the left or right sides, and how shields lead to free spins that can retrigger. I saw wilds on many occasions and was lucky enough to get 2 lots of free spins in a relatively short time, but that won’t necessarily be the case when you play.
Try Kronos Unleashed
If you prefer all-action games with lots of innovative features, then don’t miss out on the Kronos Unleashed slot released in 2018. It’s a fantastic sequel to this original version, with this edition playing out across 5 reels, 8 rows, and 60 paylines. The symbol mix is almost identical, with the shield again leading to free spins, but there’s now a guaranteed win of at least 5x the bet from this round, along with prizes built-in from a respins bonus feature.
Once triggered, the Lightning Respins will see just Kronos, special modifiers, or blanks on the reels for 3 initial spins, with anything other than blanks resetting the spin counter. Power Up modifiers unlock extra rows, jackpots, or add more Kronos symbols to the mix, and you collect all payline wins at the end. You can try it out for free as well at the top of this page.
Arthur’s Verdict on Kronos by WMS
I play a lot of Greek-themed games and would rate the Kronos slot machine as mid-range on my list of favorites. It certainly looks good, although the soundtrack lets it down, and while the returns are acceptable for a highly volatile slot, at 95.94%, they are right at the lower end. I’d return to this game for the good looks and straightforward features, but perhaps not for long sessions.
If you want more features, then check out Kronos Unleashed, although it can be quite complex, so it probably won’t be a good choice for inexperienced players. Anyone looking for lower volatility games, where you can win more often, at the expense of smaller average prize values, should also look elsewhere.
There’s lots to like about this original edition. Wilds, extra wins as Kronos lines up from left or right, and the chance to grab a huge number of free spins are what made this game so popular at land-based venues around the world. If you are among the huge number of people who like the topic, and want some relatively simple but rewarding extras, then be sure to play the Kronos online slot for free on this page.