Hand of Anubis

The 5x6 cluster-pays grid

Hand of Anubis departs from the standard payline format and uses a 5x6 grid with cluster pays. Thirty positions across five columns and six rows replace the left-to-right payline logic with an adjacency requirement: matching symbols that touch horizontally or vertically form clusters, and clusters of five or more pay out.

The Egyptian afterlife setting, Anubis as the presiding figure, hieroglyphic symbols, and the visual treatment of the weighing-of-the-heart mythology all inform the design. The 5x6 grid’s six-row depth is the structural reason the hit frequency is fairly high for a high-volatility slot: more positions mean more opportunities for adjacent clusters to form on each spin compared to a four-row layout.

Cascades and how chain reactions build value

When a cluster pays out, those symbols vanish from the grid. Symbols above the gap fall downward, and new symbols drop in from the top of the column to fill the remaining spaces. If the resulting arrangement forms a new cluster, it pays out too, without an additional bet. This is the cascade mechanic.

A cascade chain of four sequential wins on a single spin, each paying at the same bet cost, effectively multiplies the value of that single bet across the chain. In the base game, long cascade chains are uncommon but occur when the initial cluster covers a wide area and the replacement symbols happen to form further clusters. In the free-spins rounds, where the Anubis mechanic modifies symbols or applies multipliers, cascade chains interact with those modifications to produce the game’s higher pays.

Two free-spins modes and the Anubis mechanic

Hand of Anubis offers two paths when the free-spins bonus triggers: Underworld Free Spins and Judgement Free Spins. The two modes differ in how the Anubis mechanic operates during the feature, which shapes the distribution of outcomes within the round.

Underworld Free Spins carry a 96.29% RTP on the bonus buy, indicating a slightly different value distribution within the feature compared to base-game play. Judgement Free Spins carry 96.18% on the buy. The specific differences in how Anubis symbols behave, whether through added multipliers, symbol transformations, or cluster enhancements, are documented in the game’s info panel. Reviewing those differences before choosing is worthwhile if the casino offers both modes in the bonus buy.

Hit frequency and the base-game experience

A relatively high hit frequency for the category gives Hand of Anubis a more active base game than extreme-volatility titles where most spins are blank. Cluster combinations form with enough regularity that the session progresses without extended blank-spin sequences. Most base-game clusters produce modest pays; the cascade mechanic occasionally produces chains that generate meaningful single-spin value.

The game’s real concentration of value is in the free-spins rounds, consistent with Hacksaw Gaming’s high-volatility design philosophy. The active base game is a session management tool that extends play toward the bonus, not a reliable source of significant returns on its own.

Playing within a budget

Hand of Anubis is accessible within the high-volatility category and more forgiving than extreme-tier titles on a session bankroll. Casinos in our crypto casinos and fast-payout casinos lists support fast withdrawals when a cascade chain in free spins generates a strong result. Confirm the RTP version in the info panel before your first spin.

Set a hard session limit before playing. If gambling stops being fun, GamCare and Gambling Therapy can help, free and in confidence.