Ghost Pirates Slot Machine

The theme for Ghost Pirates is quite well done. You have animated lit torches, a dreary, sunken ship as the backdrop, and a user interface that blends well with the aforementioned image, looking quite fitting, without any eye-gorging bright green colour to mess things up. Having said that, not everything is well in paradise.

Ah, pirates. They're usually portrayed as glamorous free men, stealing from others and living life on their own rules, paying heed to no kings or crowns. Of course, that sort of lifestyle is asking for trouble – and you never know when you might steal something valuable, and maybe just a tiny bit cursed. Don't believe us – feel free to ask Peggy Rotten or One-Eyed Ed. If they don't eat your brains for getting too close to their cursed ship, that is! Ghost Pirates offers gamblers a 5x3 playing field with several ways to win changing the setup of the reel. As for special features? There's little available but the free spins bonus.

Although a nice game, the reel animations in Ghost Pirates are a little slow and archaic, the lack of music while you spin is evident, and everything just looks a bit dated. It's incredible to look at this title, and Lights, which we reviewed previously, only to realise that there's a six month difference between those two games. Ghost Pirates, however, looks much older than it really is.

In an ironic twist, it's the lower paying icons that end up looking better this time around. An anchor, a cannon, a jug of poison, a map and compass, a coin, and a pair of smoking guns all still look pretty good. But then you move on to the higher paying section, and you find Polly the carnivorous parrot, Mad Monkey who's set to blow you up with a lit bomb, One Eyed Ed who's carrying a dagger in his mouth, and Peggy Rotten who doesn't seem to have anything at hand to kill you with – and that's the most horrifying part. And yet, all of these icons look far worse than their simpler counterparts. Perhaps they were the best NetEnt could do in 2013, but five years later, it's just a giant mess.

There's not much in terms of redeeming special features either. The only thing available to players is a free spins bonus, in which you collect three, four or five Scatters to receive ten, fifteen or twenty free spins. Or, at least, you receive that much if you play on any of the lower amount of paylines. If you play with 243 ways to win, the amount of free spins goes up to fifteen, twenty and twenty-five. During the feature, all wins are tripled.

When you put everything together, it comes off as a bit worn out. There's not any gameplay variety, and while the fact you can lower the amount of ways to win to adjust your betting level is a novel idea, it's not enough to avoid the lack of other features or any interesting gameplay.

We can't really recommend playing Ghost Pirates. The user interface is decent, but the graphics are dated and the gameplay is rather boring. This is just one NetEnt title that didn't age well.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the RTP of Ghost Pirates slots?

NetEnt has not widely published a specific RTP figure for Ghost Pirates. As a 2013 NetEnt video slot, the return to player is expected to be in line with NetEnt titles of that era, typically in the 96-97% range. However, given the game's limited bonus features and dated mechanics, players seeking high RTP are better served by newer NetEnt releases that offer more feature depth alongside comparable or higher returns.

Can I play Ghost Pirates for real money slots?

Yes, Ghost Pirates is available as a real money slots game at online casinos carrying NetEnt software. With a 3x win multiplier during Free Spins and up to 25 free games on the 243-ways-to-win setting, the bonus round offers meaningful real money potential despite the simple feature set. The game's age and limited visual appeal are its primary drawbacks for real money players accustomed to more modern productions.

How does the Ghost Pirates Free Spins feature work?

Free Spins in Ghost Pirates are triggered by landing 3, 4, or 5 Scatter symbols anywhere on the reels. On the standard payline setup, this awards 10, 15, or 20 free spins respectively. Playing with 243 ways to win increases these to 15, 20, or 25 free spins. All wins during the Free Spins feature are automatically tripled by a 3x multiplier, making the free games round the primary driver of larger wins in this otherwise feature-light slot.

How does the ways-to-win mechanic work in Ghost Pirates?

Ghost Pirates allows players to switch between a conventional paylines setup and a 243-ways-to-win mode. In 243-ways mode, matching symbols pay regardless of their specific row – they simply need to appear on adjacent reels starting from the left. Switching to 243-ways also increases the number of free spins awarded per Scatter trigger. The ability to adjust ways to win also functions as a bet management tool, since the minimum bet changes depending on the active mode.

Who are the Ghost Pirates characters in the slot?

Ghost Pirates features a cast of four undead pirate characters as its premium symbols: Peggy Rotten, One-Eyed Ed (carrying a dagger in his mouth), Mad Monkey (with a lit bomb), and Polly the carnivorous parrot. Lower-value symbols include pirate props such as an anchor, cannon, jug of poison, map and compass, coins, and smoking guns. The article notes the lower-value prop symbols have aged better visually than the four character icons.

How does Ghost Pirates compare to other NetEnt slots?

Ghost Pirates is one of the weaker entries in NetEnt's catalogue by modern standards. Released in 2013, its graphics and feature set have aged poorly compared to contemporaries like Lights (released around the same time) and the broader NetEnt library. Its single bonus feature (Free Spins with 3x multiplier) and static base game lack the Wild mechanics, bonus variety, and visual polish found in NetEnt's flagship titles. It is best approached as a curiosity rather than a primary game choice.