Ahoy there, mate! If you like treasure quests, then this article is for you. As one of the most sought after themes in online pokies play, we’ve got a lot to say. But first let’s start with a qualifier, and that is, while all pokies you play for money could theoretically be considered treasure seeking games, the ones we’re about to review are about more than simply the prize. That is, the prize money up for grabs is only part of what we considered in making our assessment. What our search for the top 10 treasure themed online pokies was really about was the Holy Grail combo of graphics, ease of use, originality, ambiance and engaging features, as well as the jackpot wins.
So tighten the sail and hold tight to the ship, we’re off to sea, going on a treasure-seeking expedition that is sure to result in plenty of memories, plus some plunder to match. Just keep in mind, this list isn’t in chronological order, so you’ll need to keep reading to get the full picture in terms of all your best options for this theme. For example, while pirates and their booty play heavily at the start, there are other types of treasures we’ll urge you to explore, including those of the ancient Egyptian world, and more.
Jolly Roger (Play’n Go)
As promised, we’re starting our top treasure themed pokies list with a couple of pirate starring games. And the first of the lot is Jolly Roger from Play’n Go. For those who don’t know, here’s a nice bit of trivia. Jolly Roger is actually the traditional name given by the English way back in the 18th century for the black flag flown over a pirate ship on the attack. Often, as it’s used in this game, the flag also had the infamous pirate symbol of a skull and crossbones at its center. So now that we’ve got that little history lesson under our belts, what is it about the Jolly Roger game that stands out? In a nutshell, we’d have to say, although the animation arguably isn’t the strongest, it’s an excellent example of a classic pirate-themed game done well. For example, there are cannons that fire, gold coins that clink, and a bonus game triggered by three or more treasure chest symbols of course. Reel symbols include crossing swords, ruby rings, diamonds, pirate ships, a parrot as the scatter, and the Jolly Roger itself serving as the game’s wild and doubling any winning combinations when it does. In other words, if you’re looking for some simple pirate fun, this is an ideal option for you.
Ghost Pirates (NetEnt)
This terrific game from NetEnt does double duty in terms of the atmosphere with both adventure (courtesy of the pirates) and spookiness (thanks to the ghosts) wrapped in one. But that description doesn’t actually do it enough justice. This game is literally bursting with an entertaining ambiance and some of the best graphics around, as you journey out along the virtual sea aboard this haunted pirate ship and its creepy, captivating characters like the Mad Monkey, Peggy Rotten, and a rather intimidating Polly the Parrot. Plus, there’s that treasure chest scatter symbol needless to say, as well as the great 243 ways to win feature and tonnes of free spins. Oh yeah, and there’s a 95.28% RTP which makes it a pretty decent bet as well. Available on desktop as well as mobile play, Ghost Pirates is bound to give you an entertainment experience you will treasure, on top of any potential wins.
Booty Time (Microgaming)
Another great spin on the pirate theme, we’ve got Booty Time pokies ranked next on our list. A 5-reel machine with 25 paylines, this game almost always gets excellent reviews from players the world over. And what’s not to love? Powered by casino software giant Microgaming, you’ve got all the basic performance you’d expect, like easy to use functionality and smooth game mechanisms all at a touch. On top of that, there’s a rather captivating story, with Captain Squawk the parrot leading the way, accompanied by his rather amusing crew comprised of a pirate pelican and eagle as well. As for the features, once again, chest symbols play a central role here as well. This time, line up 3, and you’ll trigger a bonus round in which you get to choose treasure chests for yourself, and if you’re lucky, progress through all 3 rounds to win amazing prizes like generous free spins with impressive multipliers to match. Cute, clever, and creative, we like this humorous twist on the classic treasure themed game.
Blackbeard’s Gold (Amaya Gaming)
Moving right along in terms of our favorite pirate style games, we’re pleased to present you with Blackbeard’s Gold. While the concept of Blackbeard sounds familiar to us all, it’s worth a short refresher to remember who he is – and that is, one of the most notorious pirates of all times to sail the open seas. Originally from England, he started out as a regular sailor until he turned to the dark side, and basically terrorized ships from the West Indies through the North American east coast, until he was killed in the conflict. With such a fascinating backstory, we’re guessing you’re already tempted to play and see for yourself what this legendary villain can do online. But to help tilt you in his favor will give you a few more tips. This game has 243 ways to win, a terrific soundtrack, and a treasure chest wild that increases your chances in terms of coming across gold coins, as well as an additional potential wild, that is the 3 Blackbeard symbols that morph together into a wild of their own. Sound enticing but still can’t quite decide? Try it out for free and decide for yourself. You don’t have anything to lose, and surely a whole lot to gain.
Ice Pirates (Endorphin)
Last, but not least in terms of our pirate treasure themed pokies, we’ve got Ice Pirates from Endorphin. This time, the sea has frozen over for some really refreshing play, even if 5 reels and 10 paylines don’t sound enthralling at first read. So what have we got here? Well first of all the action’s all taking place in, you guessed it, the Arctic Ocean where there a plenty of icebergs in the subzero temperatures and near silence except for the intermittent creaking of the ship and a seagull flying by. Looking out at the starry night, you’ll see lots of blue and white as well as the occasional fish, that literally freezes seconds after jumping out of the waters. Tranquil and a bit eerie you might say it’s also got some nice action packed in like the mysterious fifth reel, which doesn’t have any of the game’s regular line-up of symbols, rather bottles or flasks, which serve as multipliers valued between 2X-5X instead.
Treasure Jewels (GreenTube/Novomatic)
Okay, we admit it. We’ve been a bit biased until now focusing our treasure search exclusively on the pirate domain. And truth be told, perhaps that isn’t quite right. Because as we all know, it’s not only pirates who search for treasures, or even treasure chests if you want to be more specific. There is plenty of other fish in this virtual sea. Which is why we’re moving on to some broader fare with Treasure Jewels from GreenTube, a.k.a. to some Novomatic software. A rather traditional, some might even say simple video slots game, Treasure Jewels has a familiar interface and easy to follow rules for its 5 reels and 9 configurable paylines (with 1, 3, 5, 7 or 9 lines that can be activated as you please). Accepted bets range from 1 coin up to 1000 coins, the latter of which you can instantly activate by pressing the ‘Bet Max’ button. The crown jewel of this game, that is the most profitable symbol within, is the crown symbol itself. There are also gold bars, wads of cash, and plenty of different gemstones mixed in, for plenty of chances to profit along the way.
Pharaoh’s Treasure (Ash Gaming)
While pirates are often the obvious association for their treasure seeking ways, Egyptian themed games are a close runner up. That’s why we’re moving on to the sands of North Africa starting with Pharaoh’s Treasure from Ash Gaming. Action packed, and full of adventure, it’s also got one of the most sought after features, that is a progressive jackpot prize. If that wasn’t enough, it’s also got 3D style animation to help bring the graphics to life including the Nile, Sarcophagus, Scarab Beetles, and Sphinx. And if that wasn’t enough, there’s also the Pharaoh’s Treasure gamble option in which you can double or even quadruple your winnings if you choose right. Basically, we’d say, a perfectly well-rounded game.
Temple of Treasure Megaways
Next up in our not pirate pokies treasure game picks, we have Temple of Treasure Megaways. Created by one of the casino software industry’s rising stars, Blueprint, this rich game released in February of 2019 quickly stirred up buzz, and a lot of player love, ever since. This warm reception, of course, is in no small part due to its membership in the Megaways series, which are all games with a huge number of ways to win, in this case, 117,649! That doesn’t even seem possible, but so it is – already a major attraction for the curious at heart. The treasure here is of the Aztec variety and the game’s graphics keep on theme, as such. There are plenty of multipliers and a lot of free spins. In addition, there’s the Avalanche feature, a Mystery symbol and all kinds of other fun things wrapped in. Considered high volatility online pokie machine, it’s basically packed with golden accessories and all sorts of gems, as well as the chance to win up to 50X your bet. Definitely well worth a spin.
Desert Treasure (Playtech)
With Playtech being the developer of so many marvelous pokies games, we can’t really do a best of the list without including at least one of the software giant’s titles. And so we’ve selected Desert Treasure for a slot in our top ten treasure pokies list. Basically, the game as you’d imagine takes place in an arid desert setting, with a bright yellow sandy screen and the unforgiving sun making this abundantly clear. In the background, there are a few palm trees, as well as some pyramids poking out above the horizon. Yes, this too is an Egyptian themed game. As such, there are standard card symbols of 10 through Ace, but those are on the lower paying end. What you want to land are the more local critters such as the scorpion, snake, spider, beetle, or gecko. Even better are the camel, Bedouin, and an actual oasis, i.e. the more valuable symbols in this game. Then there’s the cobra wild, dark-haired woman as the scatter symbol dispersing extra cash and up to 10 free spins, as well as the map and compass symbols each of which can trigger the bonus round and reveal even more cash prizes. Packed with both hidden and revealed treasures, this is a great game for those thirsting for adventure. Well recommended without a doubt.
The Book of Ra (Novomatic)
And finally, we round out our top ten treasure themed online pokies rankings with one of Novomatic’s most popular games of all times – that is, The Book of Ra. This too is clearly an Egyptian style game, which as one of the most popular pokies genres around, makes it a great way to close our list. This time the Book of Ra itself is the treasure we’re in search of, a nice twist away from the other, perhaps more literal treasure chest games. Originally a land-based machine, it has successfully transitioned to the world of online play since its release in 2005. In addition to going down in the books as a pokies classic ever since, this Egyptian treasure game has also spawned a number of equally impressive successors such as Book of Ra Deluxe, Dynasty of Ra, and Kingdom of Ra. Each of these has their own advantages, but whichever you choose, the odds are you’ll enjoy as mystery, adventure, suspense, and even a little danger persevere.
The bottom line on treasure themed online pokies
Now that we’ve given you some inspiration in terms of our top picks for treasure themed pokies, it’s your turn to do some work of your own – that is if you would call the fun you’ll have tried these games work. Once you’ve given our pirate, gem, and Egyptian themed treasure games a whirl, you can then decide for yourself which is the best of the lot. Or if you prefer, you can take them as a compass to guide your search, and uncover a yet to be discovered pokies treasure of your own.