Game review
The Pirots 3 pokie from ELK Studios sends gem-collecting birds around a 6x7 grid in a Wild West setting, with a 94% RTP, high volatility and a maximum win of 10,000 times the bet. It is a busy, feature-packed game that rewards a few practice rounds before real money.
ELK Studios' website did not respond when we checked, so these figures come from game information listings, which agree on the core numbers. Two details, the release date and bet range, differ between listings and are left out.
| Studio | ELK Studios |
|---|---|
| RTP | 94% |
| Volatility | High |
| Grid | 6x7, expandable during features |
| Pay mechanic | CollectR: birds collect adjacent matching gems |
| Hit frequency | About 25% |
| Max win | 10,000x the bet |
| Feature buys | Five options, 3x to 500x the bet |
The Pirots 3 RTP of 94% stands out. Most current titles from the big studios sit near 96%, and our page on Starburst Galaxy, for instance, shows NetEnt's figure of 96.00%. Two percentage points may not sound like much, but it raises the house edge from about 4% to 6%: over A$1,000 of play, the expected cost goes from A$40 to A$60.
Instead of paylines or clusters that simply pay, the game uses ELK's CollectR mechanic. Pirot birds, each tied to a gem colour, move across the grid collecting adjacent gems of their own colour in four directions, along with feature symbols they pass over. Collected symbols fill a meter; when it is full, random gems turn into feature symbols, keeping the sequence going.
The feature symbols do the heavy lifting. Upgrade symbols raise gem values, Transform symbols convert nearby gems to a bird's colour, Peanut symbols bridge empty spaces, Dynamite blows up symbols and expands the grid to as much as eight rows, and Coins carry values from 5x up to the 10,000x cap. A Key releases a bandit who collects for the birds' rivals, which adds a twist to the theme.
Pirots 3 adds three side features to the formula. Adjacent birds may duel, shooting and collecting what they hit; three or more adjacent birds guarantee a duel. A Coin Game can follow once the grid is cleared, with coin bags collected by lasso and multiplied by the bet, while scorpions knock birds out. And a Train Heist can award one to three extra feature symbols when an active bird collects a cluster.
The bonus game proper starts with three scatters, giving five free drops, with extra scatters adding more. A Super Bonus Game begins on an expanded 8x7 grid.
This is a game for players who enjoy watching a mechanic unfold, rather than spinning for quick results. Each drop can trigger a long chain of collections, upgrades and explosions, and following it is half the fun. Fans of the earlier Pirots games will find the same core idea with more going on. The trade-offs are the 94% RTP and high volatility: the game costs more to play than many alternatives and can go quiet for a while.
Budget accordingly. At A$0.20 a drop, A$50 gives 250 drops; at A$1, only fifty. The five feature buys, priced from 3x to 500x the stake, are tempting in a game this busy, but at A$1 a Super Bonus Game costs A$500. That is a point every pokie review Australia players read should stress.
For an even more explosive alternative, our review of Tanked covers Nolimit City's tank-battle game with a 25,000x ceiling. For a calmer, higher-RTP option, Starburst Galaxy is the gentler choice.
Pirots 3 belongs to a family of pokies in which one paid spin can trigger a long chain of events. Compared with Sweet Bonanza-style tumbling grids, the CollectR birds add direction: you can watch a bird heading towards a cluster of its own colour, which makes the chain easier to follow and more involving. Compared with Nolimit City's Tanked, which works on a similar principle of moving characters, Pirots 3 has a lower ceiling, 10,000x against 25,000x, and a lower published RTP.
That lower RTP is the main reason to think twice. If you like the mechanic, it is worth enjoying; if you are choosing purely on value, other modern titles return more over time. Many players treat Pirots 3 as a game for shorter, more entertaining sessions, and play their longer sessions on a higher-RTP title.
ELK Studios is listed by four casinos in our database. These three have the highest scores; search each lobby for the game before depositing.
Ricky Casino
9.0/10
Up to A$7,500 + 550 FS over 10 deposits (1st 100% up to A$500 + 100 FS; 2nd 50% up to A$500 + 50; 3rd–7th 50% up to A$1,000 + 50; 8th–10th 50% up to A$500 + 50)
Checked 4 Nov 2026
Dolly Casino
8.5/10
325% up to A$3,750 + 350 FS over 4 deposits (100% up to A$1,125 + 200 FS; 50% up to A$750; 75% up to A$750 + 50 FS; 100% up to A$1,125 + 100 FS)
Checked 4 Nov 2026
Golden Crown Casino
7.0/10
100% up to A$15,000 + 300 FS, then 75% and 50% up to A$750
Checked 4 Nov 2026
Ricky scores 9.0 and lists PayID, though its welcome carries 50x wagering over three days. Dolly scores 8.5, with a lobby of more than 11,000 slots and PayID listed. Golden Crown scores 7.0, offers 100% up to A$15,000 + 300 free spins and states payouts within 0 to 48 hours after approval, usually within an hour. For more big-lobby options, see our guide to the best online casinos for pokies.
With so many interacting features, the demo is the best way to learn Pirots 3. Spend a few hundred free drops watching how the birds move, what each feature symbol does and how often the bonus appears at your intended stake. It is also a good place to see how volatile the feature buys are, using play credits rather than money. Like any pokie review Australia sites publish, this one cannot tell you how a session will go; only the maths and your budget decide that.
When you move to real money, check the info screen for the RTP and maximum win at your casino. Our Australian online pokies guide lists the nine casinos we rate most highly overall.
94%, according to game information listings. That is lower than the 96% common among big-studio pokies, so the long-run cost of play is higher.
10,000x the bet. A special coin can pay whatever remains up to that cap.
Three bonus scatters award five free drops, with more added by extra scatters during the round. A Super Bonus Game starts on a larger 8x7 grid.
Game listings describe five buy options, from a 3x Bonus Hunt to a 500x Super Bonus Game. Availability depends on the casino and market.
