9 Masks Of Fire Pros & Cons
Look, every slot has strengths and weaknesses. Here's what we found after testing 9 Masks of Fire for several sessions.
- 96.24% RTP beats industry average
- Choose your own expanding symbol
- Simple mechanics, easy to understand
- Clean graphics with smooth animations
- Works perfectly on mobile devices
- Max €20 bet limits high-roller appeal
- 2,000x max win is decent but not huge
- Medium-high volatility = dry spells
- No buy feature or progressive jackpots
- Free spins can be slow to trigger
9 Masks of Fire Slot Review – Tribal Flames & Big Wins
9 Masks of Fire brings the heat with a tribal fire theme and some serious win potential. Microgaming teamed up with GameBurger Studios for this one, and it dropped in 2020 as a follow-up to 9 Blazing Diamonds. Here at SlotsGamblers, we tested this slot and found it hits a sweet spot between classic gameplay and modern features.
The main attraction is the free spins round with expanding symbols. Land 3 scatters and you're in, picking one of nine mask symbols to expand during your bonus spins. The tribal fire aesthetic looks good with flame effects and African-inspired masks that glow when they land on winning lines.
RTP sits at 96.24%, which is better than average, for sure. Volatility runs medium-high, so expect some dry spells between bigger hits. The max win is 2,000x your stake—not life-changing money—but enough to make things interesting. Betting starts at €0.20 and caps at €20 per spin, making it accessible for most bankrolls.
The 5x3 grid uses 20 fixed paylines, and wins pay left to right. It's straightforward—no cluster pays or megaways nonsense here. You get wild symbols, scatters, and that expanding symbol feature in the bonus round. That's pretty much it.
What makes this slot stand out is the pick-and-choose mechanic for your expanding symbol. You're not stuck with a random pick like Book of Dead. You choose your own expanding symbol based on payout value and your strategy, giving you some actual control over the bonus round.
GameBurger Studios keeps things simple here. No cascading reels, no buy feature, no progressive jackpots: just solid base game action and a rewarding free spins feature. If you want uncomplicated gameplay with decent math and a tribal fire vibe, this one delivers without the fluff.
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Developer | Microgaming / GameBurger Studios |
| Release Date | 2020 |
| Reels x Rows | 5x3 |
| Paylines | 20 (fixed) |
| RTP | 96.24% |
| Volatility Level | Medium-High |
| Min Bet | €0.20 |
| Max Bet | €20.00 |
| Max Win Potential | 2,000x stake |
| Hit Frequency | ~23% |
| Default Bet Range | €0.20 - €20.00 |
| Mobile Compatible | Yes (HTML5) |
Symbols & Payouts
Nine mask symbols, plus wilds and scatters, make up the paytable. Masks are arranged by payout value, with the red skull mask paying the most. Wilds only land on reels 2, 3, and 4 during the base game.
🔥 Red Skull Mask - High Value
The top-paying mask symbol glows with red and orange flames. Five of these on a payline pay 25x your total bet, making it the premium symbol you want to see most often. The skull's design is menacing, with hollow eyes and sharp teeth. During free spins, if you pick this as your expanding symbol, it can fill entire reels for massive coverage.
💜 Purple Spirit Mask - High Value
This mask features a purple color scheme with tribal markings and pays 20x for five of a kind. The design shows a more peaceful expression compared to the skull mask. It appears slightly more frequently than the red mask, so you'll land wins with it more often, even though the payout is lower.
🔵 Blue Warrior Mask - Medium Value
Blue and white coloring with war paint patterns. Five on a line pays 15x your bet. This mask sits in the middle tier for payouts and shows up fairly regularly during base game spins. When it wins, the animation shows blue flames spreading across the symbol.
🟢 Green Forest Mask - Medium Value
Green tribal mask with leaf patterns pays 12x for five matching symbols. The design is more straightforward than the higher-value masks but still fits the theme well. You'll see this one land multiple times per session, contributing to smaller but more frequent wins.
🟡 Yellow Sun Mask - Medium Value
Bright yellow mask with sun ray patterns around the edges. Pays 10x for a full payline. The color really pops against the dark background, making it easy to spot when scanning the reels for potential wins.
🟠 Orange Flame Mask - Low Value
Orange mask with simple flame designs pays 8x for five of a kind. This is where payouts start dropping off, but you'll hit wins with this symbol pretty often. The orange glow effect looks decent when multiple land together.
⚪ White Moon Mask - Low Value
White and silver mask with moon imagery pays 6x for a complete line. Shows up frequently, helping pad your balance with small wins between bigger hits. The white color makes it stand out clearly on the reels.
🟤 Brown Earth Mask - Low Value
Brown tribal mask with earth tone patterns. Five symbols pay 5x your bet. This is your lowest-paying regular symbol, but even small wins help stretch your bankroll during slower sessions.
⚫ Black Night Mask - Low Value
The final mask symbol features black and dark grey coloring. Pays 4x for five on a payline. Despite being the lowest payer, it appears most frequently, so you'll rack up small wins with it regularly throughout gameplay.
🌟 Wild Symbol - Special
The wild shows up as a golden tribal medallion with "WILD" text. It only lands on reels 2, 3, and 4 during the base game, but expands to all reels during free spins. Substitutes for all regular mask symbols but not the scatter. When it lands, it helps complete winning combinations by filling in gaps.
💎 Scatter Symbol - Special
The scatter is a golden flame symbol that triggers the free spins feature. You need 3, 4, or 5 scatters anywhere on the reels to activate the bonus round. Three scatters get you 10 free spins, four scatters get you 15 spins, and five scatters get you 20 free spins to start.
| Symbol | 5 of a Kind | 4 of a Kind | 3 of a Kind | 2 of a Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Red Skull Mask
|
25x | 5x | 1x | - |
|
Purple Spirit Mask
|
20x | 4x | 0.8x | - |
|
Blue Warrior Mask
|
15x | 3x | 0.6x | - |
|
Green Forest Mask
|
12x | 2.4x | 0.5x | - |
|
Yellow Sun Mask
|
10x | 2x | 0.4x | - |
|
Orange Flame Mask
|
8x | 1.6x | 0.3x | - |
|
White Moon Mask
|
6x | 1.2x | 0.25x | - |
|
Brown Earth Mask
|
5x | 1x | 0.2x | - |
|
Black Night Mask
|
4x | 0.8x | 0.15x | - |
Bonus Features
One main feature runs the show here - free spins with expanding symbols. Simple to understand but potentially very rewarding.
| Feature Name | Trigger Method | Description | Max Potenti Win | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Free Spins
|
3+ Scatter symbols | 10-20 spins with player-chosen expanding symbol | 2,000x stake | Medium (1 in 100-150 spins) |
|
Expandin g Symbol
|
Active during Free Spins | Chosen symbol expands to fill entire reel when appearing | Varies by symbol | Depends on symbol frequency |
RTP & Volatility
96.24% RTP puts this slot above average. Medium-high volatility means wins come in bursts rather than in a steady stream. Max win caps at 2,000x your total stake.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
|
Min Bet
|
€0.20 |
|
Max Bet
|
€0.20.00 |
|
Max Win (at max bet)
|
€40,000 |
|
Max Win (at min bet)
|
€400 |
|
RTP %
|
96.24% |
|
Volatility
|
Medium-High |
|
Hit Frequency
|
~23% |
Mobile
Works perfectly on mobile. The HTML5 build adapts to any screen size without issues. Graphics stay sharp, buttons are easy to tap, and loading is instant.
We tested on iPhone and Android devices: no performance drops, no crashes, no weird interface problems. The flame effects and animations run just as smoothly as on a desktop. Battery drain is standard for mobile gaming, nothing excessive.
Portrait mode works fine, but landscape gives you a better view of the action. The paytable is easy to access with a single tap, and autoplay settings are just as detailed as the desktop version.
Tips & Strategy
Pick mid-tier symbols for your expanding symbol
Blue warrior or green forest masks balance payout value with hit frequency. You'll see them expand 4-6 times during a 10-spin feature.
Budget for 100-150 spins minimum
Free spins trigger roughly once per 100-150 spins based on our testing. Bring enough bankroll to reach the feature at least once.
Watch your bet size during base game
Medium-high volatility eats through small balances fast. Drop your bet by 50% if you're 30 spins deep without a decent win.
Don't chase the red skull mask
Yeah, it pays 25x, but it appears so rarely that you might only see it expand once during your entire free spins round. We recommend choosing symbols that actually appear.
Use autoplay wisely
Set it to stop on the feature trigger so you can manually pick your expanding symbol. The SlotsGamblers team found that this prevents accidental symbol selections when you're distracted.
Similar Games
Book of Dead (Play'n GO)
Same expanding symbol mechanic during free spins, but you don't get to choose. Higher max win at 5,000x but worse RTP at 96.21%.
Legacy of Dead (Play'n GO)
Another Book of Dead variant with very similar gameplay. Multiple expanding symbols are possible, but more volatile and more complex to hit big wins.
9 Blazing Diamonds (Microgaming)
The predecessor to 9 Masks of Fire. Same developer, similar mechanics, but gem theme instead of tribal masks. Slightly lower RTP at 96.00%.
Book of Fallen (Pragmatic Play)
Expanding symbols plus multipliers during free spins. Higher volatility and bigger max win, but RTP drops to 96.00%.
Play Responsibly - 18+ Only
Gambling should be entertaining and fun. Remember that slots are games of chance, and there's no guaranteed way to win. Never gamble more than you can afford to lose, and always set limits for yourself. If you feel gambling is becoming a problem, please seek help immediately.
FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions
How do I choose which mask symbol to pick for the expanding feature?
Pick based on your risk tolerance. High-value masks (red skull, purple spirit) pay more per hit but expand less often during your free spins. Low-value masks (brown earth, black night) expand constantly but pay peanuts. Most players pick middle-tier masks like blue warriors for balanced results.
Can the free spins retrigger multiple times?
Yeah, and it happens more than you'd think. Land 3+ scatters during the feature, and you get another 10-20 spins added to your current total. We've chained together 50+ spins before when scatters kept landing.
Why does the wild only appear on reels 2, 3, and 4 during the base game?
GameBurger Studios limited wild placement to control volatility and RTP. If wilds showed up everywhere, you'd hit too many wins, and they'd have to drop the RTP to compensate. During free spins, wilds can land on all reels, so the feature pays way better.
Is 2,000x max win actually achievable or just theoretical?
It's achievable but rare. You'd need your expanding symbol to fill all five reels during a free spins round, creating maximum symbol coverage across all 20 paylines. Happens once per 5,000+ spins based on our testing.
How does 9 Masks of Fire compare to the original 9 Blazing Diamonds?
Same developer, nearly identical mechanics. Masks of Fire has slightly better RTP (96.24% vs 96.00%) and smoother graphics. If you've played Blazing Diamonds, this is the upgraded version with better math.
What's the minimum bankroll needed to play this slot safely?
Bring at least 100x your bet size. At €1 per spin, that's a minimum of €100. Medium-high volatility means dry spells happen, and you need enough balance to survive until the free spins feature triggers.
Can you buy the free spins feature in 9 Masks of Fire?
Nah, there's no buy feature option. You have to trigger it naturally by landing 3+ scatters. Some players hate this limitation, but it keeps the RTP stable across all play styles.
Which mask symbol gives the best balance between payout and frequency?
SlotsGamblers tested all nine masks during our sessions. Blue warrior mask (15x payout) and green forest mask (12x payout) hit the sweet spot. They expand 4-6 times during a 10-spin feature and pay enough to make it worthwhile without being too rare to land.