When ELK Studios introduced the original bird-pirate adventure, it shook up the grid slot landscape with its innovative CollectR mechanic. Instead of standard cluster pays, four colored birds move across the grid, eating gems of matching colors.
Then came the sequel, transporting our feathered captains to a prehistoric jungle. If you are wondering whether to stick with the classic or upgrade to the dinosaur-infused follow-up, this direct comparison breaks down the math, mechanics, and actual gameplay feel of both titles.
The Core Differences: Pirots 1 vs Pirots 2
While both games share the same DNA, the sequel is not just a simple reskin. ELK Studios expanded the grid, tweaked the modifiers, and adjusted how the game flows during highly volatile cascades.
| Feature / Criteria | Pirots (Original) | Pirots 2 (Prehistoric Sequel) |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Grid Size | 5x5 grid, expanding up to 8x8 during active rounds. | Larger 6x6 grid, expanding up to 8x8 for more collection paths. |
| Maximum Payout | 10,000x your stake with high volatility. | 10,000x your stake with a slightly more chaotic variance curve. |
| RTP (Return to Player) | 94.0% — standard for modern ELK releases. | 94.0% — identical, but feels different due to feature frequency. |
| Key Unique Modifiers | Bombs (grid expansion), Wilds, Transforms, and Coin symbols. | Popcorn (fills empty spaces), Egg symbols (scares birds), and Meteors. |
| Symbol Upgrade Limit | Gems upgrade through 5 tiers of value. | Gems upgrade through 7 tiers, offering higher top-end symbol values. |
Deep Dive: Mechanics and Gameplay Evolution
Grid Size and Movement
The original game starts on a tighter 5x5 layout. This makes early-stage dead spins more common, but when a cascade hits, the progression feels logical. The original Pirots relies heavily on bombs to blow up the grid and expand it to its maximum 8x8 size.
In contrast, the sequel launches on a 6x6 grid. That extra row and column significantly increase the chances of birds finding matching amber shards on the very first drop. If you hate watching birds get stuck immediately with no moves, the sequel's larger starting footprint offers a smoother entry into bonus rounds.
Symbol Upgrades: 5 Tiers vs. 7 Tiers
In the first game, your main goal is to collect shiny gems and land upgrade symbols to boost their payout values up to level 5.
Pirots 1: Level 1 ──> Level 5 (Max Gem Value)
Pirots 2: Level 1 ──> Level 7 (Max Amber Value)The sequel increases this ceiling to level 7. While this means individual symbols can become incredibly lucrative, it also means you need more consecutive upgrade triggers to reach peak potential. It makes the game more volatile, with massive peaks but also longer stretches of low-value collections.
Popcorn vs. Bombs: The Modifier Showdown
- Pirots 1 uses Bombs as its primary clearing mechanic. When a bird collects a bomb, it explodes, clearing non-paying symbols, expanding the grid, and dropping new symbols.
- Pirots 2 introduces Popcorn. When collected, it places popcorn kernels in empty spaces. If a bird cannot make a move, these kernels pop into random symbols, creating emergency bridges to keep the collection sequence alive. It also features a Meteor Strike that obliterates symbols and expands the grid, mimicking the original bomb but with flashier animations.
Bonus Rounds: Free Drops Comparison
Both games require you to collect enough symbols to trigger the bonus game, or buy your way in via the X-iter menu (where available on elk-studios.mobi in 2026).
- In the original, entering the Free Drops bonus carries over your current grid size and active symbol upgrade levels between spins. This creates a compounding snowball effect where the final free drops are almost always highly profitable.
- In the sequel, the mechanic is identical, but the addition of the Dinosaur Egg adds a massive wildcard. When a bird collects an egg, it hatches a mini-T-Rex that scares the birds away, forcing them to re-drop in new positions and triggering a massive reshuffle.
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The Verdict: Which Slot Should You Play?
Choosing between these two titles comes down to how much complexity you want on your screen.
Choose the Original Pirots if:
- You prefer cleaner mechanics: The original is easier to follow. You can clearly track why a bird is moving, what it is collecting, and how close you are to triggering a feature.
- You want faster game rounds: Without the popcorn animations and egg-hatching sequences, the game rounds resolve much quicker.
Choose Pirots 2 if:
- You love maximum chain reactions: The level 7 upgrades, popcorn bridges, and dinosaur scares mean single spins can go on for minutes, chaining together massive wins.
- You want a better starting grid: The 6x6 starting layout feels less restrictive than the original 5x5 setup.
Both games are masterclasses in modern slot design, but the sequel takes the crown for players who crave high-octane, unpredictable gameplay sequences. Ready to test the birds yourself?