Book of Ra Slot Review

Play Book of Ra for FREE!

Back in 2005, Novomatic developed an online slot that would take the online gambling world by storm. They expected success but Book of Ra went beyond all expectations. Since then, Novomatic has created a whole series of slots as sequels to the original. The last one came in 2015 and is known as Book of Ra Deluxe 6. As the name suggests, we get an Ancient Egyptian theme with classic gameplay. As a matter of fact, this is the game that started the “Book of” slots movement. They all feature an ancient theme with similar gameplay and free spins as a bonus feature. In this one, we see an American explorer looking for the fabled book somewhere within the pyramids. It’s a game with a story that resembles Indiana Jones and his adventures. Keep reading to learn more about this slot title.

Book of Ra comes with a very simple 5×3 reel setup with 9 paylines you can control. However, for the best result, it’s smart to leave all 9 paylines active. Additionally, this is a classic title which means the gameplay is straightforward and anyone can play it. The RTP is 95.18% which is lower than the industry average. However, the game’s large payouts make up for that. 5000x the stake is the maximum win in this game and at the highest bet, players can win up to $1,000,000. Everything in this title revolves around the Book of Ra as it is both the wild, the scatter, and also the symbol that can trigger the bonus round. In this article, we are going to talk about the graphics & sounds, gameplay, symbols, and bonus features that come with this excellent Novomatic title.

Graphics & Sounds

We have to start this section by mentioning that we can’t expect amazing graphics from a title that came out back in 2005. All the graphical details and animations are dated; however, Book of Ra definitely survived the test of time. There are a lot of new titles that have worse graphics than this online slot. The background is black and you can notice a silhouette of the pyramids on top of the reels. Players will feel like they are in the middle of an old-school movie with an Egyptian theme. On top of that, the game also has animations whenever you win or trigger a bonus feature. The symbols always light up when you get a winning line.

There is nothing remarkable about the sounds of the Book of Ra as well. Still, considering the title came out in 2005, Novomatic did a much better job than its competition. There are background sounds that push the Ancient Egyptian theme even further. Additionally, sound effects happen whenever you get a win or trigger one of the bonus features. All in all, it’s a very simple game that retro players will love. On the other hand, if you like games with better graphics and sounds, check one of the later “Book of” titles from Novomatic. For instance, the Book of Ra Deluxe 6. Below, we are going to talk more about the symbols of the game.

Symbols

There are 10 gameplay symbols in the Book of Ra. Five of them are royals which we have seen many times before. They are the lowest-paying symbols of the game. The 10, J, and Q pay up to 100x the stake for five of them on the reels while K and A pay up to 150x the stake. Next, we have the scarab and the eagle paying a maximum of 750x the stake. Lastly, the sphinx and the American explorer are the highest-paying symbols of the game. The sphinx has a payout of 2,000x the stake for five of them on the reels. On the other hand, the explorer pays out up to 5,000x the stake. What’s great about the high-paying symbols is that they payout for just two of them on the reels.

The 10th symbol is the Book of Ra and it’s the main symbol of the game. It’s both the wild and the scatter of title and it also has a paytable. Five of them on the reels pay 200x the stake. You need at least three to trigger the 10 free spins bonus round while you can also use this symbol to substitute for other symbols when creating winning lines. Keep reading to learn more about the bonus features of the game.

Book of Ra Bonus Features

As we mentioned above, the Book of Ra symbol is both the wild and the scatter of the game. As a wild, it substitutes for all other symbols when creating winning lines. As a scatter, three of them will trigger a 10 free spins bonus round that comes with some additional features. Additionally, this Novomatic title has a gamble feature that’s available after every win. The feature gives players a chance to double their winnings by playing a mini-game. However, it’s a risky game because you can also lose your win. Here are some details about the bonus features.

Free Games Feature

Getting at least 3 Book of Ra symbols will trigger the Free Games bonus feature. The player instantly receives 10 free spins and the gameplay is changed during those spins. One symbol is chosen and it becomes a Special Expanding Symbol which can take over 3 reels thus increasing your chances of getting wins. Also, during the free spins, the expanding symbol that is now a special bonus symbol can appear up to 5 times on the reels. The bonus symbols also get multiplied by the paylines.

Book of Ra Gamble Feature

Lastly, we have a feature that Novomatic often add to their slot titles. It’s a gamble feature that’s available after every regular win. Players can click on the Gamble button and they will be taken to a different screen. Once there, you will see a face-down card and you need to guess whether the color of the card is RED or BLACK. If you get it right, you will double your winnings and you can continue doubling with the gamble feature. However, if you get one of those picks wrong, you will lose your initial win and everything you doubled.

Conclusion

Even though it came out in 2005, Book of Ra by Novomatic is one of the most popular slot titles to ever exist. It’s played by both new and experienced casino players because the game has simple gameplay and offers large payouts. At the maximum bet, players can win up to $1,000,000 in a single spin. It has an RTP of 95.18% which is below the industry average but the title makes up for that with the high payouts. Additionally, the game comes with a free spins bonus round and a gamble feature. The graphics are not great because it’s an older title but it still looks good enough and better than many newer titles. With that being said, we comfortably recommend this title to all types of casino players.