Book of Ra Slot Review – a Legendary Title in the iGaming World

In the second part of 2004, an online slot came out that was about to shape the very foundations of the iGaming industry we know today. The Book of Ra slot was released by Novomatic, and it almost instantly became a “smash hit” in every online gambling venue it was offered in. The game’s bonus features combined with the “mystical” visual theme, gave the slot the charm that many slots that came before it didn’t have. In this complete Book of Ra slot review, we will take an incredibly detailed look at one of the most famous titles in iGaming history!

The Book of Ra Slot Is a Story about Adventure

An American adventurer that looks exceptionally like Indiana Jones is the main protagonist of the title. This main character seems to have travelled to the lands of ancient Egypt, with a clear quest to find the mystical “Book of Ra”. The player gets to accompany this young and brash voyager, and perhaps help him complete his quest, by using the “power” of “spinning the reels”. Although there is no deeper storyline meaning behind the Book of Ra slot, this outline seemed to be more than enough for players when the slot came out. Today, players can fully explore the game’s mysteries on a variety of screens, due to the slot’s superbly updated graphics.

What to Expect from the Gameplay of the Book of Ra Online Slot

The first thing that needs to be taken into consideration is the reel layout – it is a standard 5×3 pattern. Another interesting fact is that there are ten symbols in total; five low paying ones (10, J, Q, K, A), and five high paying ones (the Goddess Isis, a Scarab, the Pharaoh, the Adventurer, and the Book of Ra). The Book symbol serves two functions – it is both a scatter, and a wild symbol, substituting all other symbols!

Additionally, if players manage to land a successful combination of Book symbols, they will be given 10 free spins (FS). Before the start of the free spins mode, the game will randomly choose one symbol (with the exception of the book), and give it the power to become an “expanding symbol”. The expansion will happen on a random basis during FS mode, and only after the spins have concluded and a winning combination has been landed. Three additional scatter (book) symbols will retrigger 10 additional free spins.

A quite important gameplay feature of the Book of Ra slot game is the “gamble” mechanic. Every time a player lands a win, they will be given a chance to risk their winnings in a “red or black” card guessing game. Every correctly guessed card will double every following win – people will be able to “gamble” their winnings up to five times; however, they will lose all (including their initial wager) if their prediction had failed even once! Make sure to tread carefully when using the gamble feature – even if you play the Book of Ra slot in casino sites UK for free!

Don’t Miss These Details When Playing the Book of Ra Slot in an Online Casino

Although considered to be one of the most famous online casino slot machines, the Book of Ra is far from simple – after all, the game has nine adjustable pay lines and a pretty wide betting range. Considered to be of “high volatility”, this game is expected to grant winnings not so often; however, when it does, they won’t be small ones. Another fact that has been a topic of debate among the worldwide iGaming community is the Book of Ra slot RTP – which is listed to be 92.13%. Although considered to be noticeably low, by industry standards, the game still became one of the most popular online slots of its time, and here is why.

Regardless whether an online casino has decided to set the Book of Ra slot to use coins or currency, it still allows players to make small and very high bets. For example, if using currency denomination, the game’s lowest wager setting can be achieved by adjusting the number of pay lines to one; if this is the case, players will be able to bet from 0.01 to 5 units of currency. Setting the slot to play with the full number of paylines, will allow for a betting range of 0.09 to 45 units of currency, allowing high rollers to get in on the action. On the other hand, if the slot is using “coins”, then the minimum betting range for one pay line will be from 1 to 5,000 coins.

There is another significant difference when it comes to betting in the Book of Ra slot game, if it’s set up to use coins – the bet per spin (BPS) value will be calculated based on the number of lines and the “line bet”. When the game is using currency denominations, however, the BPS will have the same value as the “total bet value”. The highest payout is provided by a successful five symbol combination, made up of “the Adventurer”. The maximum currency payout for this combination will be 25,000 units. If the Book of Ra slot is using coins, then the payout will be 1,000,000 coins.

A Classic Looking and Sounding Slot

As it just so happens with every slot that has been made in the last 15 years, the Book of Ra’s “software makeover” received a lot of polishing from its developer. The graphics and artwork were completely updated in vector-based HD so that the game wouldn’t lose even the smallest amount of visual quality. The sound effects also received a “modernisation” treatment, which is why the audio sounds clean and crisp.

On the other hand, the game’s overall artwork doesn’t seem to have “aged very well”, as some of the symbols (including the titular character) look a bit “wonky”. Naturally, all other casino games from the Book of Ra saga look nothing like the first game in the line-up, which makes us believe that the developer has left them intact, in order to preserve the overall spirit of the game.

The Book of Ra Slot Family Continues to Grow

It’s not a secret that when the Book of Ra slot first came out, it was made for VLT machines for the floors of land-based casinos. Due to the booming interest on the side of the players in brick and mortar gambling establishments, it didn’t take long for Novomatic to think about how they will re-introduce the slot machine Book of Ra for online use. The developer wasted no time in doing the conversion – once it was done, the slot received an even greater critical acclaim by the public and iGaming critics.

With the introduction of the HTML5 software developing technology in 2014, the Book of Ra received a “makeover”, which fully “closed the circle”, by becoming available on VLT devices, computers, and today, on all types of mobile devices that run on Android and iOS. Although the game’s core mechanics are completely the same on all types of platforms, there may be some unique distinctions between the interfaces of different online versions of the game, but that’s not all. There is also a Book of Ra slot for Android and iOS devices in downloadable app forms, which are available in both the iTunes store and Google’s Play Store.

There are notable features between the two most common versions of the slot. Those are reflected in the lack (or presence) of a gamble feature, and the width of the betting limits. Just like with a variety of other games, the version that operates on coins has a gamble feature and a wider betting range. On the other hand, Book of Ra slots that use direct currency value, don’t have a “gamble function” and will have narrower wager limits.

Features Diversity in the Different Game Versions

Novomatic didn’t wait long before they decided to heavily capitalise on the Book of Ra (BOR) brand, producing more than 20 sequel games in the saga some of which include BOR Magic, BOR Deluxe, BOR Temple of Gold, and quite a few others. Spin-offs include slot games such as Book of Atlantis and Book of Maya. It is only natural that subsequent versions of the game will have new bonus features and updated visual themes. We should mention that not all of the different Book of Ra slot versions will be made for VLT slot machines and vice versa; not all would be available for online use.

A Slot That Will Remain in the iGaming Hall of Fame

No one can disregard the phenomenon that the Book of Ra slot has become, ever since it was released more than 15 years ago. It allowed a generation of players to experience a “newer type” of online slot, that not only “raised the bar” for other slot makers, but also managed to solidify Novomatic’s and Greentube’s names in the history of the iGaming industry. The unique conclusion of this Book of Ra slot review is that despite the fact that there are so many versions of the game, a whole lot of people still prefer to play the first edition of the slot – you should try it as well!

FAQ

• What Can I Do in Order to Increase My Winnings?

  Although there is no chance for a player to affect the outcome of reel spins, the most popular strategy that you can utilise, is to control your betting better. The biggest positive of the Book of Ra slot is the fact that it offers free spins, however, in order to attain those, a player will need to make sure that they have enough “basic spins” to reach them. This can be done by setting your BPS to the lower limits so that your budget will suffice for your current play-session.

• Are There Any Caveats to the Slot?

  Regardless of this slot’s popularity, the Book of Ra online slots does have a few drawbacks that need to be taken into consideration. The first one is the high volatility factor combined with the game’s relatively low RTP rate. Another more significant “con” is the relative lack of the “gamble function”, however, this is something that will depend largely on the online casino you’re playing in.

• Why Should I Play the Game?

  While the Book of Ra slot isn’t considered “perfect”, it still provides great betting action and the potential for incredible wins. Its biggest advantage seems to be the highly flexible wager limits (regardless if it's set to coins or currency), which allows players to implement a variety of different betting strategies. Another good reason is that you can try the Book of Ra slot for free – it will not only give you the ability to learn all of the slot’s different functions and mechanics but will also prepare you when you decide to give it a shot with some real cash!