Book of Ra Review - Editor’s Impressions
Book of Ra is one of Novomatic’s most successful slots and an Egyptian-themed classic that’s sought after by slot fans. The Book of Ra slot machine was so popular it led to many other Egyptian and “Book of” games. Our Book of Ra slot review below will cover this classic in much more detail, so don’t miss out.
Despite being an older game, this still has some impressive features, including expanding symbols and a gamble mechanic. Players can get Free Spins, and the top symbols can payout with only two of a kind.
Read on to learn more about how to play and where you can find the Book of Ra slot demo. Find out how each feature works, how the RTP value holds up, and whether it’s still worth a few spins today.
Overview of Book of Ra Game
Book of Ra is a 5 reel slot from developer Novomatic. There are three rows and 10 fixed paylines.
The Book of Ra game has five high-paying symbols, all based on the Egyptian theme. The highest paying symbol is the explorer, followed by the pharaoh's mask, the book itself (which also doubles as a Scatter), a gold statue of the goddess Isis, and a purple scarab.
The low-paying icons are A, K, J, Q and 10. Unlike many modern slots, the high-paying symbols (excluding the Scatter) only need two of a kind for a payout instead of the more usual three. The best way to see all this for yourself is to give the Book of Ra slot demo a spin.
Book of Ra RTP, Payout and Volatility
The game’s RTP can vary depending on the casino but is generally 96%, which puts it on par with most other online slots.
The max win, on the other hand, is £25,000, which is a decent value. The main thing to note, though, is that the Book of Ra slot machine is a high volatility game. This means players may not win as often, but payouts can often be larger on average.
Book of Ra Graphics and Gaming Experience
This slot features an explorer who remarkably resembles Indiana Jones. In this game, he’s looking for the treasured Book of Ra, connected to the god of the sun in Egyptian mythology.
Other symbols are classical Egyptian imagery. In the background, we can see the outline of a trio of pyramids and a sun that’s just rising. The visuals are notably dated, so the graphics don’t hold up in comparison to new slots. Considering this slot is about 20 years old, though, it’s to be expected.
There’s no background music in this slot, either. However, you’ll hear some sound effects and arcade-style music while the reels are spinning.
Book of Ra Bonus Features
Despite the age of this slot, there are still some interesting features to be found. You’ll encounter Wild Symbols, Scatters, and Free Spins, plus expanding symbols.
The book symbol is both the Scatter and Wild. It substitutes for other paying symbols where it can help form winning combinations.
Each time you win, you can choose to collect your payout or gamble it. If you gamble, you have to pick between red or black. If you choose wrong, you lose, but if you pick right, then your payout increases.
Book of Ra Free Spins
With three Scatter Symbols, you’ll unlock 10 Free Spins. During this round, a special symbol is chosen, which becomes the expanding symbol. It may expand to three rows, covering a full reel, which can help create more wins.
What Are the Pros and Cons of Playing Book of Ra?
In each of our online slots review, we provide a quick summary of the game to help you decide whether to play. Here are the main reasons why fans still play this game, along with other aspects that didn’t hold up well over time.
Pros
- Classic Egyptian-themed slot
- Free Spins round
- Expanding symbols
- High max win
Cons
- Graphics are quite dated now
- Only basic sound effects
Where to Play Book of Ra Online
If you want to try Book of Ra real money play, we have an extensive list of all the best Novomatic casinos in the UK. However, if you’re wondering about our top choice for a Book of Ra online casino, you can’t go wrong with Party Casino, which has hundreds of mobile slots to choose from.
Summary of Book of Ra - The Slot That Started it All
Book of Ra is one of the most memorable slots in history, and Novomatic’s big hit helped to launch numerous other slots with similar themes and formats. It also led to the release of Book of Ra Deluxe, which comes with some visual upgrades compared to the original game.
The Book of Ra slot demo is the perfect way to learn how to play and get a taste of the mechanics and features. We’ve also got an extensive list of top UK casinos if you decide you want to play for real money.
Some classics never die out, and although the game isn’t as visually impressive anymore, it still draws in players with its gameplay, Egyptian theme, and those wanting to try the original ‘Book of’ slot.
The Book of Ra is one of those games I haven’t played in ages. Nevertheless this is a fantastic game which I should definitely be playing again. Unfortunately not much of the online casinos I frequent have this game in their selection. Book of Ra, however, is a Novomatic classic and apparently it can also be found in land-based casinos or as an iPhone app.
The game itself basically focuses on some sort of archaeologist who’s looking for all the hidden treasures Egypt and their pyramids have to offer. Book of Ra was such a success that there is also a second version of the game called Book of Ra Deluxe. I’ll keep this review limited to discussing my experiences with the first version though.
The symbols on this game are depicted by the Book, Archaeologist, Sphinx, Falcon, Scarab and high value card symbols. The Book is the most important symbol in this game since it has a double function. If I recall correctly it serves as a scatter and wild at the same time.
You need at least 3 to trigger the free spins session where you get awarded 10 free spins + an expanding symbol. The book then flips and chooses as a particular symbol that will expand during the free round. I played this game on a bet size of €0.45 mostly.
First time I played this game I will never forget how easy it seemed to be to trigger and re-trigger this feature. While I got the free spins the Ace card got selected. During the free spins I must have re-triggered the round for an additional 10 free spins like 5 or 6 times. The combinations kept coming in since the Ace expands if appears. Overall I won more than 600x bet from this game.
There were also other sessions of course where I couldn’t trigger the feature, not even if my life depended on it. So you’d really have to catch it when it’s being generous.Overall a very decent game and definitely one I’d recommend.