Book of Dead: The Allure of Ancient Egypt
The Book of Dead slot by Play'n Go transports players to the mystical world of ancient Egypt, where untold riches lie buried in tombs guarded by ancient gods and long forgotten secrets. The main character, Rich Wilde, is an adventurous explorer in the vein of Indiana Jones who embarks on a quest to unlock the secrets of the pharaohs and hopefully stumble upon vast treasures.
Visually, the slot game nails the ancient Egyptian theme, with golden pyramids, intricate hieroglyphics and mythical creatures adorning the reels. The soundtrack features atmospheric, suspenseful music that draws players into the mysterious yet captivating world of ancient tombs. Each spin feels like a step deeper into the unknown, where danger and reward go hand in hand.
How to Play: Simple Yet Engaging Mechanics
One of the great things about Book of Dead is its straightforward gameplay. Here's how to get started:
- Choose Your Bet Size: Players can adjust their bet size based on the coin value and number of active paylines. Bets range from low to high stakes, making the game accessible to both casual players and high rollers.
- Set the Number of Paylines: You can choose how many of the game's 10 paylines you want to activate, although it's usually better to play with all of them to maximise your chances of winning.
- Spin the Reels: Once your bet has been placed, press the Spin button and watch the reels spin. The aim is to line up matching symbols from left to right on an active payline. The game has five reels and three lines, with symbols including the Book of Dead itself, Rich Wilde, Anubis, Horus, and traditional card values (A, K, Q, J, 10).
- Autoplay: If you prefer to sit back and watch the action unfold, you can also activate the autoplay feature, which will spin the reels up to 100 times for you.
The gameplay is fast-paced yet intuitive, allowing players to focus on the thrill of making winning combinations and triggering the game's special features.
Paytable: What to Expect from the Symbols
In Book of Dead, the pay table is a mix of high and low value symbols. Understanding which symbols offer the biggest payouts is key to maximising your winnings:
- High-Value Symbols: The most valuable symbol is Rich Wilde himself, who pays up to 5,000 times your line bet when you get five on a payline. Other high paying symbols include the ancient Egyptian gods Osiris and Anubis and the Pharaoh Mask.
- Low-Value Symbols: Represented by the classic card values (A, K, Q, J, 10), these symbols may not offer as high rewards, but still help to keep the game exciting by appearing frequently on the reels.
- Book of Dead (Scatter/Wild): The Book symbol has a dual role as both wild and scatter. As a Wild, it substitutes for any other symbol to complete winning combinations. As a Scatter, it triggers the Free Spins feature when three or more appear anywhere on the reels.
Special Features: Unveiling the Hidden Treasures
The Book of Dead slot owes much of its enduring appeal to its captivating special features, which add depth and excitement to the gameplay. These features not only enhance the gaming experience, but also offer the chance for life-changing payouts, especially during the Free Spins round. Let's take a closer look at the key features that make this game so exciting.
The Book of Dead Symbol: Wild and Scatter in One
At the heart of the Book of Dead slot is the very special Book of Dead symbol, which plays a dual role as both a Wild and a Scatter. This versatility makes it one of the most important symbols in the machine, capable of creating winning combinations and triggering the coveted Free Spins.
- Wild Function: As a wild symbol, the Book of Dead can substitute for any other symbol on the reels to complete winning combinations. Whether you're missing another Rich Wilde or another symbol to complete a payout, the Book of Dead symbol can step in and complete the win. Its ability to act as a substitute adds to the unpredictability of the game and increases the chances of earning significant rewards.
- Scatter Function: In its role as a scatter symbol, the Book of Dead doesn't have to land on a specific payline to be valuable. Get three or more Book of Dead symbols anywhere on the reels and unlock the game's main feature: 10 Free Spins. The Scatter payouts are also payline independent, meaning that triggering this feature can bring an instant cash reward in addition to the Free Spins.
Free Spins Feature: The Key to Big Wins
The Free Spins Feature is where the real excitement in Book of Dead lies, and it's the feature that can lead to some of the game's biggest payouts. The beauty of this round is the added element of the Expanding Symbol, which turns what could be a simple Free Spins bonus into a high-stakes opportunity for massive wins.
- Triggering the Free Spins: Get three or more Book of Dead Scatter symbols and you'll be awarded 10 free spins. In addition to triggering the Free Spins round, you also get an instant win based on the number of scatter symbols, further increasing the potential for instant rewards. The more Scatters you get, the bigger the payout:
- 3 scatter symbols = 2x your total bet
- 4 scatter symbols = 20x your total bet
- 5 scatter symbols = 200x your total bet
The Expanding Symbol Mechanic
Before the Free Spins round begins, one symbol is randomly selected to be the special expanding symbol. This symbol can be any of the regular symbols, from the high paying Rich Wilde to the lower paying card symbols. Once selected, it has the power to significantly increase your winnings.
How the Expanding Symbol Works:
- During the Free Spins round, whenever the chosen Expanding symbol appears on the reels, it can expand to cover the entire reel if it creates a winning combination. This happens after the normal payouts are calculated, so even if you only get one Expanding symbol, it can cover the entire reel and payouts are made on all active paylines.
- This slot mechanism is particularly lucrative when you get a high value symbol such as Rich Wilde as an expanding symbol. For example, a screen filled with expanding Rich Wilde symbols can pay up to 5,000 times your total bet.
- Re-triggering Free Spins: One of the most exciting aspects of the Free Spins feature is that it can be re-triggered. If you get another set of three or more Book of Dead Scatter Symbols during the Free Spins round, you'll get an additional 10 Free Spins and the Expanding symbol will remain the same. This can lead to extended bonus rounds where the potential for huge payouts continues to grow.
Gamble Feature: Double or Nothing
If you're feeling particularly lucky, Book of Dead also offers a Gamble feature after each win. This optional feature allows players to gamble their winnings for a chance to double or quadruple their prize.
- How It Works: After each win, players are given the option to either collect their winnings or gamble them. If you choose to gamble, you'll be taken to a mini-game where you have to guess either the colour or suit of a hidden card.
- Guessing the correct color (red or black) will double your winnings.
- Guessing the correct suit (hearts, diamonds, clubs, spades) will quadruple your winnings.
- Risk and Reward: You can choose to play several times in a row, but if you guess wrong, you lose all your winnings for that round. It's a high-risk, high-reward feature for players who like to add a little excitement to their spins.
Volatility and High Potential Wins
While Book of Dead is known for its high volatility, meaning that wins may not come often, the game makes up for it with the potential for huge payouts. The Free Spins feature, coupled with the Expanding symbol mechanic, is what gives the slot its enormous winning potential. Unlike many slots where wins are spread more evenly throughout the game, Book of Dead focuses on rewarding players who are patient and lucky enough to trigger the Free Spins round.
The combination of high volatility and the ability to win up to 5,000 times your bet on a single spin keeps the adrenaline pumping and the anticipation building with every spin.
The Book of the Dead slot is not just about spinning reels - it is about the journey, the thrill of unearthing ancient treasures and the exhilarating chase for big wins. The special features, especially the Free Spins with Expanding Symbols, give players the chance to win big and add a sense of unpredictability to every session. Whether it's the excitement of the Gamble feature or the massive payout potential of the Free Spins, Book of Dead keeps players coming back for more with a perfect blend of risk, reward and entertainment.
Why Is Book of Dead So Popular?
The continuing popularity of Book of Dead can be attributed to several factors:
- Stunning Theme and Storyline: The allure of ancient Egypt combined with a treasure-hunting storyline immediately grabs the attention of players. The sense of adventure is palpable, and the atmosphere makes every turn feel like part of a greater quest.
- Big Win Potential: With a maximum payout of 5,000x your bet, this slot offers serious winning potential. The expanding symbol feature in the Free Spins round is particularly exciting as it can lead to huge payouts if the right symbol is selected.
- Simple but Engaging Gameplay: Book of Dead strikes a balance between straightforward slot mechanics and enough special features to keep things interesting. It's accessible to newcomers but still exciting for experienced players.
- High Volatility: Book of Dead is a high volatility slot, which means that wins may not come often, but when they do they tend to be significant. This creates a sense of anticipation with every spin, as you never know when a big win is coming.
Book of Dead: A Slot for the Ages
Play'n Go's Book of Dead slot has established itself as a must-play for online slots fans. Its combination of adventurous theme, lucrative bonus features and stunning visuals make it a timeless favourite. Whether you're drawn to the Egyptian mythology, the high payout potential or simply the thrill of the unknown, Book of Dead delivers on all fronts.
So gear up and embark on this treasure-hunting adventure - you might find riches beyond your wildest dreams!
