Book of Ra has been a staple online slot game for years. Developed and maintained by Novomatic, Book of Ra has become one of the top online slots that people play. It has a fun Egyptian theme and simple, accessible gameplay. If you gamble at an online casino that offers this slot, the question is: is it one that you should play? Let’s find out with our Book of Ra slot review!
The theme behind Book of Ra is quite simple. The design is reminiscent of an ancient Egyptian tomb. You’ll see the pillars on each side, and the symbols mostly fall in line with this theme. Fascinatingly, this slot keeps the 10, J, Q, K, A symbols even though they don’t make much sense within the context of an Egyptian theme.
It is worth noting that the graphics in this slot feel pretty dated. That’s because the in-game artwork is! The first Book of Ra slot came out in 2005, so the images you’re seeing are over 16 years old. Since then, Novomatic has created multiple versions of Book of Ra (Deluxe, Deluxe 6, and more). However, even though these games might be newer, many still retain similar core gameplay and similar graphics. Novomatic has not wanted to mess with a formula that worked well for the past couple of decades! In some respects, the fact that Book of Ra has been around for so long makes it one of the best slots. But, on the other hand, it does feel old.
It’s also worth noting that there doesn’t appear to be an actual Book of Ra. This name is entirely fictional and only describes this slot machine. The name certainly doesn’t have to reference something real, but it does seem a little arbitrary.
Playing Book of Ra is quite simple. All you need to do is select the number of lines you want to play (from one to nine) and the amount you wish to bet per spin. Once you have that dialled in, you can hit the spin button, and the game will play. If you win something, you’ll see a payout. If not, you can spin again! This slot is very uncomplicated. There are no custom auto-spin rules or criteria that you can choose. There are no fancy, ultra-complex bonuses either. For most people, they’ll select nine lines and some bet per line. They’ll then keep spinning until they want to stop playing!
There are ten total symbols that you’ll see in the Book of Ra. First, the card symbols consist of 10, J, Q, K, and A. These symbols are the lowest ones that you can hit. After that, there’s a purple bug, a winged Pharoah, a mummy, a book, and a man – presumably an explorer who is looking for the Book of Ra. Each of these symbols pays quite a bit more than the poker hand/card symbols. The book is wild, so it substitutes for all symbols. If you get three or more books on the screen in any given spin, it will activate the bonus feature of ten free games.
Unlike most modern online slots, the Book of Ra only features one bonus feature. Nowadays, the most popular slots offer at least two or three, with some even offering more if you count variations within the bonus feature itself.
Triggered by three book symbols anywhere in a spin, this bonus feature is quite simple. You’ll get ten free spins and one symbol that becomes a special expanding symbol for additional winnings. There’s no way to extend this bonus, so all you’ll receive are the initial ten free spins. Again, this is unlike most other slots that have some way to win additional free spins!
At the end of each bonus game, you will have the option of gambling your winnings. Players can choose between red and black. Then, a virtual card will flip over. If you selected the right colour, you’d double your winnings. If you picked the wrong one, you’d lose the entire bonus amount. You can gamble your winnings up to five times. Indeed, if you’re feeling lucky and you won quite a bit on the free spins, it’s entirely possible to walk away with a huge windfall. Of course, it would be tough to pick five colours right in a row, but it’s not impossible – and doing so would turn that $5 bonus win into $3,125!
Although simplistic, the free spin feature is fun. And players will no doubt enjoy the opportunity to turn a mediocre bonus into a considerable windfall, should they choose to gamble their winnings at the end!
As noted above, there are a total of ten symbols. Some of them pay significantly better than others. Here are those symbols and what you can expect to win from a $1 bet (note that these scale evenly, so if you’re betting $5 per line, you would 5x the amount to know what you’d receive).
Please note that even though these sound high ($5, for example, for three 10s in a row), if you bet $1 per line and there are nine lines, you’re wagering $9 per spin. So even if you get three 10s in a row, you’ll still be down $4 on that game. However, it’s also possible that you could get 10s on multiple pay lines and come out ahead!
RTP and volatility can make or break a slot. A machine with a low RTP won’t be enjoyable because you’ll find (statistically speaking) that your money will deplete quickly. On the other hand, volatility is a personal preference. Some people love the higher volatility slots with huge wins, while others love the lower volatility ones with smaller wins happening more often.
The Book of Ra’s RTP is 92.13%. This figure is around what you would find in competitive market land-based casinos, like those in Las Vegas. However, it’s on the lower end for sure in terms of the most popular slots online. Indeed, gaming machines in physical casinos need to be a little lower since the casino needs to pay for the building upkeep, maintenance of the hardware, etc. Since online casinos don’t have that, they can typically offer RTPs in the 95% range. Indeed, some online slots have RTPs above 97%!
As for volatility, the Book of Ra slot is somewhere in the middle. It doesn’t have high volatility, but it’s not low either. So you’ll have some decent wins at a reasonable pace if you play this online game.
Novomatic is the developer of Book of Ra. They initially developed games for brick-and-mortar casinos (and still do). However, they eventually expanded into the online gaming market and have since taken it by storm. As a result, there are numerous highly-rated Novomatic slots in both brick-and-mortar and online casinos worldwide!
Some of Novomatic’s more well-known games include Sizzling Hot Deluxe, Dolphin’s Pearl Deluxe, Lucky Lady’s Charm, and Rumpel Wildspins. These slots all have fun themes and are a blast to play, should you ever encounter them in your favourite online casino!
Yes, you can play Book of Ra on mobile. Whether you’re on an iPhone or Android, you should be able to play this slot without issue. Additionally, if you’re on an iPad, Android tablet, or desktop, you’ll be just fine. If your online casino of preference offers an app, you will very likely be able to find Book of Ra within that app!
This Book of Ra slot review is somewhat challenging. Indeed, there’s no doubt that Book of Ra is a fun online slot to play, and, undoubtedly, it used to be top-of-the-line in terms of internet gambling. However, it’s starting to show its age. There are many other more “flashy” or “exciting” games out there that are also beckoning for you to try them. While fun, it’s hard to ignore the fact that Book of Ra feels quite dated. That makes it hard to put Book of Ra in with the best slots available today.
If you can get past that, you’re in for a fun time! The Egyptian theme, symbols, and mini-games are all enjoyable. On the other hand, if you’re looking for something flashy and with superb graphics, you may wish to look elsewhere!
