Book of Dead Slot Game – Play’n Go Slots

Released by Play’n GO in 2016, Book of Dead is an Egyptian adventure slot featuring explorer Rich Wilde on a 5-reel, 3-row layout with up to 10 paylines.

It has become one of Play’n GO’s defining games, largely because it keeps the gameplay straightforward while combining high volatility with a potentially powerful Free Spins feature.

The action takes place inside an ancient Egyptian tomb, with Rich Wilde joined by pharaohs, Anubis, Horus and traditional card symbols. Rather than filling the game with modifiers, multipliers and complicated bonus mechanics, Book of Dead revolves around one important symbol: the Book, which acts as both Wild and Scatter.

Its simplicity is a major reason the game has aged so well. The base game can produce long quieter periods due to the high volatility, while much of the excitement is concentrated in Free Spins and the randomly selected Expanding Symbol.

Where is Book of Dead most popular? Book of Dead is particularly relevant to German, Swedish and Finnish online casinos, while also being widely found at casino sites throughout Europe.

Game Features

5×3 Reels and 10 Paylines

Book of Dead uses the traditional 5-reel, 3-row format, with between 1 and 10 adjustable paylines. Wins are formed from left to right across the selected lines.

This is a notably simpler setup than many modern slots, making Book of Dead easy to understand even for players unfamiliar with more complicated feature-heavy releases.

Book Wild & Scatter

The Book is the game’s most important symbol because it performs two jobs. As a Wild, it can substitute for regular symbols to help complete winning combinations. As a Scatter, three or more Books appearing anywhere on the reels trigger the Free Spins feature.

Landing five Books also awards a payout worth 200× the stake according to the game’s paytable.

10 Free Spins

Landing 3, 4 or 5 Book symbols awards 10 Free Spins. Before the bonus begins, one regular paying symbol is randomly chosen as the Special Expanding Symbol. Any regular symbol can be selected, including the premium Rich Wilde symbol.

Special Expanding Symbol

This is the feature that made Book of Dead famous. During Free Spins, the selected symbol can expand vertically to fill entire reels when the required conditions for a paying combination are met. Importantly, expanded symbols do not necessarily need to appear on adjacent reels; they need to occupy the appropriate reels for an active payline.

Getting Rich Wilde as the selected symbol provides the greatest payout potential, as five Rich Wilde symbols can pay 5,000×.

Free Spins Retriggers

The bonus can also be extended. Landing another three or more Books during Free Spins adds 10 additional spins, with the same Special Expanding Symbol remaining active.

Gamble Feature

Some versions of Book of Dead include an optional gamble feature following a base-game win. Players can attempt to predict the colour of the next card to double the win or its suit to quadruple it.

RTP and Volatility

Book of Dead is a high-volatility slot. Its commonly referenced RTP configuration is 96.21%, although lower RTP versions are also available, making it worth checking the information screen at the casino where the game is being played.