Book of Dead is the best known title in the oldest structure in slot design, and the one most often used to explain it. Five reels, three rows, ten paylines, and a single book symbol that acts as wild and scatter at once. Three books anywhere award ten free spins.
The structure is worth understanding because dozens of titles across every studio in this catalogue follow it. Once you can read this game you can read all of them, whatever the artwork shows.
Specification
| Provider | Play'n GO |
|---|---|
| Game code | bookofdead |
| Theme index | Ancient Egypt |
| Grid | 5 reels, 3 rows |
| How wins pay | 10 paylines, left to right |
| Core mechanic | Book symbol acting as both wild and scatter |
| Feature round | 10 free spins with one expanding special symbol |
| Extra | Gamble step offered after a win |
| Volatility | High, as stated by the studio |
| Demo play | Catalogue entry only — no game is loaded on this site |
How a round plays
- Symbols land on a five by three grid and wins are read along ten fixed paylines from the leftmost reel.
- The book symbol substitutes for any other symbol to complete a win.
- Three or more books anywhere on the grid award ten free spins.
- Before the round begins, one symbol is chosen at random and shown to the player.
- During the round, that symbol expands to fill any reel it lands on, and pays from any position rather than only along a line.
Because a low-value symbol can be the one chosen, the round’s outcome is largely decided before the first free spin is played. Three further books during the round retrigger it.
The gamble step
After a win the game offers a card-colour or suit call that doubles or quadruples the amount, with the whole win at stake. It is optional, it does not alter the game’s published return, and declining it is a perfectly ordinary way to play.
Where it sits in the catalogue
Play’n GO has extended this structure through a long series, of which Legacy of Dead is the closest relative in the catalogue. The studio’s other recognisable line uses a square grid and cascades instead, represented here by Reactoonz and Moon Princess.
Similar Egyptian titles from other studios are grouped under Ancient Egypt.
What a demo session shows
This is a good title to use a demo on, because the whole game is visible inside one free spin round: which symbol was chosen, how often it lands, and how much of the round’s value depends on that draw. It still says nothing about long-run returns; see how demo slots work.
About Play'n GO
Play'n GO is a Swedish supplier whose catalogue is organised around series rather than one-off releases, with several themes carried through many sequels. Its two recognisable structures are the expanding symbol free spin round and the grid cascade, in which symbols are cleared from a square grid and replaced from above. The studio holds licences in most regulated European markets, so its titles are also common in lobbies outside Asia.
- Expanding symbol free spins: one symbol fills a whole reel.
- Grid cascades on the cluster titles rather than reels and paylines.
- Long-running series with numbered sequels.
- Wide licensing coverage in regulated European markets.
Questions about Book of Dead
What does the book symbol do?
It acts as both wild and scatter: it substitutes for other symbols to complete a win, and three or more of them anywhere trigger the free spin round.
How is the expanding symbol chosen?
At random, before the free spin round starts, and it is shown to the player. During the round it expands to fill any reel it lands on and pays from any position.
Should I take the gamble?
It is optional and does not change the published return. It puts the whole win at stake on a card call, which is why many players decline it.
Is this the same as other book-themed slots?
The structure is the same and widely copied, but the titles are different games from different studios. The provider game code on each entry identifies which one you are looking at.
