Book of Golden Sands

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Book of Golden Sands: Slot Overview

When diving into a game like Book of Golden Sands, you'd expect to encounter some familiar features, especially considering its title and the setting in Ancient Egypt. It's pretty much par for the course with these types of slots. And sure enough, Book of Golden Sands from Pragmatic Play delivers on the expanding symbols in the ancient Egyptian theme. But there's more to it than just that. Pragmatic Play has thrown in a few surprises in terms of features and mechanics. So, if you're ready to brave the desert heat, let's take a closer look.

Visually, Book of Golden Sands sticks to the tried-and-true Ancient Egyptian aesthetic. In the center, you have your typical game grid, surrounded by all the iconic imagery of Egypt: temples, pyramids, sand dunes, palm trees, and grand columns. If you've played any Egypt-themed slot before, you'll find yourself in familiar territory. However, the soundtrack adds a twist. In the base game, it's filled with drum beats and synthesizer effects that have an Egyptian vibe. It's a bit unexpected, but somehow it works, giving the game a quirky, almost retro feel reminiscent of the 1980s.

Book of Golden Sands shakes things up with its unique setup: 6 reels with 3 symbols each and no traditional paylines. Instead, players get 729 win-all-ways, meaning wins occur when matching symbols land on adjacent reels starting from the left. Pragmatic Play rates the volatility as high (5 out of 5), and the game offers three RTP settings: 96.46%, 95.42%, or 94.05%. It's also available on any device, with bets ranging from 20 p/c to $/€100, and there's even a bonus buy option for eligible players.

There are eleven regular pay symbols in Book of Golden Sands. The lower-paying ones feature various images like Ankhs and pay out 1.25 to 1.5 times the stake for a six-symbol win. Then, there are three jewelry objects and three character symbols, offering rewards of 2 to 5 times the bet for landing six-symbol combinations. Interestingly, Book of Golden Sands includes a dedicated wild symbol that appears on all reels except the leftmost one. This wild can substitute for any pay symbol, and when it lands, it brings along a random multiplier of x2 or x3, boosting any wins it contributes to.

Book of Golden Sands: Slot Features

There's still a book symbol in the mix, appearing on all reels. If you land 3, 4, 5, or 6 of these book scatters, you'll get 10 free spins along with a payout of 2, 10, 50, or 500 times your stake, respectively. Before the free spins kick off, a random pay symbol is chosen from the pages of the book. This symbol becomes the special expanding symbol for the duration of the free spins. During the free spins round, if the special expanding symbols can form a win, they expand to cover all positions on their reels. These expanded symbols pay out from any position, even if they're not adjacent, and they can start from any reel.

When these expanding symbols expand, one instance of the symbol is collected at the top of its respective reel. The next time expansions occur, they expand to 3 positions, plus the number of symbols collected at the top of that specific reel, up to a maximum of 10. This means there's a potential for many more winning combinations during the evaluation of wins. The bonus round can also be extended by landing 3 or more scatters, awarding an extra 10 free spins. And the best part? There's no limit to how many times you can retrigger the free spins, and the chosen special symbol remains the same throughout the retriggers.

Lastly, if you're feeling lucky, you can buy free spins for the cost of 100 times your total stake. Buying free spins maintains the same RTP of 96.46%.

Comparison with Other Games

Game Design of Book of Golden Sands

Setting the Scene

As the sun sets over the vast Egyptian desert, you find yourself standing before an ancient temple. The air is thick with anticipation, and the golden sands whisper tales of hidden treasures. The game’s design transports you to this enigmatic world, complete with intricate hieroglyphics, towering columns, and the promise of untold riches.

Reel Structure and Paylines

• Grid: Book of Golden Sands breaks away from convention with a 6x3 grid, housing a total of 18 symbols.
• Paylines: Forget traditional paylines! Instead, players enjoy a 729 win-all-ways format, where matching symbols on adjacent reels from left to right create winning combinations.

Symbols and Characters

• Horses of Fortune: The majestic horses grace the reels, each with its unique personality. From spirited chestnuts to gentle grays, they gallop toward prosperity.
• Wild Symbol: A dedicated wild symbol appears on all but the leftmost reel, substituting for any pay symbol. These wilds carry random multipliers (x2 or x3) that enhance wins.

Special Features

1. PowerNudge Symbol: Unorthodox and exciting! When Mystery Symbols land, they reveal themselves and nudge down one spot. Multiple Mystery Symbols transform into the same symbol, triggering respins.
2. Bonus Buy: Instant action awaits! Eligible players can use the Bonus Buy feature to dive straight into the bonus round.

Mobile Gaming

• Seamless Experience: Whether you’re on a smartphone, tablet, or desktop, Book of Golden Sands adapts flawlessly. Rotate your device, and the adventure continues.

Book of Golden Sands: Slot Verdict

Pragmatic Play didn't completely break the mold with the 'Book of' format like some other titles, for example, Book of Shadows. However, Book of Golden Sands offers some unique elements not found in every slot game. While the theme and execution are pretty standard, with a few quirky audio choices adding a bit of personality, it would have been nice to see Pragmatic Play get more creative with the presentation to match the unorthodox gameplay. Nonetheless, Egyptian-themed 'Book of' slots continue to be popular, and Book of Golden Sands maintains the polished quality Pragmatic Play is known for.

The base game is decent, featuring multiplier wilds, but the symbol values aren't as high as in traditional 'Book of' slots, so the gameplay can feel a bit slow despite the increased ways to win. Free spins, however, liven things up as expected, and the special symbol collection mechanic leading to extra ways is a clever twist that should appeal to fans of 'Book of' games. While collecting a lot of symbols and using them isn't the easiest task, when added to expanding special symbol wins, it can lead to exciting results. Moreover, Pragmatic Play has increased the potential winnings to 10,000 times the bet, which is higher than usual, making it enticing for players looking for big wins.

Book of Golden Sands isn't overly complex, but it lacks the straightforward thrills of iconic games like Book of Dead. It requires a bit more patience as several components need to align for the game to really take off. However, once it does, Book of Golden Sands offers an exhilarating experience and is a noteworthy addition to the immensely popular slot category.