Book of Oz Lock ‘N Spin (Triple Edge Studios): Overview

When we took a look at the first Book of Oz in December 2018, it was one of the few times we genuinely had good things to say about a title tied to Microgaming (including its partner studios). As plenty of you know, our history with this company hasn’t exactly been smooth. Microgaming hadn’t taken the time to read Bigwinboard’s reviewing policy and seemed to expect we’d function as their personal marketing channel, so they were taken aback when we tore into their games (see Poke the Guy and Temple of Tut for more context).

After several situations where Microgaming took issue with our negative coverage, communication eventually stopped altogether. To be fair to Microgaming, the contact we dealt with may have been acting independently, and she now appears to have been replaced by more professional staff. Any provider reading this should take one point on board – our loyalty is to our readers, and nobody else. Unlike certain casino streamers and review sites, we aren’t paid by providers to feature their games or speak positively about them, though there’s nothing inherently wrong with that provided it’s disclosed. Anyway…

Created by Microgaming partners Triple Edge Studios, Book of Oz Lock ‘N Spin is the follow up to the successful Book of Oz slot. Placed next to each other, the two titles are so similar that some players may not even notice they’re looking at a different game. The 5×3, 10-payline setup, soundtrack, symbols, and overall presentation are unchanged, but a closer look reveals a couple of fresh additions that may be useful if you decide to take advantage of them. With high volatility and the possibility of winning up to 5000 times your stake, you can step into this emerald setting on desktop, mobile, or tablet and spin with stakes ranging from 0.10 and €/$25 per spin.

Book of Oz Lock ‘N Spin (Triple Edge Studios): Features

The most obvious change is the inclusion of Microgaming’s Hyperspins™ feature. In the original game, for a calculated fixed price, you could re-spin individual reels during the base game. In Book of Oz Lock ‘N Spin, though, you’re able to lock up to 4 full reels, giving you a shot at completing winning lines or triggering the bonus. Naturally, the better your odds of hitting something big, the higher the cost becomes to lock those reels.

You can still trigger the Free Spins feature in the standard way by landing 3, 4 or 5 book scatter symbols anywhere on the reels – awarding 10, 12 or 25 spins respectively. On top of that, landing 3 or more book scatters during the feature will retrigger it. As with many other Book-style slots, retriggers happen fairly often here. Once you’re in, the familiar routine applies: you’re given a random special expanding symbol – but with a small twist. With the added Second Chance feature, you can choose to reshuffle the special symbol if you don’t like what you got. It doesn’t cost anything, but there’s a bit of risk involved since you could end up with an even weaker symbol.

Book of Oz Lock ‘N Spin (Triple Edge Studios): Verdict

Even though it doesn’t go far beyond the standard Book formula, the original Book of Oz is a dependable alternative for players who can’t access Novomatic slots. With Book of Oz Lock ‘N Spin, it’s essentially more of the same. While the added features may prove useful, we’re not convinced it truly justifies a refreshed release, since the core components remain unchanged, including the paytable and overall potential.

From our perspective, Microgaming missed a chance to release a proper “Deluxe” edition with additional expanding symbols and doubled potential. That said, Book of Oz Lock ‘N Spin remains a good slot, and we certainly don’t object to having more alternatives available. Whether you decide to play it is completely your call. With high variance, it can deliver wins of up to 5000 times your stake if you manage to hit a five of a kind combination of the wizard symbol during the free spins round.