Book of Ra – Temple of Gold (Novomatic): Overview

Few slot franchises need any real introduction, and the Book of Ra series is one of them. It’s among the best-known game lines in casinos and online, and its straightforward style has kept players coming back since its debut more than a decade ago. Making sequels to something this established is a balancing act: you need fresh ideas without messing with what already works. In that respect, Novomatic partners, Winfinity Games, seem to have found a smart middle ground between familiar mechanics and a couple of welcome updates.

Two changes stand out immediately. The Indiana Jones-inspired hero is gone, replaced by an Indiana Jane-style female protagonist for this expedition. Secondly, the setting has shifted away from Egypt. This chapter leaves the Sahara behind and heads into the humid South American jungle, hunting for riches in the legendary city of El Dorado. Big shifts in story or characters can sometimes put long-time fans off, but here the refresh adds energy while still feeling unmistakably like a Book of Ra slot at its core.

Visually, it keeps the signature golden glow, with the reels framed by a suitably enigmatic jungle backdrop. The audio leans heavily into an adventurous, exotic vibe, and overall the presentation is very easy on the senses. Novomatic—or rather Winfinity—stick to the classic, streamlined format of 5 reels, 3 rows and 10 paylines, with the option to play on 1, 3, 8 or 10 active paylines.

Betting options run from as little as 10 c/p and as high as $/€100 per spin. Aside from the card royals, the symbols are strongly theme-driven. To keep the values clear, we’ll assume all 10 paylines are active at $/€1 per spin. The 10 – A symbols pay from 0.5x for three up to 15x the stake for five. In the mid-tier are three golden statues/treasures, paying from 0.5x (for two) up to 200x the stake for five of a kind. The female adventurer is the top standard symbol, paying 1x for two of a kind up to 500 times your stake for five. Pair those solid payouts with the game’s high volatility and you get a true all-or-nothing style experience. And for anyone wanting to push the risk further, the gamble option after wins lets you double down in classic fashion.

As you may know, Novomatic lets operators pick from multiple RTP configurations, ranging from 88% up to 97%. The most common choice is 95%, though it’s always worth checking the game’s help file to confirm which setting is being used.

Book of Ra – Temple of Gold (Novomatic): Features

As ever, the book symbol unlocks the bonus action and takes on multiple functions. It acts as both wild and scatter, and it also pays 2x, 20x, and 200x the stake for 3, 4, and 5 of a kind. The number of scatter books that appear determines how many special expanding symbols are added to the free spins, as follows:

• 3 books – 1 special expanding symbol.
• 4 books – 2 special expanding symbols.
• 5 books – 3 special expanding symbols.

When Free Spins begin, each qualifying book opens and randomly selects one special symbol. During the bonus, whenever one of these chosen symbols lands, it expands to fill the entire reel. This also boosts the chance of payouts, since expanded symbols don’t have to land adjacent to form winning combinations. If you’ve played other entries in the Book of Ra series, you’ll likely have seen (or felt) how this mechanic can explode into massive wins—without question the most tense and exciting part of the game. In the long run, free spins are expected to trigger roughly once every 170-210 spins.

That’s the full feature set. It’s brief but effective, which is very much in line with the Ra formula. In many slots, a list this short might feel underwhelming, but with Book of Ra – Temple of Gold it fits perfectly. The series has always focused more on quick, high-impact wins than on layered, complex bonus systems.

Book of Ra – Temple of Gold (Novomatic): Verdict

Novomatic have another strong entry on their hands with Book of Ra – Temple of Gold. The new heroine delivers an adventure that’s just as lively and vibrant as earlier versions—arguably even more so. The tempo is excellent, with spins flying by at a rapid pace. With a hit rate of about 30% when playing 10 lines, there’s a steady stream of smaller payouts to keep things moving while you wait for the bigger moments. Those larger hits can reach up to 5,000x your stake, with a maximum payout of €500,000 at the top bet.

Anyone worried about the new setting or lead character can relax. After a handful of spins, the changes fade into the background. What remains is classic Book of Ra gameplay with touches reminiscent of Book of Ra Magic, and most players will be far more focused on the high-volatility swings than on any cosmetic differences.

As sequels go, it keeps the essential feel of the earlier games while adding enough adjustments to stand confidently on its own. Book of Ra – Temple of Gold is an easy recommendation for series fans, and it also fits players who want a straightforward high volatility slot where you either walk away with a big win—or leave it all behind.