Book of Oz Lock 'N Spin slot is a return to the Emerald City for Microgaming

Last December, Triple Edge Studios released a game part of its agreement with Microgaming to develop exclusive content for the Isle of Man-based giant. That game was the Book of Oz, a celebration of the famous Land of Oz, from the Wizard of Oz books and films.

The slot was a higher variance game that offered 10 pay lines and a chance to win a jackpot of 5,000x your total bet. The game itself was very nicely produced and proved to be a hit with fans. So much so that Triple Edge Studios and Microgaming decided it was time to visit the famous land once again, this time with the new Book of Oz Lock 'N Spin slot.

This second game in the series is very much based on the original and there are a lot of similarities between the two slots in terms of how they are set up and the style of presentation used in each. However, this new incarnation of the game has a number of additional features in play and also the rather enticing prospect of a potential 125,000 jackpot too.

So with that in mind, we decided to hop aboard the next tornado, after we'd strapped on our ruby coloured shoes of course, and head back to Oz to see just what this new slot offered over and above the original and, of course, whether it was worth a few spins of your time and money.

This is what we discovered.

Overview

• Game: Book of Oz Lock 'N Spin
• Developer: Triple Edge Studios (for Microgaming)
• Reels: 5x3
• Pay Lines: 10 (non-selectable)
• Minimum Bet: 0.10
• Maximum Bet: 25.00
• Jackpot: 125,000
• Free Spins Bonus: Yes
• Other Bonuses: Yes
• Progressive: No
• Volatility: High

Presentation

If you played the original Book of Oz slot, then this new game will look entirely familiar to you. The slot still has that familiar emerald green colouring and the backdrop and reels look very similar to the original game. The graphics are a little sharper on the symbols on the reels and there are some different symbols on the reels (which we will look at in more detail in the section below).

The sound on the slot is also very nicely done with a mystical soundtrack playing as you spin the reels. There are a number of sound effects which kick in too when you land certain features in the game and the animations when you move between the bonus features are all very well done and help the game flow considerably.

The main controls are at the foot of the reels and you can use these to set up the size of your bet, place a max bet, or use the Autoplay feature to play through a set number of spins.

What is on the reels?

The lower value symbols on the reels are the playing card symbols and these range from the 10 through to the ace. Wins start at 0.5x your total bet for three symbol lower value wins but wins of four symbols or more pay at least 2.5x your bet, so these wins with a higher number of symbols are the more lucrative option.

There are four higher value symbols on the reels and these all pay from just two symbols landed on one of the pay lines (which offers wins of 0.5x your bet). These symbols include red, purple and blue potion bottles (which are loosely themed on the three items the scarecrow, tin man and Lion wanted to be gifted by the wizard) and the wizard himself who is the highest paying symbol on the reels.

There are a couple of other features on the reels that you need to note including the Wild and Scatter symbol (which we will explore more below) and the Lock 'N Spin feature which is at the foot of each reel and allows you, for the stated fee, to lock any of the reels on a spin and then spin the remaining reels. You can lock up to four reels on a spin, but the cost of these spins can increase the value of your spin a great deal, so you need to use this feature sparingly.

Wild features

There is one other symbol on the reels, and this is the Book of Oz and this serves as both a Wild symbol and a Scatter. As a Wild it can substitute for other symbols in the base game and allow you to land some better value wins. However, there is no multiplier that is part of these wins.

Free Spins features

The Scatter symbol is the same Book of Oz symbol as the Wild and you need to land at least three or more of these across the reels to trigger Free Spins. Land three and you receive 10 Free Spins, land four and you receive 12 Free Spins and land all five to receive the maximum 25 Free Spins, plus you also earn a cash prize when triggering free spins.

Free Spins can be re-triggered from within the bonus round which is a nice touch and before the bonus spins begin, you are selected a random Expanding Symbol from those on the reels. You can re-spin this once if you want to change the symbol selected, but it is selected at random. In the Free Spins bonus, this symbol will expand to cover the reels when it can be used to form a winning line.

You then play through your Free Spins bonus until the spins are exhausted and at the end of the round the total amount you have won is displayed on screen.

Best feature of the Book of Oz Lock 'N Spin slot

As with the original game, this slot is all about the Free Spins bonus game and there is a lot to like about it. You can utilise the Lock 'N Spin option to help you collect Scatters in the base game, but be aware that this can prove expensive. When you do trigger Free Spins you do get a real mix of wins, but I have found that the wins in this bonus do tend to be somewhat more generous than on other slot games, so it is a bonus that does tend to pay out well. Furthermore, I have hit additional Free Spins in the bonus round on a couple of occasions too, which is a nice feeling.

Conclusion

Although the Book of Oz Lock 'N Spin slot is very similar to the original slot, there is just enough difference between the two games to make it a very worthwhile slot to play in its own right. The base game can be a little quiet at times, but the Lock 'N Spin option at least gives you a chance to change things up if you feel the need. However it is the Free Spins bonus and the Expanding symbols which really bring this game to life and make it very enjoyable to play.

You can play the Book of Oz Lock 'N Spin slot at any of our Mega Moolah casinos.