Book of Oz Lock ‘N Spin from Microgaming

Published: wed 23 oct 2019 | Updated: wed 23 oct 2019

The Magic Returns in Book of Oz Lock ‘N Spin

In December 2018, Microgaming released an online slot which was set in the magical world of Oz. Developed exclusively for Microgaming by Triple Edge Studios, Book of Oz made a massive splash in the online gaming world, effectively reinventing the ‘magic book’ genre in a mature and visually stunning way. Now the same team at Triple Edge Studios have created a sequel to that game, and Book of Oz Lock ‘N Spin is every bit as good as fans of the original would hope.

Welcome to the Emerald City

Once again, Book of Oz Lock ‘N Spin takes place in the Emerald City of Oz, which – as those of you who are familiar with the original stories of L. Frank Baum will know – lies at the end of the yellow brick road. You won’t find any mention of Dorothy in this game because the focus is on the magic of the wizard, and the five reels are therefore presented against the emerald-coloured backdrop which depicts the interior of his castle.

As in the original game, there is a very mature atmosphere of mystery and magic in Book of Oz Lock ‘N Spin, and you should maximise the screen and turn up the volume if you want to enjoy the ambience to the full. This sequel has ten pay lines, and symbols on the reels include the playing card ranks of 10, J, Q, K and A (all with stylised emerald detailing), three potions (red, purple and blue) and the top-hatted wizard himself. The Book of Oz symbol serves as both a wild and a scatter, so as well as substituting for any other symbol, it can also help you to trigger an exciting free spins feature.

The graphics and audio in this game are every bit as impressive as those of the first game in the Book of Oz series. The artwork is rich and detailed, animations are silky smooth and the soundtrack is one that creates a fantastic sense of tension as you play for a big win. Sound effects used in the game enhance the atmosphere perfectly whilst also taking things up a notch when you achieve a win or trigger a special feature.

Hyperspins Lock ‘N Spin Feature

A Hyperspins Lock ‘N Spin feature in the main game allows you to lock up to four reels in order to try and achieve or improve a win, or obtain enough scatter symbols to trigger the Free Spins round. You will need to pay a certain sum to lock reels, and the amount required for each reel will depend on its current and potential value. Locking a reel is a simple case of clicking the cost shown at the bottom of the reel in question, and you will know that this has been successful because a padlock will be shown. When you have locked all the reels that you want to lock, you can then spin the remaining reels to see how you fare.

You should note that only wins which involve unlocked reels will be paid, so if you lock reels which have already provided a winning combination, that combination will need to be improved for another prize to be paid. Also be aware that if you change your stake, you won’t be able to lock reels for the current spin, so it might be worth changing your stake at a point when you don’t want to lock any reels in the first place.

Free Spins Feature

The main special feature in Book of Oz Lock ‘N Spin is the free spins round. This can be triggered by getting three or more Book of Oz symbols on the reels at the same time. You will be given 10, 12 or 25 free spins, according to whether the feature was triggered by three, four or five Book of Oz symbols, respectively.

When the free spins round begins, one symbol will be selected at random and that symbol will then expand to completely cover its reel whenever it appears. This can be a big help in landing winning combinations, so the more valuable the expanding symbol is, the better. A 2nd Chance feature will give you one shot at changing this special symbol, and whilst this makes it possible for you to obtain a higher-paying symbol, it could also result in your getting one that pays lower, so use your judgement and feel free to keep the first symbol selected if it makes sense to do so.

Getting an additional three or more Book of Oz symbols on the reels will retrigger free spins and give you a further 10, 12 or 25 free spins, as explained previously.

An Enchanting Sequel

‘Following the success of the hugely popular Book of Oz, Triple Edge Studios have successfully created an enchanting sequel in Book of Oz Lock ‘N Spin,’ said James Buchanan, who is Director of Global Operations at Microgaming. ‘Elevating the original with even more exciting and rewarding features, including Hyperspins™ Lock ‘N Spin and 2nd Chance feature within free spins. Book of Oz Lock ‘N Spin offers players high-volatility action and the potential for great rewards.’

Brendan Walton, who is Design Lead at Triple Edge Studios, was equally enthusiastic about the new release. ‘The team at Triple Edge Studios loved creating Book of Oz Lock ‘N Spin, producing another visually stunning and feature-packed game,’ he said. ‘We believe the Hyperspins™ Lock ‘N Spin and 2nd Chance features provide another dimension of appeal to the overall gameplay, offering players a highly entertaining experience and great win potential.’

Book of Oz Lock ‘N Spin can be played at 32Red Casino.