Book of Cats

Book of Cats Overview

Book of Cats is the latest release from the giants of gaming IGT. Whilst there are several new releases that are more contemporary in the looks department, Cats is one of the all-time greats that all regular casino players will know and love. This slot has been created to cater for all players including those whose preference is simple and easy game play and those who relish in a lot of special features to prevent them from getting bored. There are some serious top prizes on offer in this slot and although there is no progressive jackpot the slot offers some great win potential particularly if you get lucky and land the top winning combinations.

Game Layout

The slot has a standard lay out and is played using 5-reels, with three active symbols on every reel to provide a total of 15 visible symbols on your reels at any time. In the background of the slot there is a stunning African savannah which basks in the sunset and the symbols sit on a jet-black background which makes them really pop from the screen.

There are 30 pay lines which are clearly shown thanks to the coloured tabs that sit on either side of your game screen. You cannot see the pay lines if you click on the tabs which is how many other slots operate, instead to see your pay lines highlighted you have to change the number of active pay lines using the buttons that are located at the bottom of your game screen. Doing this will light up your pay line patterns in vibrant colours making them far easier to see.

Across the bottom of your game screen you can find the game controls and the help button which is located to the bottom right.

Gaming Symbols

Once you begin spinning your reels you will see that the big cat symbols are slightly different to what you may first expect. Rather than displaying pictures of single lions, panthers, tigers etc there are two identical large cats that sit one in front of the other. These are the symbols you will want to see as they provide the big wins.

The symbols in this slot also offer a unique game mechanic as they can split to provide two symbols as opposed to just one, better still this means that you only need to land a minimum of two matching symbols on a single pay line to land a win. Say your first reel shows a regular black panther symbol and your second reel shows a split black panther symbol on an active pay line you will be rewarded with the prize for three panthers even though you have only landed two on your pay line. This may sound complicated but do not worry as it will become clear after you have played a spin or two.

Feline Features

There is no doubt that the innovative split symbols are one of the most exciting features Book of Cats has to offer. There are other slots that feature the split symbols, but this was one of the first slots and to this day is one of the best-known for offering this feature.
Once you see the possibilities that this feature has to offer the whole experience becomes even more exciting. Taking a look at the pay table and you will see that the pay outs for the large cat symbols start from landing just three all the way to ten, and you will probably question how you can land ten symbols on five reels, the answer to which is simple, you can land split symbols. Landing split symbols is possible however I never got to experience this when I tried the slot out, but it certainly makes for a more exciting game.

Book of Cats also has an excellent free spin feature that you can activate by landing five or more paw print symbols on your reels. The paw print is the games scatter and they do not need to land next to each other or in any place on any pay line. The scatter can show up anywhere to reward you with a win so long as you have four or more on show on your reels. Once you activate the free spin features you will hear the sound effects and roar of the big cats which warn you that something exciting is about to unfold.
The free spins take place on a different screen which is different to the base screen although the symbols all remain the same and the pay outs are also the same in the free spins as they are in the base game. You can speed up this process by pressing your spin button or set the slot up to spin the reels automatically.

Win Amounts & Symbols

The biggest wins will come from landing the combinations that involve the split symbols. The lowest paying symbols are represented by the royals, Jack, Queen, and King and landing three will award you with 5 coins; and all three symbols have the same value. If you land five royals on an active pay line the reward is far bigger standing at 100 coins. The Ace symbol rewards are slightly higher paying 8, 20, or 200 coins when you land 3, 4, or 5 symbols, respectively.

The next symbols are the big cats and you can expect to come across a cheetah, leopard and tiger which are the lowest valued big cats and will pay you 10 coins for landing three of a kind on an active pay line. Land 10 of any of these cats and you will be rewarded with 1,000 coins. The lion also shares the same pay out as these. The top paying symbols is the black panther which will reward you with 10 coin for landing three, 30 coins for landing four and this carries on to the massive 2,500 coins for 10 panthers across your five lines.

Concluding Cats

Book of Cats has a lot to offer although there will be players who want more features however the unique split symbol feature does provide you with the opportunity to double the number of symbols on every spin and this does mean that Book of Cats can provide huge pay outs.
This is a super game and highly enjoyable to play, it has a retro feel and is easy to understand and play making this appealing to all types of player from old to new.