Turn Your Fortune, an older game from developer NetEnt, has been given a complete makeover to the delight of fans of all things cylindrical. We say major, but in reality, the new Codex of Fortune is sometimes indistinguishable from the old one. A few changes to the math model, a new feature, and a relaxation of its maximum win potential have taken an average game and made it playable for a wider range of gamblers.
Gameplay in Codex of Fortune takes place over a grid with 5 reels, 4 rows, and 40 permanently active paylines. Visually, it’s a step forward from Turn Your Fortune, with sharper graphics and a new backdrop color being the most noticeable changes. Codex of Fortune goes for a more subdued color scheme, opting for a deep blue instead than Turn Your Fortune’s burgundy. There is nothing to differentiate the two visually; the typeface and symbols in both are influenced by and share certain characteristics with the French Art Nouveau style.
Although superficially similar, the engine and other internals have undergone significant changes. NetEnt has ditched the moderate volatility in favor of something more robust, which has resulted in improvements to a number of other metrics as well. While potential gets all the attention, return on investment (RTP) is not far behind. One of the features requires a small amount of strategy, therefore the value of your return is subject to change. The theoretical return to player (RTP) is 96% if you use the “average” strategy, however it can range from 90.2% to 98% if you experiment with different parameters.
Regular winners happen at a rate of about 1 in 4 spins (25.4%), and you may play for as little as 20 p/c up to £/€100 each spin. The low-paying symbols continue to be the J through A royals, while the higher-paying symbols are the same as before: shells, fish, turtles, owls, and lions. If you get five of a kind with high-paying symbols, you’ll be showered with coins worth three to ten times your original wager. Full grid winnings are achievable since any symbol type can appear stacked on the reels. The tile of a butterfly modeled by one from Fabergé is very stunning. It can appear on any reel and replace standard pay symbols to help you win.
Codex of Fortune Slot Machine Functions
Now that you know what to expect from Codex of Fortune, you’ll notice that it departs from its predecessor in significant ways. The gadget to the left of the reels is called Fortune Wins. The value of the segments in this device increases as you move up the five horizontal levels. Prizes from Fortune Wins are capped at 200x the stake during Respins and 10,000x the bet during free spins.
Fortune When 2 scatters appear anywhere on the reels, you get a respin. All symbols that weren’t part of a winning combination are removed from the board, and the winning combination is frozen in place to serve as the collectible symbol for the respin. On re-rolls, nothing but blanks, symbols, and keys appear. If further such symbols appear during a respin, not only are they collected, but another respin is granted as well. The cylinder advances by one horizontal level every five symbols. Each keystroke horizontally rotates the cylinder by one position. after no new symbols land during a respin or after 20 have been amassed, the respin will finish.
A Save the Keys function activates after the respinning process is finished. Here, the keys may either be cashed in for instant prizes from the Fortune Wins feature, or stored for use later to increase the value of rewards earned during free spins. To ensure maximum RTP, keys should be saved wherever feasible.
Free games are activated when scatter symbols appear on reels 1, 3, and 5. A bonus reel rolls before this bonus round begins, awarding 7-13 free spins, picking a unique collectible symbol, and maybe picking a key symbol. A higher starting position on the Fortune Wins can be obtained by using any previously stored keys. All collectible symbols that appear during free games add to the Fortune Wins meter. When the meter reaches level 20, the player advances to the next level. Pressing keys makes the gadget move horizontally. At the conclusion of the round, the total amount won from Fortune Wins is revealed.
Slot Machine Codex: The Final Say
On paper, it might look complicated, but in practice, it’s not too difficult. In Codex of Fortune, the goal is to acquire keys and collectible symbols to increase rewards from the Fortune Wins gadget by landing scatters to activate respins or free spins. You’ll recognize the routine if you’ve ever played Turn Your Fortune. The Save the Keys feature is now a significant differentiator; should you take the win or bank keys for the chance at even more free spins glory? A bird in the hand may be worth two in the bush and all, but free spins can award far larger payouts and have a higher potential return.
One surprising way in which the two games diverge is in their potential. The most that Turn Your Fortune could do was a mediocre 2,000x the stake, which is fine but hardly mind-blowing. However, Codex of Fortune has jacks that add up to 10,000 times the stake, a far more eye-catching sum.
Ultimately, Codex of Fortune is a more alluring option for gamblers who passed on Turn Your Fortune. Except for the much increased maximum win, everything else continues as normal. Therefore, if you weren’t interested in giving it a shot before because of the visuals, which were mediocre two years ago, or the low-level paylines configuration, even the 10,000x jackpot might not change your mind.