Codex of Fortune Slot Review

Slot Provider: NetEnt

RTP: 96% | Variance: High | Maximum Win: 10,000x

Our Score: 7.6

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About Codex of Fortune

Reviewed by: Mark Wadie

Published Date: 2nd June 2021

How We Review Slot Games

We test and rate all slot games across 5 criteria, assigning a score out of 10 for each and an overall score that is an average of the 5. To build an accurate assessment of each game we gather information from the supplier and play in real play or demo mode. Find out more.

Codex of Fortune is a 5 reel, 40 payline slot from NetEnt and the sequel to Turn Your Fortune. The name of the game is triggering instant win prizes via the ‘Codex’ or Meter that appears to the left of the reels. During re-spins and free spins you must collect special symbols to drive up the value of your prize over 5 levels. Meanwhile, collecting keys gives you the chance to unlock new levels on the Codex to boost the prizes still further. By adjusting your strategy of when to use the keys you can increase the game’s RTP up to a massive 98%!

This is a highly volatile slot with a 10,000x max win. Spins start at 20p per play.

Codex of Fortune Game Information

Release Date: June 2021
RTP: 96%
Variance: High
Maximum Win: 10,000x
Progressive Jackpot: No

Reels: 5
Rows: 3
Paylines: 40
Minimum Stake: £0.20

Theme: Money
Features: Fortune Spins, Re-Spins, Key Collects, Free Spins, Level-Ups

Testing Notes: Here’s What Happened When We Played Codex of Fortune

IMPORTANT: To give you an accurate assessment of the games we review our writers play 200 spins. Whilst this is a useful tool to help us review games and to give an example of what might happen when you play, keep in mind that 200 spins is only a very small sample and cannot be used to accurately predict what might happen over another 200 spins. The outcome of all slots play is always random.

Boom Or Bust? Our Session By The Numbers

I played 200 spins on Codex of Fortune for free at Casumo Casino to test the game and this is what happened.

Stake Size: £1
Start balance: £1,000
End balance: £901.50
Biggest Win: 3x
Free Spins Round: 0
Session Time: 17 minutes 36 seconds

Codex of Fortune was a tough play because it is quite hard to follow and doesn’t unlock its richces too easily! The free spins round never triggered and the re-spins feature only triggered 5 times (2.5%). When it did, I never saw a single key so wasn’t given the chance to level-up the prizes. However, I did get a 52x win early on from the re-spins and a 24x later on (both including 10x wins from the Fortune Meter) neither of which are bad payouts to be fair. Overall, though I didn’t warm to the gameplay and feel this game is a bit too clever for its own good.

A 52x Win in Codex of Fortune — A 52x win from the re-spins feature, including 10x from the Meter

What We Liked

Sophisticated design and colour scheme
Clever progressive prize system
Players choose their strategy to influence the game's RTP
Big 10,000x top win - better than the original
Up to 7 prize levels to be unlocked

What We Didn't like

Variable RTP could get as low as 90.2%
Quite hard to understand at first

Codex of Fortune Review Scores

Theme and Design 8
RTP and Variance 8
Maximum Win 8
Symbols and Paytable 7
Features and Gameplay 7

What Our Reviewer Says ...

"An enigmatic slot game with a complex but innovative prize system. A big upgrade on the original but still something of an acquired taste!"

Overall Score: 7.6

Theme & Design

Our Score 8

An Enigmatic Slot With Clever Mechanics To Boost Prizes

Codex of Fortune’s theme is hard to pin down. The art style and music suggest luck and astrology, but I may be wrong. The predominant colors are a rich blue and gold, whilst the reel set is flanked to the left by a giant ‘Codex’ – a cylindrical device displaying prize values that change when a key is used to unlock further levels during the game. It’s intriguing and certainly catches the eye.

Codex of Fortune by NetEnt — Codex of Fortune – An enigmatic slot

RTP and Variance

Our Score 8

What is RTP?

RTP (Return to Player) refers to the amount a game will pay out in cash prizes expressed as a percentage of all the money wagered on that game. For example, a 96% RTP means a game will pay out £96 for every £100 wagered. This is an average number and will vary from one session to the next. Read more here.

What is Variance?

Variance refers to how far a game will deviate from its RTP over time. High variance games deviate a lot and produce uneven win distributions and unexpected windfalls. Low variance games provide a more stable and even distribution of wins. Read more here.

Codex of Fortune has a variable RTP that sits on average at 96% which is good, but can drop as low as 90.2% and climb as high as 98% depending on the game status, as I will explain shortly. What we are sure of is that this is a high variance slot so you can expect an uneven distribution of wins, but the chance to land some big payouts on a good day.

The win rate published by NetEnt themselves is 25.4% which means on average you will hit a winning spin on every fourth spin.

Maximum Win

Our Score 8

What Is Maximum Win?

Maximum win refers to the maximum amount a player can win from one spin. It is expressed as a multiple of the stake. For example, where the maximum win is 100,000x, from a £1 stake, the maximum win would be £100,000.

The maximum win here is a handsome 10,000x. That is good but if you are looking for bigger potential then you can find better in our list of slots with the highest maximum wins.

Symbols and Paytable

Our Score 7

Codex of Fortune plays out on 5 reel with 4 rows per reel and 40 paylines in play at all times. To trigger wins you will need to land 3 or more identical symbols on a line from left to right, starting at the left-most reel.

Codex of Fortune Paytable — The paytable with 10x for five lion symbols

There are nine pay symbols in all. The low value ones are the cards, Jack, Queen, King and Ace. These are valued at from 0.25x for 3 Jacks up to 2x for 5 Aces. The premiums are the five animal pictures – snail, fish, turtle, owl and lion. These are valued at from 0.75x for 5 snails up to 10x for 5 lions.

There is also a Wild – the butterfly – that substitutes for any pay symbol to complete a pay line but does not have a pay value of its own.

Features and Gameplay

Our Score 7

Codex of Fortune has a progressive gameplay system which makes in interesting to play. But it can feel quite complicated. The important thing to remember is that the meter to the left of the reels represents an instant prize payout. It’s only active during re-spins or free spins and when it is, collecting enough of the specified symbols will increase the prize value paid out once the round ends.

A winline in Codex of Fortune — A standard payline win in testing

Fortune Meter and Fortune Re-Spins

The first features is called Fortune Re-Spins.

This triggers if you score a win and land 2 scatters at the same time. Then, your winning symbols will lock in place and you will be granted a re-spin. Now, if any more of your winning symbols land then they are collected in the Fortune Meter on the left of the reel set and you are granted another re-spin. This continues until no more of your original winning symbols land.

The Fortune Meter will award you an additional instant win prize at the end of the feature, based on how many symbols you collected. It starts at 5x and grows to 10x, 20x, 50x then 150x. Every 5 symbols you collect takes you to the next level.

The interesting part is, if you collect keys which land during re-spins then you can use those to increase the prize values on the meter. You can increase the prizes on the meter SIX times (there are 7 levels). At the top level the prizes are 100x, 300x, 500x, 2,000x and 10,000x.

However, you have a choice. You can choose NOT to increase the prize values, but instead to save those keys and use them in the free spins round where you have free plays to use them on.

The re-spins feature in Codex of Fortune — Collecting red lions in the re-spins round in testing

Free Spins Round With Enhanced Fortune Meter

You’ll need 3 scatters to land on reels 1, 3 and 5 to trigger the free spins round. Now, a bonus wheel spins to reveal the number of Free Spins awarded which will be between 7 and 13, along with the collectible symbol for the round. This collectable symbol will be the one that powers up the meter once more.

But that’s not all – there is now also a special symbol that lands only on reel 2 to immediately add 10 symbols to the meter.

You’ll need 20 collectible symbols to land to move one place up the meter and to the next prize level.

And before it all starts, any keys you saved from the re-spins feature can be used to level up the meter so you are aiming for a higher prize!

The Final Verdict

For me Codex of Fortune is something of an acquired taste. The complexity of the Codex system means it can be hard to follow at first. And as testing showed, keys are scarce so it may take a long time to even find out how the level-up system works. But those reservations aside, it is an improvement on the original Turn Your Fortune thanks to the significantly increased max win and the chance to boost that RTP as high as 98% if you play strategically.

In conclusion, if you like distinctive slots, progressive gameplay and the chance to influence the payout rate of your games, then it could be worth spending some time discovering what Codex of Fortune has to offer.

Useful Tips When Playing Codex of Fortune

Remember, online slots are games of chance, there is NO strategy that can improve your odds of winning. However, reading our review and following these tips will help you get the most out of your time playing this slot game.

1. Play In Demo Mode First

I highly recommend playing this game for free at a site like Casumo before you spend your own money. It isn’t an easy one to follow and if you want to understand how best to use the keys and win the most, you’ll need some practice!

2. Save Your Keys For The Free Spins Feature

The accepted wisdom is if you have enough funds on your balance to keep going then you should save back your keys for when you hit the free spins round where you have a good chance of moving to the top levels on the meter and unlocking the bigger prizes.

3. Start At A Low Stake

It depends on your attitude to risk but it can be a good idea on volatile slots like this one to start with a low stake – like the 20p minimum – to make your balance stretch further as you hunt down those keys and the bigger prizes on the Codex.

4. Only Play At Licensed UK Slot Sites

We recommend the slot sites listed on this page because they are licensed by the UK Gambling Commission. That means that they are safe and secure and regularly audited to ensure that they offer fair slots play. You can also pick up great value bonuses!

Who Made Codex of Fortune?

Name: NetEnt
Established: 1996
UK License: 39861 (Under Evolution Gaming)
Total Games: 500 +
Known For: Massive range of games, branded slots, big progressives, low to high variance
Popular Slots: Starburst, Dead or Alive, Gonzo's Quest, Aloha! Cluster Pays

Find More NetEnt slots

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Codex of Fortune Slot Review

About Codex of Fortune

How We Review Slot Games

Codex of Fortune Game Information

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