Online Slot Game Features Explained: What Makes a Great Slot Game?
Video slot developers have expanded the possibilities of their gaming products. They’ve moved beyond the traditional three-reeled grid, introducing five or more reels, 3D graphics, multiple paylines, and various bonus rounds. Each game you’ll find on licensed platforms, such as the Hit Spin Casino, has its own special features that make the experience even more engaging.
These exciting elements are not just about fun; they also improve your chances of turning your wagers into profit as you spin the reels. However, to fully benefit from these features, it’s crucial to understand how they work. Our quick guide will help you get the most out of your slot game experience by tapping into the most popular in-game power-ups. Let’s dive in!
Wilds
These unique symbols can stand in for other characters on an active payline in case there aren’t enough matching base game icons in view. The wilds thus make it easier to create winning combinations.
Although wild symbols have been a part of slot games for a long time, there has been a lot of innovation around them in recent years. They now come in various types, each offering different features and benefits. Examples include:
- Expanding Wilds – These icons grow to cover an entire reel when they land to accelerate your chances of winning;
- Sticky Wilds – These wild symbols stay sticky on the reels even after you spin again. They’re also called locked or locking wilds;
- Transferring Wilds – They spread to other reels, meaning a wild on the first reel will also appear on all other reels;
- Walking Wilds – Also called shifting wilds, these characters start on one reel and move to another with each spin;
- Stacked Wilds – This symbol consists of two or more wilds stacked together, potentially covering entire reels. They usually stretch to five stacked wilds at once.
Scatters
Consider scatter symbols your bestie whenever you’re spinning the reels. It’s uncommon for a slot machine to miss them, but if that’s the case, they might be replaced by bonus symbols that work similarly.
Scatters can trigger bonus rounds like mini-games, free spins, or other exciting features. The icons don’t need to follow the typical payline rules.
They can land anywhere on the reels and still give you a payout. Developers can get creative with scatters. For instance, the Miner Donkey Trouble slot features dynamite scatters that explode to clear the grid, add wilds, and activate free spins.
Progressive Jackpots
The most enormous payout potential in slot games comes from progressive jackpot slots. Unlike regular slot prizes, this bonus special begins with a set seed amount like 2,000 or 10,000 Euros. As players place bets, a small portion of each bet is added to the jackpot. Each slot has its own rules for triggering and winning the jackpot.
MegawaysTM
This is a proprietary reel modifier mechanic from innovative software provider Big Time Gaming. Through the MegawaysTM feature, the number of winning ways consistently changes in each spin as the number of symbols in each reel on the grid also keeps changing.
As a result, players will relish hundreds of thousands of payways (MegawaysTM) to form winning combos in each round of play.
Free Spins
You typically earn free spins by landing a certain number of scatters or bonus icons, or they may even be randomly awarded. The reels will spin without spending money, but you will still collect real withdrawable payouts if you form winning combinations.
Cascading Reels
Some titles refer to this function as tumbling reels, which activate with every winning spin. When you land a winning combination, the symbols that make up that win disappear.
New symbols then fall into their place during the same spin, and the process carries on until no winning combo forms in view. In simple terms, slot machines with cascading reels give you a free respin each time you create a winning combination.
Hold & Win
The Hold & Win special feature is another popular booster in modern slot games. When you activate this feature, certain special symbols will stay in place. The more of the same symbol you have, the higher your chances of winning a jackpot. This game often includes three or more jackpot prizes whose payouts depend on how much you bet.
Buy Feature
Many new online slots today have this option so that players can unlock any present power-ups instantly without the need to wait for the organic appearance of special symbols. So, you may, for instance, spend a premium of 50 times your wager to automatically land scatters that, in turn, trigger free spins right away.
Tap Into the Reward-Packed Boosters as You Spin the Reels!
The slot machine features offer enjoyable entertainment with the chance to win significant prizes. They’re the reason many gambling enthusiasts prefer specific casino titles over others.
With the knowledge you’ve gained about these bonus features, you can now use them to your advantage. However, never get carried away with the generous payouts of modern slot features, tbut always play responsibly and have fun!
