A typical slot machine has very simple gameplay, and all you usually have to do in the base game is spin the reels and wait for the outcome of the spin. If it is a favorable outcome, you earn payouts, but if it is not, you lose your stake and spin again. Due to this almost boring and predictable gameplay, it is no surprise that slot providers need to incorporate special features into online slot games to keep players interested.
As technological developments advance, slot game developers are always on the lookout for new and innovative ways of keeping players intrigue.
Incorporating bonus functions into classical and modern slots has created a lot of diversity, and the selection available to players has increased tremendously over the years.
Online Slots and Features
When you play slots at any Las Vegas online casino site, you will discover an impressive selection of titles of varying types and features. However, all the available slot options can be categorized into two broad categories, namely:
- Classical slots
- Modern slots
| Features | Classic Slot Machines | Modern Slot Machines |
| Types | Online classic fruit machines | Video slots and 3D slots |
| Paylines | One to five paylines | More than five paylines |
| Reels | Three to five reels | Five or more reels |
| Paying Mechanics | Payline system | Payline, All ways to win system |
| Rows | Three rows | Three or more rows |
| Symbols | Traditional classical symbols | Any symbols based on the slot’s theme |
| Bonus features | Usually limited to Wilds, Scatters, and Free Spins | Wilds, Scatters, Free Spins, Bonus Games, jackpots and other special features are available |
Classic Slots and Features
The classical online slot machines mimic the traditional fruit machines that are usually found in gaming arcades and land-based casinos around the world. Some online gambling veterans also call it ‘Fruities’ because the machine usually features lemons, cherries, watermelon, and other fruits as paying symbols in their gameplay. Classical online slots usually feature a three-reels x three-rows grid with very simple gameplay that is easy to play and understand, which makes it a right fit for beginners. However, certain classic slots feature five reels, creating more paylines and more chances to win.
When it comes to the traditional land-based classic slot machines, bonus features like Wilds, Scatters, Free Spins, and many of the other ones that you like to come across when you play slots online is almost non-existent. As a part of modern adaptations, many classic casino games include these bonus features as a part of their gameplay. Some of the features incorporated into classic online slot machines that you might come across include:
- Wilds
- Free Spins
- Progressive Jackpots
All these features will be explained down the line in this article.
Modern Slots
It is very cool to see how far online games at online casino sites have come since their inception in the 90s. Many innovations and features have been incorporated into slots, and now, players can even play slots no download no registration. Furthermore, online slots are developed with incredible graphics and animations and amazing sound effects that markedly distinguish them from the traditional slot machines.
The term ‘modern slots’ is used to categorize all video and 3D slot machines that feature more reels, more paylines than the classic online slot games as well as better graphics, designs, and animations. Unlike the classically-themed, modern slots usually feature a specific theme that the soundtrack, graphics, designs, animation, and symbols of the game will be tailored to.
When it comes to special features and bonus functions, the options here are almost endless. These features increase players’ odds of landing winning combinations, thereby raising the chances of players raking in a tidy sum of money. Some of the most popular bonus functions of modern slot machines include:
- Wild and its variations
- Scatters
- Free Spins
- Gamble feature
- Bonus Games
Bonus Functions
Wild and its variation
The function of this symbol works by replacing other paying icons in the game with the Wild symbol that lands in a favorable position to complete a winning combination. This simply means that if you have two matching symbols and a Wild symbol arranged accordingly on an active payline, you will be paid as if you have three complete matching symbols.
In the classic online slots, the Wilds feature is retained at the regular function, which only completes winning combinations. The modern slots, on the other hand, have diverse types of Wilds, which in addition to creating winning combinations, also feature other functions. Typical Wilds variations include Stacked Wilds, Expanding Wilds, Cascading Wilds, Sticky Wilds, etc.
Scatters
To win at your favorite slots when playing at a trustworthy casino, you have to line up identical symbols across an active payline. This rule doesn’t apply when it comes to Scatter wins. Scatter symbols usually land on any reels or sometimes specific reels to reward players with incredible winnings.
Free Spins
Free Spins are probably the most popular bonus features that you will come across in online slots. The Free Spins feature rewards players with a predetermined number of extra spins when a player manages to land bonus symbols in the right positions across the reels. Some games make use of other ways to trigger the Free Spins bonus round within a slot game. Players can make use of these extra spins to spin the reels for free while using the bet value of the round that triggers the feature to pay any winnings earned.
Gamble Feature
Slot game providers are always on the lookout for new features that will keep players glued to the reels of their slot machine, and the Gamble feature is one of the ones that achieve this aim. This feature can come in various forms based on the software provider that develops a game, but generally, it is capable of significantly increasing a player’s winnings. After every win in a slot game, the Gamble feature will come up and allow players to stake their winnings on a kind of game to try and double it.
Bonus Games
Bonus games come in various forms, providing players with an opportunity to win extra payouts. This feature is usually accessed by landing special bonus symbols on the reels of the slot game. There are different types of bonus games. Some are played by guessing, while others require some element of skill.
Progressive Jackpots
One of the biggest appealing features that draw many players to top casinos online is the amazing slot choice in their game collection that features progressive jackpots. With progressive jackpot slots, a small percentage of every money wagered on their reels is contributed to a prize pool till a lucky winner triggers it and claims the pot.
There is no doubt that bonus functions make the gameplay of many online slots more interesting and worthwhile to play. Bonus functions also improve the odds of earning incredible payouts. So, go ahead and play free slots online to get on the fun train.
