Slots rank among the casino games that have never ceased to evolve since the day they came into existence, as software developers continue to push boundaries with almost every new title they introduce. Offering a significantly greater number of reels and paylines, superb graphics and animations, and a wealth of bonus features, slots are now a roaring success.
In recent years, software suppliers have focused their attention and efforts on developing online slots with more elaborate structures and numerous bonus features, which aim to boost the games’ entertainment value and, consequently, retain players’ attention for longer. Besides increasing players’ chances of generating more substantial profits, these bonus features typically add greater depth and dynamism to the game and enrich its storyline, which is the main reason for their ever-growing popularity.
Generally, the bonus rounds in online slots can be divided into two major categories, namely free spins rounds and in-game bonus rounds that typically share a common theme with the slot’s base game. The following article aims to introduce players to the types of bonus games available in online slots so that they know what to look for during their slots betting sessions.
How Bonus Games Work
One of the main reasons bonus games were introduced to online slots was simply to spice things up a little. Several decades ago, many players regarded slots as rather repetitive, but in recent years software developers have provided slot fans with something to look forward to. More often than not, bonus games go hand in hand with guaranteed payouts, but, more importantly, they do wonders when it comes to holding players’ attention.
Yet slot lovers should bear in mind that the creators of gaming content always strive to come up with something new and different where bonus features are concerned. As approaches vary, gambling enthusiasts are advised to always inspect the paytable of the slot they have chosen in order to find out how the bonus features are unlocked and what benefits might be awarded.
Players should remember that triggering a bonus game in online slots depends on sheer luck, as such features are typically unlocked at random and involve no skill whatsoever. In some instances, the bonus games are triggered by the so-called “bonus symbols”, which players will find listed in the slot’s paytable. When several bonus symbols line up on the reels, players enter the in-game bonus, during which they can collect a payout before they return to the base game.
Wheel-Based Bonus Games
Depending on the online slot, the bonus game might be initiated whenever a certain number of scatter or bonus symbols appear on the active paylines. The bonus game often features a wheel, which players are required to spin in order to win additional credits. Occasionally, the wheel presented when the bonus feature is unlocked is divided into several wedges. The prize gamblers receive is determined by the segment the pointer indicates when the wheel stops spinning.
Just a few years ago, players were entitled to cash prizes only, but software developers have since taken the concept of wheel-based bonus games to a whole new level. In essence, the prizes players can win are far more diverse, and may include bundles of free spins or win multipliers.
IGT’s Wheel of Fortune serves as a great example. Whenever players are lucky enough to land three or more Wheel of Fortune symbols on the reels, they trigger the Triple Extreme Spin bonus game, which features the famous wheel.
This wheel consists of three mini wheels – blue, yellow, and red. The yellow mini-wheel functions as a multiplier, while the blue and red mini-wheels determine the number of credits players will win. Players are then required to pick three envelopes. Once they have made their picks, the pointers on the three wheels adjust to specific values and, when aligned, players must spin the wheel so that the pointers can determine the amount of the bonus prize.
Likewise, landing three or more scatter symbols in this game unlocks the Mini Wheel Bonus. The scatter symbols on the reels transform into small wheels that spin on their own, and their pointers determine the amount players win. This Mini Wheel Bonus guarantees payouts of 50 to 3,850 times the coin value the player has bet.
Players should be aware that the outcome of wheel-based bonus games is determined by a Random Number Generator, just as the symbols that appear on the reels are. What this means is that the flipper will not necessarily point at each of the segments an equal number of times.
In fact, gamblers should not expect the top prizes on such bonus wheels to be awarded very often. It goes without saying that the primary goal of software providers is to create attention-grabbing bonus features that are appealing chiefly because of their massive winning potential. Therefore, players are unlikely to be discouraged by the smaller prizes they may collect while playing a given game.
For example, a wheel that contains ten segments might actually hold up to 50 random numbers. In such a case, you should expect the mid-range prizes to hit most of the time, while the largest ones may land only once in every 50 spins. The smallest prizes would then appear roughly once in every ten game rounds.
Players who are eager to try this bonus feature for size might enjoy titles such as Super Lady Luck, Avalon II, Potion Factory, Viking Runecraft, and Mr Vegas, to name just a few.
Bonus Games Based on the “Click Me” Feature
On many occasions, once players have succeeded in activating the bonus game, they are taken to another screen where they are expected to choose specific items by clicking on them. Most of the time, monetary prizes of different values are hidden behind each of these items, which means players are practically guaranteed a win.
The Jimi Hendrix slot developed by NetEnt serves as a great example, and its special feature is called pick and click. This feature is activated whenever three or more scatter symbols land on the third, fourth, and fifth reels. During the bonus game, players must click on loudspeakers to reveal four types of symbols. Those who succeed in picking three symbols of the same kind will win one of four prizes – Crosstown Traffic Free Spins, Purple Haze Free Spins, Little Wing Free Spins, or additional coin credits.
Interestingly enough, this type of bonus made its debut in slots more than two decades ago and has come a long way since then; today it is much more elaborate.
Depending on the slot, gambling aficionados may be required to pick a single icon to reveal the prize they will walk away with. With other slots, however, players may be prompted to continue picking items until they uncover one that ends the bonus feature.
The prizes players can collect vary greatly from one slot to another but can include anything from cash prizes and free spins to other types of bonus events. However, although players’ decisions matter, there is no strategy that can help them secure the largest payouts these bonus features may award.
The popularity of this bonus feature stems mainly from the fact that players become active participants in the gameplay, which certainly adds to the thrill and excitement.
Another widespread feature in many slots is the pick-and-match one. It has much in common with the pick-to-win feature, but the most obvious difference is that gambling aficionados are not given the revealed prize immediately. Instead, they need to uncover two identical items in order to collect the corresponding payout. As is often the case with such slots, the winnings players have secured will be credited to their bankroll once the bonus round ends. Usually, the same also applies to slots that are equipped with the click-me feature.
As you can see, this bonus game requires a certain degree of skill because avid slot fans need to remember where items are hidden so that they can match them properly. Most of the time, such bonus features end after players fail to make a correct pick three or four times, but this depends on the individual game.
Arcade-Style Bonus Games
Some of the most eminent software developers have taken modern slots to a whole new level by creating titles that feature bonus rounds resembling a game within a game. More often than not, no skill on the part of the player is required to win during such arcade-style bonus rounds, though this does not apply to all games of this kind. The more intricate a given online slot is, the more detailed bonus games it is likely to feature. In some instances, players are required to shoot down alien spaceships, while in others, they are sent on a mission to steal jewels from a high-security museum.
Playtech’s engaging Dolphin Cash is also a good example of a slot that features an arcade-style bonus game. The Dolphin Cash Bonus round is unlocked whenever the player succeeds in landing three or more bonus symbols on the reels. A separate window opens in which you can see coins floating in the air while a dolphin swims in the water below. Players are expected to help the dolphin jump for the cash. They win all the coins the jumping dolphin manages to touch with its head.
Interestingly enough, arcade-style bonus games first made their way into slots back in 2010. One of the distinctive traits of these games is that players are granted greater control over the prizes they might potentially accrue, which is not the case with most traditional slot bonus games.
Although pick-me bonus features allow gambling enthusiasts to select certain items, the outcomes are still dictated by a Random Number Generator.
With arcade-style bonuses, however, players’ performance determines the prizes they ultimately collect.
Slots with Mystery Bonus Features
As software providers are eager to ensure that players stick with the slots they create, it makes sense that they think outside the box when it comes to the bonus features implemented into their games.
Mystery bonuses certainly rank among the fan-favourite special features some slots come with, simply because they are awarded completely at random. Unlike other bonus games that start when a predetermined number of scatter symbols appears on the reels, there is no such requirement with mystery bonuses.
Interestingly, the very first slot to award a mystery bonus appeared back in 1997, when Mikohn Gaming introduced its Money Time. Special sound effects and flashing lights were employed to indicate that players might be granted cash prizes at random. The total amount of each award was also selected at random.
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With present-day slots, mystery bonuses are typically found in games that are attached to multi-tiered progressive jackpots.
One of the slots where this special feature can be found is WMS Gaming’s Super Jackpot Party. While revelling in this game, gambling enthusiasts have the chance to trigger a special bonus event whenever the ‘Surprise Party’ chant can be heard. The same happens when players hear the ‘Jackpot Party’ cheer, which occurs when noisemaker characters appear simultaneously on the first, third, and fifth reels.
Another game that allows players to capitalise on the mystery bonus is Goldfish, which also comes from the WMS library. As with the previous slot, while betting on Goldfish players will not see any sign that the bonus is about to start.
What players should be aware of is that mystery bonuses might work in different ways. With some slots, the mystery bonus begins at a point chosen at random. With other games, the bonus round begins once a specific amount of money has been wagered. It is also possible to find a slot in which the mystery bonus is triggered once the jackpot reaches a particular amount.
Online Slots with Free Spins
Free spins appear to be the prevailing type of bonus feature with which the majority of present-day slots are equipped. In fact, they function exactly as advertised: when this bonus feature is activated, avid casino fans go through a predetermined number of rounds and may accumulate winnings without using any funds from their bankroll. Usually, such bonus spins are triggered whenever the player lands a predetermined number of scatter symbols – in most cases as few as three – but this condition varies from one slot to another. Sometimes, these extra spins are unlocked by designated bonus symbols that appear across the reels.
Something essential players should check before betting on a slot that offers this feature is whether the number of scatter symbols determines the number of free spins awarded. This is important because, with some slots, gamblers are awarded additional free rounds if four or five scatter icons land on the reels.
Please note that, usually, the free rounds are played at the same bet amount you had selected when they were activated. Another thing to remember is that some free-spin features are combined with win multipliers. Needless to say, when playing such slots, the presence of these multipliers can further boost any profit you might generate.
In most cases, the higher the number of free spins awarded, the smaller the multiplier will be. For instance, if you receive 50 free spins on a given slot, your multiplier might be only 2x your original wager; but if you are awarded fewer free spins, say 10, they might be combined with a 15x multiplier.
One more thing worth noting is whether the free-spins feature can be retriggered. Most of the time, this occurs if the trigger symbols appear again after the free-spins bonus feature is already under way.
To find out whether this is possible or not, players need to inspect the chosen slot’s paytable. If this option is available, it works to players’ advantage because they can enjoy additional spins at no extra cost while still having a chance to secure a decent payout. Still, players should be prepared for the possibility that some bonus rounds will not award any payout. Rounds without payouts help to balance the larger wins that occur from time to time.
Adding to the appeal of this bonus feature is the possibility that, on some occasions, players might enjoy extras such as stacked symbols or wilds that do not appear during the base game. Needless to say, the presence of these extras can further enhance your betting session, which is why it is always a good idea to keep your eyes peeled for their availability.
Online Slots with Free Spins Retriggering
As already mentioned, some online slots give players the opportunity to retrigger the free spins they have unlocked. Retriggering is typically achieved by lining up the same scatter or bonus symbols that originally launched the free-spins round. Thus, players are rewarded with another set of free spins, allowing them to boost their earnings without risking any of their own funds.
Please note that with some slots it is possible to retrigger the extra spins more than once during a single bonus round. However, retriggering will not continue indefinitely, as most software developers impose a limit on the maximum number of spins a player can receive in one bonus round. More often than not, retriggering is restricted to between five and ten times. Sometimes, retriggering is deactivated once the player has accumulated a certain amount of winnings during the free-spins round. Some of the most popular slot titles that offer the retriggering feature include Jack and the Beanstalk and Dracula, courtesy of leading software supplier NetEnt.
In Jack and the Beanstalk, players unlock a round of 10 free spins whenever three or more scatter symbols appear on the reels. If three or more scatters appear during the bonus round, players are rewarded with five additional spins.
With some games, the free-spins rounds are not so easily retriggered. Take the Dracula slot, for example, where the round of 10 free spins is launched by two stacked wild symbols that need to appear only on the second and fourth reels. During the bonus round, a stacked wild symbol must appear on the middle reel to retrigger additional free spins.
In any case, since some of the symbols will retain the position on which they have loaded, this will give players better chances of forming a winning combination. In most cases, the respins will go on until no more winning combos can be completed.
With some slots, activating the respins feature allows players to unlock a greater number of win lines. Naturally, when the respins end, the paylines return to their ordinary set-up.
Online Slots with the Gamble Feature
Another feature present in a large number of slots is the so-called Gamble feature. It is not exactly a bonus round but rather an optional gameplay feature that can be activated whenever the player forms a winning combination on an active payline.
Once they score a winning combination, players can click on the Gamble button to activate this feature. This triggers a mini-game in which players are required to guess correctly the colour or the suit of a face-down playing card.
Those who get the colour of the card right will have their winnings doubled. Sometimes, the Gamble feature involves dice rolling where you need to guess whether the throw will result in an even or an odd number. On other occasions, the Gamble feature is based on coin tossing, and players are expected to predict whether the toss will result in heads or tails.
It is worth mentioning that many slot fans prefer to skip the Gamble feature because, if they fail to make a correct guess, they will lose what they have already won.
Other Special Features to Try for in Online Slots
When betting on slots, there are plenty of ways for players to accrue wins, as the creators of gaming content want to ensure that players gravitate towards their creations. The range of special features with which slots are furnished is much broader and is not limited to the ones mentioned above.
Although these are not bonus rounds, but rather special features, gamblers should certainly familiarise themselves with their mechanics before they jump straight into betting on slots.
Cascading Reels
Cascading reels are among the special features that have gained much traction recently because of their winning potential. Players should remember that this special feature is triggered when a winning combination is formed. Whenever this occurs, the winning symbols explode and disappear from the reels, clearing the way for new symbols to appear, while players keep their fingers crossed for additional wins.
The process repeats if the replacement symbols also form a winning combination. Although this continues for only a limited number of cascades, this special feature can spice up players’ sessions and help them secure more rewards.
To gain a better insight into how cascading reels work, players should consider trying titles such as Gonzo’s Quest, Esqueleto Explosivo, Pyramid: Quest for Immortality, Cosmic Fortune, Golden Ticket, Pearls of India, or Big Bad Wolf.
Rotating Reels
Rotating reels are one more special feature gambling aficionados can benefit from while betting on slots. Typically, this feature is incorporated into bonus rounds, and its appeal stems from the fact that it can lead to more substantial wins.
This feature works in a straightforward way: once players have scored a win and received the corresponding payout, the display rotates, potentially resulting in additional winning combinations.
Although this feature is not new, it does not appear in a large number of slots. If you want to put it through its paces, however, you will have the chance to do so while playing Genesis Gaming’s Gods of Giza and Booming Games’ Galactic Speedway.
Tumbling Reels
If you have tried your hand at any of the slots that come from the gaming suite of IGT, you may already know how tumbling reels function. Each time a winning combination is formed on any of the active paylines, gambling enthusiasts are granted the respective payoff; after this, they will notice how the winning icons fade from the reels. The icons above then slide down, potentially forming additional winning combinations.
Slot mavens should bear in mind that, in most cases, this feature remains in play for a predetermined number of tumbles.
