The Most Effective Features in Online Slot Games
Slot machines are bringing classic casino games into the 21st century with innovative features like free spins, bonus rounds, cascading wins, and more.
The Most Effective Features in Online Slot Games
The online slot game genre has exploded in popularity in recent years, evolving far beyond the simple fruit machines of old. Modern online slots like those at Stake Casino incorporate state-of-the-art features that amp up the excitement and payout potential compared to their land-based predecessors. From free spins and multipliers to cascading wins and bonus rounds, online slot developers pull out all the stops to immerse players in thrilling gameplay.
Cascading Wins
One of the most popular modern slot features, cascading wins provide the chance to rack up multiple payouts from a single spin. Also known as “avalanche” features, cascading wins occur when winning symbols explode and disappear, leaving gaps on the reels for new symbols to fall into place. This cascade effect continues as long as new winning combinations land, allowing you to collect payout after payout until no more winners appear.
Some of the most popular cascading slots include Gonzo’s Quest, where players plunge into the South American jungle alongside the titular explorer in pursuit of the lost city of gold. With lavish 3D graphics and exhilarating Latin music, the game’s cascading wins make players feel like they’ve struck the mother lode with each successive avalanche.
Expanding/Cloning Wilds
Standard wild symbols that substitute for other pay symbols have long been a staple of slot games. But modern slots have taken wilds to the next level with innovative expanding and cloning effects for even more winning potential.
When an expanding wild lands, it can cover an entire reel or even the entire screen for huge payouts. Cloning wilds also duplicate themselves across the reels after each winning reaction, setting off a chain reaction of wins.
Two fine examples of slots featuring these souped-up wilds are the legendary Starburst slot and the mystical Magic Portals slot. With dazzling graphics and sound effects, these games demonstrate how expanding and cloning wilds make every spin full of anticipation.
Multipliers
Another common feature, multipliers increase payouts by a set amount, often 2x but occasionally much higher. Multipliers generally activate at random on a winning spin but can also come into play during free spins or bonus rounds.
A prime example is the iconic Irish slots series, Rainbow Riches. Games like Rainbow Riches Pick n’ Mix incorporate multiplier wilds that double or triple line bet payouts. Landing multiple multiplier wilds on a winning payline can lead to staggering wins that truly live up to that pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.
| Multiplier Type | Details | Typical Usage |
|---|---|---|
| Base Game Multiplier | Appear during regular spins. | Increase regular game winnings without special conditions. |
| Free Spin Multiplier | Active during free spins rounds. | Enhance winnings during free spins, often higher than base game multipliers. |
| Wild Multiplier | When a wild symbol is part of a winning combination, it multiplies the win. | Adds a multiplier effect to wins that include a wild symbol. |
| Scatter Multiplier | Triggered by scatter symbols, typically leading to bonus payouts or free spins. | Award multipliers are when certain numbers of scatter symbols appear anywhere on the reels. |
| Progressive Multiplier | Increase with subsequent wins or through a sequence of events in the game. | Often seen in slots with cascading reels, where each consecutive win increases the multiplier. |
| Random Multiplier | Appear randomly during gameplay, and are not connected to specific symbols or features. | Add an unpredictable boost to potential winnings at any point in the game. |
As you can see, multipliers allow players to rapidly ratchet up winnings to eye-popping totals compared to the base game payouts.
Cascading multipliers in the Rainbow Riches series and other slots add even more exhilaration, with each successive cascade ramping up the multiplier value for enormous cumulative payouts.
Bonus Buy
A new feature offered by leading game developers like Pragmatic Play and Big Time Gaming, Bonus Buy lets players purchase direct access to the bonus round.
By paying a set fee, typically 100x or 200x your line bet, you can jump right into the slot’s bonus game. This allows you to experience all the thrills of free spins and bonus payouts without waiting for the feature to trigger.
Slots with buyable bonuses include Pragmatic’s famous Wolf Gold, where players traverse the Rocky Mountains accompanied by howling wolves under the moonlit sky. The bonus round here and in similar games often provides the biggest payouts. So for players with the bankroll to spare, buying your way in can pay off in spades.
Bottom Line
As you can see, online slots have come a long way from the simple fruit machines of the past. With game features like cascading wins, expanding wilds, multipliers, and buyable bonuses, slot designers immerse you in gripping gameplay with big payoff potential.
With payouts that can soar into the tens or hundreds of thousands from a single spin, the sky’s the limit when you take these innovative slots for a spin.
