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Some online slot players are content with pushing a button or two and watching the reels spin while they hope and pray for the big win. There is nothing wrong with that approach as long as it delivers the enjoyment that such players are seeking.
On the other side of the fence sits online slot players who are looking for something a little extra from the time and money they invest playing slots. These folks are thrill-seekers, looking for bonus features that will spice things up a bit.
As for the bonus features they crave, they are looking for features that allow them to get more involved in the slot-playing process. The good news for these folks is there are plenty of top-notch online slot software developers that are out there working to deliver what the thrill-seekers want.
Assuming you might be a new online slot player, you might appreciate learning about what types of bonus features thrill-seekers enjoy the most. With that said, here's a look at a few bonus feature types that you might enjoy including in your online slot-playing endeavors.
We'll start with the basics. Who doesn't appreciate getting free spins? The answer is everyone wants free spins. Note: 95% of all online video slot games offer some kind of access to free spins. In most cases, free spins are earned by landing a specified number of "scatter" symbols on a base spin.
When players earn free spins, they are likely to encounter a few little extras like multipliers, wild symbols that lock in place, and more free respins after landing certain reel configurations.
While not an interactive bonus feature, cascading reels are visually pleasing and offer the chance to land more winning reel combinations. This feature works as follows:
- The reels go through the initial spinning process
- If winning configurations appear, the wins are recorded and paid
- After the wins are recorded and paid, the winning configurations will "cascade" away and be replaced by new configurations
- If the new configurations create more wins, those wins are recorded and paid
- This process will typically continue until a cascade no longer creates more winning configurations
This bonus feature is lucrative if not visually appealing. The point of this feature is to create more winning configurations within the base spin. It works as follows:
- The reels go through the initial spinning process
- If certain symbols land in certain positions, the symbol will expand to cover a larger portion of the reel on which the symbol appears. Usually, expanding symbols are wild symbols.
The locking symbol feature could be available during base spins and or during free spin rounds. The feature can work in several ways, but here is a description of the most common way the feature is used.
It will start with a base spin where a certain symbol or symbols have been designated as "lockable" symbols. If that symbol or any group of symbols appears anywhere on the game matrix, they will lock in place while a bonus spin takes place. It's the bonus spin with the locked symbols that creates extra wins, wins that can get lucrative under the right circumstances.
The most popular bonus features tend to the the ones that allow players to get directly involved in the action. These types of features are often referred to as interactive features.
Interactive bonus features tend to come in two variations: the shooter game or the spot selection game. The shooter game feature would be similar to what video gamers would encounter while playing shooter games like Mobile Legend. A series of spots will appear on a game board, and the player will use some type of mechanism to shoot at spots and reveal winnings.
The spot selection game feature is similar but a bit more basic. A player will be presented with the opportunity to pick a spot that will reveal a certain amount of bonus winnings. As an alternative option, they may be asked to select several spots with additional winnings determined by matching similar symbols.
In both cases, players are asked to participate in the game, allowing them to determine their own fates as opposed to depending on pure random luck.
The gambling game option offers players a chance to grow winnings by making selections. An online slot gambling feature typically works as follows:
- the player lands a winning configuration during a base spin
- They are presented with an opportunity to use the gambling or "doubling up" feature to perhaps increase their winnings
- If they accept access to the gambling feature, they will be putting their winnings from the current spin at risk
- The gambling option usually comes in one of two formats. The first would be choosing either red or black. This format pays even money or 1-1 for the gamble. The second common format is the playing card selection process. The player will be asked to choose one of the following: Clubs, Diamonds, Hearts, or Spades. If the player chooses right with this option, they will earn 4-1 odds or be able to quadruple their existing winnings.
- In many cases, the player will be permitted to keep gambling or trying to double up their existing winnings. At each iteration, they will have to risk all of the winnings they have accumulated up to that point. They also have the choice to stop and collect their final winnings.
Note: Some slots have a gambling feature that combines the 1-1 or 4-1 options within the same feature. The player can move back and forth between these options as they see fit.
- The process continues until the player busts out and loses everything from that base spin or decides to take their payment and run.
- Some slots will limit the number of times a player can try to increase their winning to between 5-10 iterations. The real fun comes with the slots that will allow players to keep going until they stop or the bust makes them stop.
Note: It's important to understand that the only winnings that will be at risk during a gambling game feature will be the winnings derived from the applicable singular base spin, plus any doubling-up winnings earned until the conclusion of the feature.
- Once a gambling game has concluded one way or the other, the player will return to the base game and continue on their way.
The last feature worth mentioning is the Wheel of Fortune spin. Many times, players are allowed to spin a big Wheel of Fortune where they get paid the amount of a singular spin. Access to this type of feature can come in one of three (3) ways:
FYI: Both the Mega Moolah (Microgaming) and Mega Fortune (NetEnt) multi-million dollar progressive jackpot slot games are resolved with a Wheel of Fortune spin.
Conclusion: As a recreational online slot player, you should be focusing on playing slots that are fun and exciting. Why? Along with the fun and excitement, bonus features are going to open the door to more riches. The best way to find online video slots that offer the best bonus features is to investigate and read as many game reviews as you can.
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