Whether you are planning to take a trip to your local casino or settling down to a night at your favourite online casino one thing is for sure and that is at one point you will be spinning reels on a slots or pokies game.
As one of the simplest online casino games there are (even with all those flashing lights) slots appeal to a wide selection of players, although there are a few tactics that players adopt to get the most out of their slots time.
The Advancement of Technology and Slots Games
As technology advances, software providers are continually looking for different ways to entertain slots players and this has resulted in the choice of slots increasing massively in recent years.
Today, you can enjoy 3 reel, 5 reel, and some great 3D slot games which are jam-packed full of special features, multi paylines and the chance to win some truly life-changing cash prizes.
Table of Contents
Below we are going to take a look at the different types of slots available to play:-
3 Reel Slots
The 3 reel slots are based on those classic, original fruit machines that we used to find in the local pubs and arcades throughout the world.
Easy to understand, the window shows 3 rows of symbols on 3 columns with the middle row always being known as the ‘payline.’ Playing is a simple process of making a bet then spinning the reels. When the reels stop spinning and the symbols on the payline match up to any of the winning combinations that are shown on the paytable then the player wins the corresponding amount.
5 Reel Slots
Next are the 5 reel slots which are also sometimes known as video slots – these games are a more elaborate form of the game with the big difference being that instead of just the one payline 5 reel slots can have up to 100.
5 reel slots games also have far more winning combinations on offer which gives the players a greater chance of a win. Obviously, with so many more chances of winning the paytable is way more detailed but usually you can check the paytables separately to the game which makes things a lot easier.
The 5 reel slots games also include special features like scatter symbols, wilds and multipliers which can add a whole new dimension to your game-play.
3D Slots
Gameplay is exactly the same as video slots but the big difference is that these games include 3D animated characters which interact with players during the game. This ensures a more immersive feel to the games, all of the 3D slots games have a narrative feel to them and games are themed with each offering the player a different setting and storyline.
With some great audio, video and improved graphics 3D slots games give an unique and modern twist for those who love their slots.
Progressive Slots Games
Usually, each slot game that you play has a set jackpot that is individual to that particular game, and that is what the player is aiming to win.
With a progressvie slots game every single player who happens to be playing that game, no matter where they happen to be in the world, is contributing towards, and playing for a steadily increasing jackpot – every time someone makes a bet a tiny percentage goes into the prize pot.
All of the progressive games are linked to each other, but only one player can win the jackpot which means that there have been some truly amazing cash prizes won. Once the jackpot is won then it immediately starts to grow again – until once again it is won. Cash prizes have run into millions so these exciting games are well worth setting aside a little of your bankroll to experience.
Is There Any Difference Between a Fruit Machine and a Slot Machine?
There is one main difference between the two and that is the players have the capability to ‘Hold’ reels or to ‘Nudge’ reels to give themselves an advantage in the game.
To Hold a reel happens after the reels have been spun, sometimes there is the option to hold reels in place for the next spin – for instance, if a player has 2 out of 3 symbols required to trigger a feature round, with the hold they are able to keep those two reels in place and only spin the other in hope of landing a matching symbol.
Similarly, after spinning the reels the machine might offer the player a nudge which means that they are able to move (nudge) any of the reels in a downward direction. The number offered can vary but it is usually up to 5 nudges which are offered which makes it possible to nudge a winning combination onto the payline.
Slots Features
Slot features are what makes our games more exciting and enjoyable to play. Any slot machine will start to work when you place your bet and press the spin button, but it is the features that players can unlock that can really add to the excitement and potential of a payout.
Wild Symbols
The wild symbol is one of the most commonly found symbol features in a slot game. They can appear on the slot as the hero of the game, or as a simple logo – it all depends on the theme of the game you are playing as well as the imagination of the developers.
The wild is used as a symbol substitution which helps the player land a winning combination. In most of the basic slot games wilds usually substitute for all paying symbols (except for other, special symbols like jackpot symbols and scatters)
Other slot games are more complex and these will have unique wild variations which appear during a bonus round.
Wilds can come in various forms and these include, wild overlays, multiplier wilds, jumping wilds, diagonal wilds, and walking wilds which determine how they are going to act on the reels.
Scatter Symbols
It’s pretty rare to find a slot nowadays that does not have a scatter symbol (unless they have been replaced with a bonus symbol) and they are a pretty cool feature to have. In fact they act in much the same way as a bonus symbol (the two symbols can replace each other depending on which game you are playing.)
Scatters are so enjoyable because they are able to trigger bonus games which can take the form of free spins, mini games or practically any other bonus round that has been thought of. The rules of your particular game will let you know how many scatter symbols you will need to trigger a bonus round but it is usually around 3 or more.
In some games the bigger number of scatter landed results in a bigger bonus being awarded.
One interesting fact about scatters is that they don’t usually have to follow the payline rules of the game which makes them all the more exciting to see.
There are a whole host of other symbols that are variations of the above, and as we have mentioned these all depend on the imagination, theme and choice of the games developers, but one thing is for certain, as long as there is imagination there will always be a slots game to represent all of those ideas. Now that you are up to date with how to play pokies, why not try some of the best online pokies NZ today and claim our $100 welcome bonus.
