Slot suppliers put their very own twists on recreation occasions which might be mainly the identical
By Frank Legato
Within the on line casino business, autumn marks an necessary annual occasion, the World Gaming Expo (G2E). That is the occasion at which the highest slot producers roll out their new video games for the approaching yr. Subsequent month, I’ll provide you with my annual “Prime 10” report, a subjective listing of what I really feel are the strongest video games displayed on the commerce present, held the second week of October.
Nonetheless, as I preview the video games to be displayed within the October version of Strictly Slots, our sister publication, I’ve already seen nearly all of video games to be displayed, and I can use this area to determine the overall developments within the options of the most recent slot video games.
There are two options which might be discovered within the majority of slot video games as of late—the hold- and-spin bonus and the “pot assortment” bonus.
The hold-and-spin bonus was pioneered by Aristocrat’s Lightning Hyperlink recreation. It entails what are recognized within the commerce as “cash-on-reels” symbols—mainly a numerical credit score award. The function is generally triggered by a set variety of cash-on-reels awards throughout a standard spin. (It is also triggered by a set pot; extra on that later.)
The cash-on-reels symbols lock in place as assured awards, and the reels spin. A 3- spin cycle is indicated on a counter. Any extra cash-on-reels symbols touchdown lock in place, including to the award, and returning the counter to a few spins. The function lasts till three spins happen with no money image, ending the bonus and tallying up the cumulative award—or, by filling all 15 reel spots with money symbols, which usually returns the sport’s prime jackpot.
Aristocrat’s Lightning Hyperlink and its follow-up Dragon Hyperlink have been wildly in style, so different slot producers started arising with their very own variations (paying right into a license pool for the privilege). Later variations of the function add lower-level jackpots to the cash-on-reels symbols that lock in place throughout the function.
Earlier than lengthy, hold-and-spin was as normal a slot recreation function because the bonus wheel as soon as was. At present, each producer has its personal model of the bonus.
Two years in the past, we started to see one other slot function that’s now all over the place. It’s referred to as the “pot-collection” or “metamorphic” bonus. This function was round a few years in the past, with video games like 88 Fortunes from Bally (now Gentle & Surprise). A particular image on the reels would ship cash right into a pot displayed on the highest field. The pile of cash would develop bigger till spilling over, triggering a bonus function, usually free spins.
The fashionable model of this function sometimes has three or extra “pots,” displayed as coin piles, piggy banks, pandas or different characters, which develop bigger or fatter till they burst to set off a free-spin bonus. Every of the pots represents an enhancement of some sort to the free spins—multipliers, additional wild symbols, extra free spins.
As of late, a number of slot video games mix these two options. The pots, or piggies, or pandas, seem to develop bigger till a number of of them burst to set off the hold-and- spin spherical, which proceeds with the enhancements utilized— multipliers utilized to the cash-on- reels symbols, boosts to the values of the locked money symbols, a lifeline that throws cash on the reels to resume the three-spin cycle after three spins with no coin.
The perform of those in style recreation options are mainly the identical amongst producers. The slot makers, in the meantime, have realized that gamers love each of those bonus options, in order that they incorporate them into most new video games. What’s enjoyable to observe as the brand new video games are revealed on the large commerce present is how every producer is placing its personal twist on the bonus. Listed here are a pair to observe for as the brand new video games roll out within the coming yr.
A number of producers are arising with new enhancements tied to the gathering pots. One of many coolest is the “cut up,” which targets a random cash-on-reels image and splits it into two and even three money symbols of equal worth. These two or three symbols both stay locked in place for your complete function or journey to different reel spots, contributing to the purpose of filling all 15 spots to set off the highest jackpot.
One other in style pot enhancement is the multiplier. Traditionally, this enhancement would apply multipliers to a number of locked cash-on-reels symbols. The latest model of this function throws in a brand new twist, and is extra in style when the pot triggers a free-spin bonus. A body will seem— marked “2X,” “3X” or one other multiplier. That body will stay in place, and any money image—and even jackpot—touchdown in that reel spot will likely be multiplied, for the rest of the function.
Lastly, the hold-and-spin function itself is being improved with new twists by a number of producers. One twist being seen extra ceaselessly of late is the “function inside a function.” A particular image touchdown within the hold-and-spin spherical will set off a secondary hold-and-spin spherical. Usually, a three-by-three grid will seem, and one other three-spin cycle will happen, returning the participant to the primary function after it’s full. Filling all 9 spots will set off a particular jackpot. One new recreation this yr encompasses a $500 secondary jackpot; one other, a progressive resetting at $1,000.
Slot-makers are having enjoyable with this secondary hold-and-spin function. There’s a cowboy- themed recreation, as an example, that shows the chamber of a six-shooter, and touchdown bullets within the hold-and-spin spherical to fill the chamber will yield the secondary prize.
Keep tuned for extra recent variations of those in style recreation options—or possibly even a completely new bonus function that can come alongside, to be copied and individualized by slot designers to differentiate their very own variations of the brand new bonus.
No matter that bonus could also be.
