Slot Bonus Features We All Love

Slots have seized to be simple 3-reel machines with one paying line a long time ago. Now, our favorite online slots have one, two, three or more special features and added attributes that make them authentic, specific experiences. Without the bonus features, slots would be just simple instant-win games, which do have their charms but still fail to satisfy the long-term gaming and gambling urge we all feel day after day. Some bonus features are more popular than others, and some have even revolutionized the video slot era. Let’s talk about the most loved slot bonus features you can encounter online or at mobile casinos.

Free Spins

It’s a safe bet to say that there isn’t a slot player out there who doesn’t like free spins. The spins are what we came for and when the machine gives them to us free of charge, well that’s just splendid. Free spins are awarded to slot players when they unlock a Free Spins feature or round, usually by collecting three or more Scatter symbols on a win line, or anywhere in sight. The number of free spins awarded depends on the individual games. Video slots can offer from 5 to 250 free spins if we count the potential number of retriggering the round. Even 5 five freebies are a great prize because you get to spin the reels for free and keep all the winnings. Free spins are played automatically and can include additional features such as extra Wilds, multipliers and so on.

Cascading Reels

The Cascading Reels feature is called differently by every slot provider that uses it in its games. Some refer to it as Avalanche feature, others call it Tumbling Reels. It’s all the same – an in-built feature that allows more symbols to fall from above and take positions of winning symbols. The winning icons disappear as soon as they form a winning combo, so there’s room for more icons to slide down and occupy the empty positions. This happens after every winning spin and enables more winning combinations to be formed in one try. Cascading Reels are often accompanied by brilliant animations.

Pick-Me Bonus

The picking bonus is always good fun, as the player is given a choice of items, usually something that is related to the theme of the given slot, and he or she has to choose one or more items to reveal a prize. Sometimes it’s only a choice of three items, whereas some games include extensive picking games that consist of multiple levels and a lot of prizes waiting to be unveiled. The prizes may contain stake multipliers, mystery rewards or direct cash payouts.

Wheel of Fortune

The Wheel of Fortune or Money Wheel, is often included in video slot gameplay as a feature that needs to be triggered by a combination of certain matching symbols on specific reels or on a winning line. The Wheel of Fortune works like a mini-game played on a secondary screen in which the player spins the wheel of prizes and collects whichever prize the wheel stops at. The wheel is divided into sections, each representing a prize. These rewards can also include various multipliers, coins, extra spins on the wheel, bonus free spins or jackpots. Sometimes, the Wheel of Fortune is the only way to win a massive progressive jackpot.

Stacked/Expanding Wilds

The Wild symbol is one of the basic characteristics of a modern video slot. The game can hardly be imagined without this special substitute symbol. The more Wilds you get on screen, the better. That’s why the Stacked Wilds and Expanding Wilds are two well-received additional features in online slots. Stacked and Expanding Wilds can appear randomly or as parts of another bonus round such as Free Spins. When Wilds come in stacks they increase the chances of scoring a win. Also, when a Wild symbol expands onto its surrounding positions, it also makes the forming of winning combinations much easier. The Wild will replace any symbol that stands out and it will complete the winning line, securing a payout for the player.