It’s unbelievable how the gaming industry has changed over the years and with so many game providers it’s quite hard to pick a game to play. Especially if you’re new to online gaming or gambling in general. How to find a game provider that you like? But more importantly, how to find your best slot match? Keep on reading and we’ll give you a couple tips you might find useful for your game journey.
Are you a fan of classics or strive for innovation?
First of all, when it comes to slot games, they are usually divided into two categories- video slots and classic slots.
1. Classic Slots
Classic slots can often be based on fruit themes or the classic symbols such as: bells, bars and 7’s. The colors are usually bright and vibrant while the graphics are simple, often times these slots will have fewer paylines and no bonus features. Classic slots are designed to give you the “real, land-based” casino feeling which many players enjoy. A good example of a very classic, player beloved slot machine is Break Da Bank by Microgaming Quickfire. While the graphics are simple, it’s a game players love for its’ straightforwardness and winning potential.
2. Video Slots
It’s safe to say that the popularity of video slots is rapidly growing and game providers are releasing new games every single month. What sets video slots apart from regular slots? The answer is simple. Video Slots are designed to give you the feeling that you’re a part of a video game, that you can explore a fantasy world and become a part of a story. Video slots often have very realistic details, flashy images and high attention to detail. Many video slots are inspired by popular movies and TV-shows, just like Vikings, which was one of the latest NetEnt’s release. Video slots are fun, entertaining and visually very pleasing- there’s no doubt about that.
Paylines, Ways or Megaways?
The first online slot machines designed, used “payline” system to display the wins. The classic slot machines would have 3 or 5 paylines, while video slots would have everything starting from 9 up to 100 paylines. It means that the symbols from the game would need to come up on the screen on the specific paylines for you to win. A classic example is the ever-so-popular Dead or Alive slot.
The next thing game providers came up with was “Ways”. Ways mean that there’s no specific paylines the symbols need to be on, to receive winnings, as long as there’s at least one symbol of the kind on every reel. Usually games that have “Ways to win” instead of regular paylines, can be more volatile and with higher bets. A very popular example of “Ways” slot is Immortal Romance that offers 243 ways to win.
Megaways is something unique that was introduced to the online gaming world just a couple of years ago and nowadays is one of the most popular features. In a few words, Megaways, similarly as Ways explain the ways you can win. However, the big difference here is that the ways to win can change on every spin.
Big Time Gaming was the first game provider to use this feature and it has made a significant mark on their game collection. The games are known to be highly volatile, which means that you should always have a good starting balance.
Bonus game or no bonus?
When it comes to slot games, there can be two types of slots – with a bonus round or without one. Which one is the best? There’s no right answer and it really depends on what you like. There are many slots that have very simple, not too-exciting base game but a thrilling bonus round. A good example for this is Dead or Alive slot.
Many players find the base game to be quite slow and uninteresting, while, lo and behold, when the 3 scatter symbols appear, you can feel the adrenaline rushing through your veins as you know this is when everything is possible with Dead or Alive free spins round.
However, there’s a great amount of games that doesn’t have a bonus round but it doesn’t mean that they don’t have a good winning potential. Usually these games have a unique base game feature that makes the game interesting and increases winning potential. These features can be anything, starting from:
- linked twinning reels like Twin Spin slot
- exploding symbols like Gonzo’s Quest
- Wilds symbols and re-spin features like Berry Burst and Starburst
You can be sure that just because a slot doesn’t have a typical bonus feature, doesn’t mean that you won’t have fun or can’t win.
What about design and volatility?
When it comes to design element, it’s simply a matter of taste. However, since there are several thousands of online slots for you to choose from, it’s important to understand if a specific theme is important to you.
Nowadays very popular is the Ancient Egypt theme with games like Book of Dead, Book of Ra, Pyramid: Quest for Immortality and so on. Then another very beloved slot theme is Fantasy – starting from Zombie themed slots to Vampires, Gods and even Witches. Having a preference in theme may help with reducing the amount of games to choose from.
One of the most important factors when choosing an online slot is volatility. Slot games are divided into the following volatility categories – low volatility, medium volatility and high volatility. Low volatility slots, such as Starburst slot, will give you small but regular wins, while the aforementioned Dead or Alive slot is considered to be high volatile as it can give hundreds of low-paying spins and compensate it with one good bonus feature. So here’s the time when you decide what kind of win you’re chasing and what your betting preferences are.
So which is your perfect slot?
Clearly there’s no one, simple answer to this question and you’ll never know until you try. However, we hope that this article helped you with understanding which factors play an important role for deciding on which online slot to play. And more than that – which factors play more vital role for you than others. You may be a high-roller looking for a high volatile slot with no design preferences, or you may be looking for a stunning slot with low volatility…We’re all different when it comes to taste, but it’s safe to say that with todays’ game variety, you’ll find your perfect slot.
Don’t forget to have fun as that’s what slots are all about!
