A Look at Slot Bonus Features
Slot machines are among the casino world’s most popular games, including online. Easy-to-follow play, simple rules and varied themes all contribute to their appeal. The wide range of bonuses is another major attraction. Slots already feature colourful graphics and lively sounds, while bonus features bring added variety and anticipation.
Slot Bonus Features: What Are They?
A bonus feature is an extra game element that can activate while playing a slot. Providers developed these mechanics to make spins and sessions more engaging. Other casino games may have bonuses too, but the term is most closely associated with slots.
Hitting spin over and over can feel repetitive, while extra mechanics give players something new to look forward to. Modern online slots include a variety of bonus features, each with its own potential reward. Some even open a small game that players can join.
Free spins, multipliers and cascading wilds are familiar examples of slot bonuses. Depending on the game, you may see plenty of other mechanics too. No slot has every option, but most include at least a few features. Here are some notable bonuses found in online slots today:
Popular Slot Bonus Features
This is not an exhaustive list. Slot games are updated regularly, and new bonus mechanics appear often. It is also useful to check whether a feature takes place in the main game or starts a separate round:
Free Spins
Free spins are among the simplest bonuses to understand in a video slot game. They allow you to turn the reels without staking your own money on those spins, hence the name.
Free spins may come with conditions. A game often limits the number of spins awarded in each round. Some slots allow bonuses to build up during a free-spins round, however, giving you a chance to collect additional free spins.
Examples of slots with free spins include:
Re-Spins
A re-spin has some similarities to a free spin, but it serves a different purpose. Free spins provide a set number of unpaid turns of the reels, creating more chances to land a winning combination.
A re-spin gives you a single chance to improve a near-winning combination. Imagine that a certain reward requires four bonus symbols, but you land three. A re-spin bonus may let you turn only the final reel in an attempt to land the missing symbol.
The first three bonus symbols stay fixed while the final reel spins. The goal is to land the fourth symbol needed for the reward. You only need one more symbol, rather than all four, which changes the situation from starting the combination over.
Slots with re-spins that we feature include:
Multipliers
A multiplier boosts the amount of a qualifying win. A double multiplier, for example, makes the win twice its original size. Triple and quadruple multipliers are also available, and some high-volatility games feature even larger multipliers.
If you like multipliers, these slots may be worth exploring:
Progress Bar
A progress bar may appear beside the main play area and fill up as you land winning combinations. The game may award a special prize when the bar reaches its maximum. The type and value of that prize vary by slot.
Slots with a progress bar that we feature include:
Spinning Wheel Bonus
This bonus minigame usually offers two routes to a prize. One option is an instant spin of the wheel that awards something immediately, such as free spins. The other also spins the wheel, but selects a reward to pursue in a follow-up minigame. You receive that prize only if you win the next game. The first type is also called an instant-win bonus.
These slots have spinning-wheel bonuses:
Pick me Bonus
The pick me bonus may also be called a pick’em round or picking bonus. It starts a minigame where players choose objects that match the slot’s theme. In a gold-themed game, for instance, you might pick from treasure chests.
Each object has a possible prize attached. Choices might award multipliers, free spins or bonus symbols, among other outcomes. Some objects may have no prize at all.
This element of choice is why slot experts sometimes describe pick me bonuses as player-dependent. Be sure to read the rules for the specific game: choosing an object with no prize can cost money in some slots.
Wild Bonuses
A regular wild symbol substitutes for another symbol to help form a winning combination. Modern slots offer many types of wild bonuses, each with a different role. Here are a few examples:
- Expanding Wilds: These symbols expand across a reel, turning other symbols into wilds. More visible wilds can help create different winning combinations. Exploding wilds and wild multipliers are other features in this category.
- Sticky Wilds: These wild symbols stay in place for a few rounds. They can be used again as the reels continue to produce potential combinations.
- Stacked Wilds: These symbols appear in groups of two or more on a reel, and in some cases can cover the whole reel. This feature is particularly associated with high-variance slot machines.
These slots are known for their Wild Bonuses:
Scatter Symbols
Scatter symbols can work somewhat like wilds. They may substitute for a missing symbol in a winning combination, or trigger minigames and unlock other bonus features.
Their role depends on the developer and the game. Some slots, for instance, use exploding scatters to clear the screen and make room for new symbols.
Scatters can open the door to other bonus elements in a slot. It is rare for an online slot to have no scatter symbols; they usually have at least one function.
Slots with Scatter Symbols that we feature include:
Jackpots
Regular slot players have probably come across the word ‘jackpot’. These are large cash prizes that may reach millions. A jackpot can be awarded in a dedicated round or for landing a specific symbol combination.
There are two main jackpot types: fixed and progressive. A fixed jackpot has an amount set by the developer, and its threshold is typically below that of a progressive jackpot.
Progressive jackpots increase as players place more wagers, so their payouts can reach millions. Many slot players are drawn to this format because the chance of a win is rare, but the potential prize is substantial.
For slots offering large jackpots, take a look at these titles:
Cascading Reels
Cascading reels are common, and players may not always notice when they are in use. When a winning combination lands, its symbols disappear from the reels and new symbols fall into the empty spaces.
This setup can create multiple winning combinations from a single spin, adding to the anticipation. Cascading reels often appear alongside multipliers, which may raise the value of successive wins.
To try a slot with cascading reels, explore these titles:
Megaways
Australian software company Big Time Gaming pioneered the Megaways concept. It debuted in 2015 and has since been licensed to only a small number of game developers.
Megaways slots use a distinct format that can offer up to 117,649 ways to win. That is far more than fixed slots with only around 20 paylines, helping to explain the feature’s appeal.
Megaways slots usually have six reels, but the number of symbols on each reel changes from round to round. This creates numerous potential paths to a win and keeps the layout shifting. Other differences from standard slots also contribute to their reputation for higher payouts.
Over the past few years, many developers have released Megaways versions of established slot games. Players can now choose from numerous titles that use this mechanism, as well as games without it.
Try out Megaways with these slots:
Bonus Buy
Some slots allow players to pay for a bonus feature instead of waiting for it to trigger on its own. This convenience calls for care, since purchasing access changes the cost of a session.
A bonus buy can cost as much as 150x the stake, so consider whether the possible outcome is worth the price. Spending that amount on a simple re-spin, for instance, may not suit someone on a limited budget.
These popular slots offer a Bonus Buy feature:
What Makes a Good Bonus Feature?
Players have different views about bonus features, and much depends on how a mechanic fits into the slot. Here are some qualities we look for in a good bonus feature or bonus game:
- It should not be extremely hard to trigger. If it takes dozens of rounds to appear, the wait may not feel worthwhile, and the slot may quickly become tedious.
- A bonus game with lengthy, complicated rules may not be worth the effort. Slots are meant to be entertaining, and spending your session working through detailed instructions can take away from that.
- A good bonus feature should stand out in some way. Almost any slot might have free spins, for instance, but unusual mechanics can make a familiar bonus more engaging.
How to Choose Slots With Bonus Features
There are two practical ways to decide whether a slot’s bonus features are right for you. First, try its demo version before wagering real money. A demo can show you how the game plays and which features it offers.
Second, research casino games online. Al Buraq Regina features detailed reviews of hundreds of popular slots, with information about their bonus features. Reading these reviews can help you decide which games to explore.
Final Thoughts
Slots offer a wealth of bonuses and special mechanics that can make repeated spins feel less repetitive. The prospect of activating another feature gives players something to anticipate, and bonuses can add excitement to the experience. When choosing a slot, check its features and rules rather than assuming all bonuses work alike. There may be another distinctive mechanic waiting on the next turn.
