Slot games are a huge part of any casino, whether land based or online. The biggest casinos have hundreds, even thousands, of slots, and while nobody has counted an exact number, casino experts estimate there are about 15,000 different slot games out there in the real world and cyberspace.
Why then, the cynics among you might ask, do we constantly seem to see the same old 10 or 12 titles that have been around for years? To answer, let’s ask another question. Why do classic rock stations play Freebird or Smoke on the Water so often when there have been thousands of other rock songs written over the past 50 years?
People love the classics. Now, a music theorist could probably unravel the components of a great rock song – and in doing so, would probably ruin it. But we are on safer ground looking at the components that make up a classic slot like Starburst or Buffalo Gold.
Appearances matter
Some argue that there’s really no difference between one slot and another under the skin. This isn’t entirely true, but admittedly, all slots operate on the same basic principles of different symbols appearing on a grid according to a random number generator. The point is that the game needs to be visually arresting. Starburst is a classic example. The game is more than 10 years old, but is still in most casinos’ top five slots. The theme isn’t complex – just stars in space, but it’s the little touches that count. For example, there’s a slight fuzziness behind each star to give it that other worldly vibe.
Scatters are a gambler’s best friend
Here’s where we argue that different slots play very differently and variations are more than skin deep. Special features turn an average slot game into a memorable one. And the best sort of special symbol is the scatter. There are several popular classics with great scatter features such as Lucky Lady’s Charm, Raging Bison and the most famous of all, Buffalo Gold. You can get detailed buffalo slot machine tips elsewhere, but what we will advise is to look out for the gold coins. These act as scatters, and if you land three or more, it opens up the free spin feature, where the multiplier can go as high as 27x.
Bonus games make all the difference
From the poker game in The Wild Bunch to spending hours playing Gwent in Witcher, games within games literally add an extra dimension. Some slots have simple coin toss games and the like, but the memorable ones have a little more to them. Another classic that has been around for years, Rainbow Riches, knocks this one out of the park. Indeed, Barcrest spoiled us with this “luck of the Irish” game, including not just one but three distinct bonus games.
It’s not all about the rewards
The interesting thing is we have discussed the top three ingredients that make a classic slot game and we’ve scarcely mentioned payouts. Now of course a huge jackpot is appealing, but it’s these other factors that keep players coming back time and again and year after year.
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