Online slots are possibly the most played games at every online casino. They feature in the hundreds, and at some well packed online casinos in the thousands, which shows how big the demand from the player is for this type of gambling form.
But having a high number of online slots at disposal isn’t always a positive thing, as it is possible that most of them don’t fit the player’s preferences. By this, we mean that not all online slots are giving the players what they want, which is a well-spent time full of excitement and some big winnings.
There are several features that make an online slot a good fit for the players. Some of the features that the players are always checking before spinning the reels at a slot are the following:
- Theme and Graphics
- Great Animations and Sound Effects
- Game Mechanics
- In-Game Features
- Software Provider
Below we will describe all of the slot features that we’ve mentioned above so you can have a broader aspect of the things that make a good online slot.
Theme and Graphics
The theme and graphics are the first things that the players see when accessing an online slot. It is a major factor that has to be taken into consideration when choosing a great slot. The variety of themes that feature this type of casino game is enormous.
Game providers have made all kinds of slots with every theme that you can think of. Some of the themes that are the most pleasing for the players are Ancient Egyptian, Ancient Greek, Mythology, Adventure, Fruits and Bells, Animal, Asia and the Far East, The Wild West, Pirates, and Movies and TV.
The quality of the graphics which portray these themes are also very important, as they can be a crucial feature for most players because it keeps them focused and entertained. Online slots with bad graphic visuals are very hard to enjoy and can be truly repelling.
If the online slot is based on the old school classic theme that features fruits and bells, the graphics are made old on purpose, as to provide the classical vibe to the players that want to remember the good old days. There are also some high-quality reproductions of these old school slots, which look amazing.
If you are on the lookout for a good slot, always search for one that features an amazing theme and don’t waste your time on the ones with garbage graphics.
Great Animations and Sound Effects
Another feature that can be seen and also heard is the animations and sounds that are present at every online slot. They have the potential to make the game even more interesting and fun, which might be a crucial attribute that will make the players return for more spins.
The animations and sound effect keeps the tension high for the players while they wait for the reels to stop spinning, with the hope of hitting a winning combination.
Game Mechanics
The game mechanics is one of the most important features that determine whether a slot is good enough to be wagering at. One of the most important features of the game mechanics is the RTP rate, the volatility, and the payline system.
RTP rate, or Return to Player rate, is a crucial part of every online slot as it indicates the slot games stakes that the players will get over a longer period of time. For instance, if a certain slot has an RTP rate of 96.8% that means that the player can expect a €97.8 for every €100 that they spend over a longer period.
The average RTP rate at the online slots is somewhere around 96%. And it goes without saying that the higher the slots RTP rate is, the better the players payouts will be.
As for the volatility rate, this is a feature that depends on the player’s personal preferences. Here is a table that will help you understand the volatility rate of all types
Volatility Type | What It Means |
Low Volatility Slots | The player will smaller prizes, but at a more frequently |
Medium Volatility Slots | Something in between low and high volatility, which is most preferable by the players |
High Volatility Slots | The player will win big prizes, but not very often |
The paylines at the online slots is also an important feature as they show how many ways the players can form winning combinations. In the beginning, there were only three types of payout systems, but thanks to advanced technology, game developers started making new advanced mechanics.
Classic slots have one payline, while modern video slots have multiple paylines that the players can place bets on, ranging from 5, 10, and 20 up to 50 or even 100. Some of the newer and more advanced mechanics are Megaways, Infinity Reels, Cluster Pays, and Megaquads.
For some a good online slot means that the slot has to have a large number of paylines, while others are more satisfied with average paylines, somewhere around 20.
In-Game Features
The in-game features make the online slot more entertaining, as they provide the players with some interesting rewards. Some of the most popular in-game features are expanding symbols, bonus buys, free spins, wild symbols, bonus rounds, respins, mystery symbols, and multi-level jackpots.
Online slots that have some of the features that we’ve mentioned above are known to be more rewarding and with that more likeable for the players. Bonus rounds, free spins, and respins are amongst the player’s favourite features, as they allow them to spin the reels without spending their money.
Wild symbols and expanding symbols are increasing the player’s chances of hitting winning combinations, as the wild symbol is replacing other symbols in the game and the expanding symbols are helping the players by expanding on the reels.
The bonus buys feature allows the players to buy extra free spins, while the multi-level jackpots are providing the players with a chance to hit some very rewarding jackpots. All of these features can make a good online slot, but it is very rare that they are present all at once at an online slot.