Free spins and bonus rounds have become common fixtures in today’s online casino slots games. The bonus round gives you a certain number of free spins and you receive payouts based on the combinations and results of your spin. However, your payouts also depend on the original spin that triggered the bonus round in the first place.
The bonus round usually differs greatly from the rounds in the standard game. For instance, the background is often more vibrant with colorful graphics and upbeat music to enhance the experience. Best of all, you have a great chance of leaving this round with substantial winnings.
Determining the Bonus Round
There are two variables that define the bonus round: the multiplier, and the number of free spins you get. In basic variations of online slots, the rules of the game determine the number of free spins that will be provided at what multiplier. In other games, the amount of free spins all depends on number of scatter symbols that appear on the reels. With most online slots, the scatter symbol is very key to triggering the bonus round.
Free Spins and Bonus Rounds in Action
In contemporary slots games such as Fat Lady Sings, the multiplier and number of free spins are determined by playing a second game in a separate screen. For the first one, the number of glass the Fat Lady breaks by singing decides the number of free spins. On the next screen, the number of broken glasses determines the multiplier that will trigger the bonus round. For this particular slots game, such an approach raises the element of chance and ultimately adds to the thrill of the game.
There also online slots games in which the bonus game displayed on the separate screen is the deciding factor to the number of free spins and multiplier collectively. A perfect example would be Pedal Power, a popular slots game introduced by online casino software vendor Microgaming. This game allows you to select from 25 free spins with a 2x multiplier, 10 spins with a 5x multiplier, or 5 spins with a 10x multiplier. As you can see, this game gives you a lot more free spins to choose form with higher multipliers. Making a choice is not always easy. Area 21, a game recently introduced by Crytologic, also uses an approach based on similar properties.
Innovative Spins
Most online casino slots games offer free spins that can be triggered a second time. This essentially means that a triggering combination that appears during your free spins results in additional spins. Other games have more innovative ways of dishing out free spins and bonus rounds. For example, in Sneak A Peek Doctor Doctor, the yellow capsule represents a free spin that randomly appears on the fourth reel. When it bursts, the capsule gives out an extra number of free spins.
Bonus play varies depending on the game but one thing is for certain, with the current popularity of online slots games, more innovative free spin features are sure to come forth in the very near future.