The new online slots currently being released to the market have some immersive mechanics that take the action to a whole new level of entertainment. Of course, players who enjoy classic slots focused on simplicity are still relishing their dose of new releases, but nothing beats the innovation the industry is enjoying right now. So, here’s a look at the most fascinating online slot machine features you’ll encounter when you play new online slot machine games today.
Megaways
The Megaways random reel modifier mechanic from Big Time Gaming is arguably the most exquisite slot machine innovation right now. This slot feature randomly changes how many reels and symbols appear on the reels at any given time, and this subsequently expands the number of possible paylines or winning ways.
Players can therefore go out of the traditional single-digit to triple-digit ways-to-win range, with the feature expanding that range to over half a million ways to win. Thanks to Megaways, some slots offer up to 15,625 ways to win, while others offer up to a mind-boggling 586,789 winning ways.
Players have relished the Megaways feature so much that Big Time Gaming has been generous enough to license it out to other slot machine developers like Microgaming, Play’n Go and Blueprint Gaming. Some of the most immersive Megaways slots you can play right now are as follows:
| Slot | Game Developer | Ways to Win (Megaways) |
| Genie Jackpots Megaways | Blueprint Gaming | Up to 15,625 |
| Fu Fortunes Megaways | iSoftBet | Up to 46,656 |
| Dazzle Me Megaways | NetEnt | Up to 99,225 |
| Shamrock Holmes Megaways | All41 Studios | Up to 117,649 |
| Gorilla Gold Megaways | Blueprint Gaming | Up to 470,596 |
| Holy Diver Megaways | Big Time Gaming | Up to 586,789 |
Avalanche Reels
Like the natural avalanche occurrence, the avalanche reels introduce a system where symbols fall into the grid and are replaced with other symbols whenever a winning combination is formed. So, whenever you line up matching symbols anywhere on the grid, the matched combo disappears, and the empty space is replaced with a new set of random symbols.
The most exciting aspect of the avalanche feature is that there is no limit on the number of avalanches you can get. As such, there’s a potential for hitting several avalanches in a single play, which boosts your chances of bagging one huge payout from one tiny wager. You can enjoy this feature in the following slots:
- Gem Rocks by Yggdrasil
- Ecuador Gold by Elk Studios
- Asgardian Stones by NetEnt
- Crystal Queen Slot by Quickspin.
InfiniReels Feature
Originally established by Swedish provider NetEnt, the InfiniReels slot feature introduces an extra reel on the grid for every consecutive win you land, with no upper limit set. As such, provided you keep landing back-to-back wins, your winning potentials expand as the additional number of reels also increases your winning ways. The most popular slots with this feature are Dragons Fire InfiniReels and Gods of Gold InfiniReels, developed by NetEnt.
Cluster Pays
The cluster pays mechanic is a slot machine feature that activates the winning combinations in clusters regardless of their position, lines or reels. So, as long as matching symbols land next to each other, touching at least one side of a similar symbol, you get your winning cluster.
Payouts earned in the cluster will depend on each symbol’s worth: the bigger the cluster, the more payout you’ll collect. Players particularly relish slots with this feature as the clusters open you up to the possibility of landing more sizeable payouts in a spin. The Twin Spin Deluxe by NetEnt and Red Tiger Gaming’s Royal Gems are some of the coolest Cluster Pays slots you can enjoy.
Gigablox Mechanic
Through its Lucky Necko Gigablox slot, Yggdrasil introduced the online slot machines world to the Giglabox mechanic. This feature bears a striking resemblance to the Megaways mechanic because it offers more ways to win. However, the differentiating factor is that in a Gigablox mechanic on any reels, the symbols can combine to create 2×2, 3×3, 4×4, or 5×5 sized slot symbols.
So, essentially, the focus here is on the reels rather than the symbols. In this feature, instead of landing giant symbols on the reels, you can highlight the reels, and then the symbols on those highlighted reels can be formed into one giant block of symbols. The net result is that you get an innovative reel-spinning session and the chance to walk away with massive wins.
Final Thoughts
The online slot machine scene is getting more exciting by the day. Initially, the most interesting features players would enjoy in online slots were wild and scatter elements, which usually trigger win multipliers and free spins. However, owing to the cut-throat competition among developers in the ever-growing industry, new proprietary features keep being injected into online slots, and players have the time of their lives.
The next time you go for online reel spinning sessions, pick a game with one of the innovative features we’ve discussed today, and you’ll be blown away. Don’t settle for less!
