Expandable Grid Feature in Online Slots
Online slots have evolved significantly from the classic fruit machines of old. Unlike traditional slot machines with fixed reel layouts, modern slots offer a variety of innovative features to enhance gameplay and provide more exciting experiences for players. One such feature is the expandable grid, which adds a dynamic element to traditional slot mechanics. This innovation represents a significant departure from the fixed grids of the past, contributing to the ongoing evolution of online slot design.
How Expandable Grids Work
Expandable grids in online slots refer to the ability of the game’s grid to expand in size, typically during bonus rounds or through specific triggers. This expansion can occur in different ways:
- Expanding Reels: The reels can expand vertically, adding more rows and symbols to the grid.
- Expanding Rows: The rows can expand horizontally, adding more reels and symbols.
- Both: Some slots combine both vertical and horizontal expansion for even bigger grids and more ways to win.
The expansion of the grid is usually triggered by landing special symbols, achieving consecutive wins, or activating bonus features. As the grid expands, the number of ways to win increases dramatically, creating more opportunities for players to land winning combinations. For example, some online slots have extra features that award extra spins when you hit scatter symbols.
Many modern online slots replace paylines with “ways to win.” In these slots, symbols don’t have to line up in patterns to make winning combinations — they only have to land on adjacent reels. This can generate 243 ways to win on a 5×3 grid. When combined with expanding reels, the number of possible winning combinations increases dramatically. Cascading reels, where winning symbols disappear and new symbols fall into place, can further enhance this effect.
Types of Grid Configurations
Online slots offer a variety of grid configurations to enhance gameplay. Some common configurations include:
- 3×3 Grid: This classic configuration features three reels and three rows, creating a simple and familiar layout.
- 5×4 and 5×5 Grids: These configurations offer more space for symbols and potential paylines, increasing the excitement and complexity of the game.
- Megaways: This innovative mechanic offers a dynamic grid where the number of symbols on each reel changes with every spin, creating thousands or even hundreds of thousands of ways to win. Megaways slots often incorporate cascading reels, where winning symbols disappear and new ones fall into place, potentially creating chain reactions of wins.
Impact on Gameplay
The expandable grid feature has a significant impact on online slot gameplay:
- Increased excitement: The dynamic nature of the expanding grid keeps players engaged and adds an element of surprise to each spin. The anticipation of the grid expanding and the potential for bigger wins create a more immersive and engaging experience.
- More ways to win: Expanding the grid creates more potential paylines or ways to win, increasing the chances of landing winning combinations and triggering bonus features.
- Bigger wins: With more ways to win, the potential for bigger payouts also increases, making the game more rewarding. For example, Mega Monster by RealTime Gaming (RTG) is a medium-to-high volatility online slot machine. This video slot features 5 reels and 20 paylines during regular play. Activate the expanding reels feature, and you’ll unlock more paylines, enhancing your chances of winning.
- Enhanced visual appeal: The expanding grid often comes with impressive animations and visual effects, making the game more visually appealing.
Popular Online Slots with Expandable Grids
Here are a few examples:
Bonanza Megaways, developed by Big Time Gaming, is a mining-themed slot that helped popularize the Megaways feature. It offers up to 117,649 ways to win with its expanding reels and cascading symbols. The game has an RTP of 96% and is known for its medium-high volatility, offering the potential for substantial wins.
Mega Monster by RealTime Gaming (RTG) offers a similar expanding reels feature. This feature activates more paylines, increasing your chances of winning. Additionally, landing 3 bonus symbols scattered across reels 2, 3, and 4 activates the Free Games feature, where bonus symbols occur more frequently.
All the slots on this page have Expandable grid feature.
