Video Game Slots What They Are & How They Work

Flashy graphics, quality soundtracks, complex storylines. Today's video game slots sound more like a big budget movie than reel-based entertainment! But what exactly are they, how do they work, and are they actually worth playing? Here are my candid answers to these pressing video game slots questions - and more.

Introduction to Video Game Slots

My earliest memory of slots was the penny ones my grandparents used to let us play on our day trip to the seaside. Some of them still had pull levers too! Fast-forward to the launch of the first online casino in the early 90s and those mechanical slots started to make their online debut - albeit very simple at first. However, it didn't take long for these early video slots to start flourishing in every way imaginable. And man, are there tons of them today! But what exactly are they?

What Are Video Game Slots?

Put simply, video game slots are basically the modern version of classic slots. What were once not-so-affectionately nicknamed one-armed bandits featuring mechanical reels and rows of fruits (or dreaded gaps!) have morphed into modern slot games that operate on complex software and sport flashy graphic-rich gameplay on screens. It was a huge leap, one that led to the explosion in the number and variety of video slots we're treated to today - and that's literally thousands!

How Video Game Slots Work

Video game slots work a lot like their classic predecessors, but with a flashier façade and a little more complexity. Instead of 3 reels and 1 to 3 fixed paylines, today's typical video slots game runs 5 reels (sometimes more!) at once and offers many more paylines - 10, 20, 50, 100+. Many even move away from fixed paylines altogether to so-called 'ways to win' - where you simply match symbols on consecutive reels, as with Megaways slots.

I remember being somewhat cynical of the transition from mechanical to video from a fairness perspective. However, fairness is baked into video slots' complex algorithms by way of a Random Number Generator (RNG), which ensures every spin result is entirely random and independent from the last and the next. Despite those colourful graphics, video slots are still all about chance.

Key Features of Video Game Slots

Because video slots play out on a screen, gameplay and features can be infinitely more detailed and involved than the limited nudges and odd respin of classic slots. Here are a few key features of modern video slots:

• Wilds: Ok, so wilds themselves are not new, but the flexibility of walking, expanding, transferring, and even splitting wilds is a signature feature of modern video game slots.

• Bonus rounds: While classic slots might have thrown you a free spin or two, today's slots offer free spins with increasing win multipliers, pick-me features, battle rounds, progressive collection challenges - the possibilities are endless.

• Avalanches/cascades: One of my personal favourite features, symbols involved in winning lines disappear, with new ones taking their place from above, which can trigger additional wins in the same spin - you won't see that on a classic mechanical slot!

• Variable reel setups: I love the deluxe and duplicated versions of existing video slots, like in Gorilla Gold Megaways, where you play multiple reel sets at once. Or the mashup of differing reel sizes on the same reel set, as in Spartacus: Gladiator of Rome. Or unlockable reel sets as in the Money Train series.

Why Video Game Slots Are Popular in the UK

With video slots, there's tons of room to inject popular culture, which is one of the reasons why they go down so well in the UK. Today's video game slots come in a massive range of themes, such as ancient Egyptian (Book of Dead, Cleopatra), music (Guns 'n Roses, Ozzy Osbourne), space (Starburst, Reactoonz), and, of course, Irish luck (Rainbow Riches, Finn and the Swirly Spin) - to mention just a few.

Other video slots UK players love include those based on popular films, like The Goonies and Jumanji, and TV shows such as Britain's Got Talent and Deal or No Deal. Personally, I think we have more than enough fishing themed slots, like Fishin' Frenzy and Big Bass Bonanza, but I do love anime ones like Moon Princess.

Types of Video Game Slots Available

Beyond themes and features, video game slots can be grouped into specific types. Here's a quick run-through of the most common ones:

• Megaways: Due to their unique setup of variably sized reels, Megaways slots offer a different number of ways to win on each spin, often reaching insane numbers like 117,649 (Rasputin offers a staggering 2,985,984 ways to win in the Big & Strong feature!).

• Cluster Pays: Instead of set paylines on spinning reels, video slots like Jammin' Jars have a grid-style setup that pays out for clusters of matching symbols (often combined with cascades).

• Jackpots: Many video slots come with linked jackpots, such as Playtech's power jackpots in the Age of the Gods series, Blueprint's Jackpot King in slots like King Kong Cash, and Games Global's WowPots such as in Book of Atem.

Tips for Playing Video Game Slots

With such a massive variety, it's easy to get overwhelmed and lose track of both time and spend. Here are a few tips and tricks I use to keep my head on my shoulders while exploring video game slots:

• Set a deposit limit: This is always my step 1 and super important for making sure your spending doesn't get away from you. PlayOJO's deposit limit tool lets you set daily, weekly, and monthly limits, and it's good to use them.

• Understand slot volatility: Not all slots play the same. Low volatility slots pay little and often, while high volatility games seem filled with endless dry spells before triggering a huge feature. I like to choose lower volatility slots to make my balance last a bit longer.

• Check the paytable: You're not just looking for payouts here. Look at the symbols, find out which does what, and how gameplay progresses. Understanding how the slot works will make you feel a little less like a deer in the headlights.

• Enjoy yourself: I always make a rule where if I start to feel like the slot somehow has it in for me and I'm getting salty, I stop. No endless hope-spinning for feature triggers, no chasing losses, no 'win is due' mentality. Video game slots are there to have fun, so make sure that's your focus.

Common Mistakes with Video Game Slots

In the same vein, I see people making the same mistakes when playing video game slots, so let's snuff some of those out right now:

• Playing like it's a skill game: Video slots are driven by Random Number Generators, with no element of skill to them. There's no way to game these games: they're all down to chance.

• Holding on cos you're 'due' a win: No matter how long you've been playing, remember the gambler's fallacy. Wins come and go based on pure luck, nothing else. Not the layout or outcome of previous spins nor the length of time you've been playing.

• Jumping right in head first: It takes 30 seconds to rifle through the game's info pages to see which symbols do what and how the feature works. Take the time to at least adjust the bet size and save yourself a costly learning curve.

Are Video Game Slots Worth Playing?

In my view? Absolutely. Video game slots are an incredible demonstration of diversity in everything from symbols and paylines to mechanics and themes. With so many thousands of them to choose from these days, there really is something for everyone (not to mention every device!).

While many of these slots can and do carry the potential for large payouts, that's not their true value. Video slots fans, myself included, play these games for their entertaining stories, pop cultural references, and engaging gameplay - not their outcomes.

The Bottom Line on Modern Slots

From one-armed bandits to multi-payline, mobile-friendly, graphical stories, video game slots are the result of technological progress and creativity. If you can imagine it, there's a video slot that matches it. As you explore the endless variety, do as I do and remember to keep your feet on the ground with PlayOJO's deposit limits and session reminders - keeping the focus firmly on fun.