When you think about it, slots are incredibly simple. You press Spin and then the game plays itself as the reels turn. But how do they capture our attention for such long periods of time? One big factor is all the creative and fun features that they incorporate. The top slots with random features at Ignition Casino are quite popular, and in this article, we’ll talk about why.

Read on to learn about a selection of the most exciting slot features found in games on our site.

Free Spins – getting something for nothing

Well, this one is the leader of the pack, isn’t it? Free spins mean that you’ve made it to a true bonus round. There’s no more money to wager. You’re going to get spins without having to spend any money. And the prizes you win are yours to keep. Who wouldn’t love that?

Free spins rounds are often triggered by getting 3 or more scatter symbols. These are symbols that don’t have to line up on any particular payline. Instead, they can appear anywhere on the game board. Often, the number of scatters landed dictates how many free spins the player will get. The amount of free spins you get will be laid out in the game’s info or rules section. It could be a single-digit amount, or it could be into the 20s, depending on the game.

Example: Lawless Ladies – a western-themed slot that awards players 10 free spins for landing a particular symbol on reels 1 and 5.

Wilds – a little help to make a winning payline

Wilds are symbols that substitute for other symbols to help players complete a winning payline. For most games, wilds will not substitute for a scatter or other special symbol, but rather the basic symbols that constitute the bulk of the game’s winning rounds. Big wins can come from stringing together a bunch of wilds all in one shot, as they will likely lead to a large number of winning paylines.

Example: Reels and Wheels XL – a colorful game with wild diamonds and massive jackpot potential.

Expanding – wilds that grow

Some wilds are expanding wilds, which means that the symbol can grow to take over the entire reel. This means that, from top to bottom, you’ll get the benefit of having a wild symbol. This ensures that more paylines are covered and boosted toward a win.

Example: Zombie FC is a soccer-themed zombie slot with wilds that grow to monstrous proportions to help you score wins.

Random-Triggered Features – excitement that comes when you least expect it

We know what you’re probably thinking: aren’t all slots features random? Well, yes. But the features we’re talking about in this section are distinct from bonuses that require a special round to be triggered. Instead of taking you into a bonus round, random jackpots simply hit on any spin, and are awarded instantly.

Example: Crazy Camel Cash features a random jackpot that could hit at any time.

Progressive Jackpots

Progressive jackpots are made to create big winners.

When people think of huge wins at a slot room, it’s generally due to progressive jackpots. These amounts grow a little bit every time someone spins the reels on a particular game. Little additions to the prize pool add up over time, swelling the jackpot until someone hits it. If the jackpot is not hit for a long time, the amount can be massive – even over a million dollars.

Example: The biggest jackpots at Ignition are often found in Shopping Spree ($2.62M at the time of this writing), Reels and Wheels XL, 777 Deluxe, and other big games from the progressive slot section of the site.

Bonus Buy – cutting to the chase

Ignition Casino slots with bonus buy feature are some of the hottest games we have recently added to the slot offerings. These games allow players to skip the slow part of the game and get right into a bonus round whenever they want. There is a bonus buy button that shows the price to kick off a bonus round on demand. As soon as it is pressed and confirmed, the reels spin and are guaranteed to kick off a bonus round.

For players who love fast action, this is the only way to play.

Example: A Big Catch, where players who don’t fear great whites can reel in “the big one.” It’s pricey to buy the bonus round, but fortune favors the bold!

Megaways – so many ways to win

Megaways slots change the number of symbols on each reel from round to round, offering a new look on every spin. The number of ways to win is often very large, making wins quite frequent. If you like to shake things up and you want to see prizes coming out often, try out a Megaways game.

Example: Legend of Cleopatra Megaways – which brings in the mystique of Ancient Egyptian royalty.

Bonus Meter – building toward the big time

Some slot games have players work toward a big goal over time. This may be represented by a meter that slowly fills up as players encounter specified events. Games with this feature reward players for sticking around and build up anticipation of a large win that is “down the road” away. In a sense, these games require players to invest in a substantial prize that will come on a later spin.

Example: Gold Rush Gus – the classic mining-themed slot where a growing collection of prospected gems add up to a significant prize over time.

Cascading (aka “Tumbling”) Reels – making room for more wins

Cascading reel games take each win and offer the chance to “chain it” into another win. This happens because symbols on a winning payline disappear or pop, allowing room for more symbols to drop in (much like a game of Candy Crush). Think of it like a tiny, partial free spin. Wins can continuously be linked together, offering a surprising amount of excitement for normal spins.

Example: Sugar Pop – a colorful burst of fun; a slot game that’s all about popping candies and enjoying big, bold wins

Hold and Spin – fill up the reels for major prizes

Slot games with the hold and spin feature will lock in special symbols and respin the rest on successive rounds. The goal is to gradually fill the screen with the special symbol for a bonus payout. As you get closer and closer to completing all the available slots, you can really feel the anticipation reach a peak.

Example: In Chillin’ Penguins, symbols will freeze during the special round. Freeze them all for the top payout.

This list isn’t even exhaustive, but it gives you an idea of what is possible when you play slots. The variety of themes and special features makes for nearly endless entertainment!