Rotating Reels Slots Feature
Rotating Reels Slots Feature
One of the biggest frustrations for a slots player comes when they see the winning symbols they need on the reels, but they simply aren’t in the right combination to produce a prize. These near misses can sometimes be part of the allure of a game with big jackpots, but they can also be supremely discouraging, especially when you get absolutely nothing for them.
There have been several attempts by casino developers to give players ways to turn these near misses into exciting wins. Perhaps the most famous is the 243 Ways format that gets rid of paylines, but more creative solutions are also possible. One great example is the idea of rotating reels, a special feature that allows you to score wins in every direction imaginable – all on a single spin.
How It Works
Rotating reels is typically a feature seen as part of a bonus round, rather than as a standard gameplay element that is present on every spin. In other words, it is something you expect to see as an added bonus to a free spins round as a way to earn you even more money.
When the rotating feature is in effect, you’ll start by playing through what appears to be a standard spin, and you’ll be awarded prizes as normal. After that, however, you’ll watch as the display rotates 90 degrees, after which your paylines will pay out for a second time. Another 90 degree rotation will offer up a third set of potential winners, and a final rotation provides a fourth. The game will then reset to the original position for your next spin.
Essentially what’s happening here is that you are being given prizes for the same paylines in four directions: starting on the left, the right, the top and the bottom of the layout. It’s like getting four times as many spins as normal!
Advantages for Players
The obvious advantage to this feature is that every spin with rotating reels has the potential to offer up big rewards. Pile a lot of the same symbol on the screen, and they’ll make wins in every direction. Over the long run, you’ll win about four times as much money with this feature than you would with normal spins.
This style of play is also pretty fun. You’ll find yourself looking for combinations in places you’ve never had to before, taking your eyes all over the screen. It’s easy to be surprised by a win when there are a lot of scattered symbols that may or may not fit into your paylines once they rotate around. It’s always a delight to get extra winnings, especially when you aren’t expecting them!
Potential Drawbacks
Having this feature is never worse than not having it, at least in a vacuum: obviously, there is no scenario where the rotating reels are worse than a normal spin. That said, it’s possible to think of ways in which this bonus may not be quite as lucrative as it first seems.
First, remember that this is (at least for now) normally only seen during free spins games. That means that for most of the game, the moving reels are just a tantalizing possibility, and not actually a part of the gameplay. Once you do get to these special spins, it’s also possible to come away with very little: the rotations certainly do not guarantee that you’ll win anything, even if prizes become more likely.
Finally, players who don’t generally like “gimmicky” features aren’t going to be big fans of this one. If you’d rather just get a lot more free spins or a multiplier on your winnings, this type of bonus round isn’t right for you.
Where to Play
The rotating reels system is a relatively new development in online slots, and that means that there aren’t many games yet that have been designed with this concept just yet. In fact, we’ve so far seen it on just a couple of games: the Gods of Giza machine that was developed by Genesis Gaming in 2015 and Galactic Speedway by Booming Games, a newer provider that are making waves in the world of Bitcoin slot machines.
With Gods of Giza, as the name would suggest, this game features a heavy Egyptian theme. There are hieroglyphics on the symbols and the backdrop, and many Egyptian gods and figures can be seen amongst the symbols you are attempting to match. The entire game takes place on a four by four grid of symbols; during main gameplay, the 20 paylines run left-to-right across the game board.
In order to activate the rotating reels, you’ll first need to find three scatter symbols anywhere on the screen. When this occurs, you’ll be rewarded with eight free spins, each of which comes with a full rotation. This means that you’ll have four chances to score on each free play.
Given that this is a pretty easy to understand feature, and one that obviously makes for a more exciting bonus round, we hope that other developers will find ways of incorporating it into their own games. It’s a fun, non-intrusive idea with the potential to award big wins, something we think most players would be happy to see more of.
