In-game bonus rounds are a significant factor that attracts new and existing players from playing their favorite titles. As the global gaming industry continues to witness a surge of gaming developers, competition is progressively peaking. To cut a niche for themselves, these developers have continually customized their bonus rounds to draw the biggest possible crowd of gamers uniquely.
Free slots with bonus rounds have been designed with peculiar activation moves and procedures. It means to appeal to diverse players from across the world. The commonest ones range from free spins to multipliers and expanded winning configurations in case you land a specific formation.
What Are Bonus Games
Bonus rounds are features that mean to broaden your winning chances across games. Broadly, these bonuses can be spread into two categories; bonus in-games and free spins. Although these bonuses are attached to guaranteed winning formations, they are mostly activated after landing a certain number of scatter or bonus symbols. Also, bonus games can be set to randomly unlock with no absolute skill as to the applicable strategy.
As to the bonus combinations, they vary across games. There are those based on a bonus wheel approach, Click me features, mystery or Arcade-style bonuses. On all these bonus approaches, there are special symbols that you need to look at keenly. Wilds, Scatters and special bonus symbols are some of the bonus-pointing symbols.
Activate Bonus Rounds
While there are many bonus approaches, playing bonus rounds and activating them depends on the type and individual step-by-step moves. Players need to differentiate between these bonuses to determine the procedures of triggering them.
Bonus Wheel Games: Under this type, slot players are offered a wheel to spin and then stand a chance of bagging extra credits. This wheel comes with several wedges, and the prize won is by the section of the wheel pointed by the flipper once the wheel stops.
Click Me Bonus: On this type of bonus feature, players are taken to a mini-screen after activating the special feature. Once on this small screen, players are prompted to pick random items which bear random giveaways. It could be instant cash prizes or extra playing rounds.
Arcade-Style Bonuses: As competition for players rises, developers are improving the in-game features to include what experts’ term as ‘a game within a game’. Although no special skills are needed to play these bonus rounds, some games come with duels that involve, for instance, shooting down aliens or going on a mission to steal treasured jewels from highly-secured quarters.
Mystery Bonus Activations: This is the most exciting type of bonus. Unlike other features which are triggered by landing a given number of scatters or special symbols, mystery bonuses come with exceptional characteristics including flashy lights or sound effects which are indicative of the random chances that a player stands.
Free spins: These are the commonest bonus rounds in slots. In most cases, free spins are activated when a player gets at least 3 scatter symbols. In rare cases, free spins are activated by a range of other special symbols like when wild symbols replace regular symbols.
Chances of Playing the Extra Bonus Round
The main aim of designing in-game bonuses is to reward players with exciting prizes on top of the base game payout. The question is whether winning a bonus round is guaranteed, provided you choose a game with a bonus round. The answer is no. Bonuses are entirely luck rewards with no recourse to any absolute strategy or tips. Nonetheless, you stand better chances if you repeatedly play a game, especially on demo mode before trying the real money game.
In some bonus games like Wheel of Fortune by IGT, the journey to winning the top prize will depend on your luck the moment you land at least three wheels of fortune symbols. Initially, the triple extreme bonus round is activated. The player is presented with red, yellow and blue mini-wheels. The yellow wheel has various multipliers while the rest offer extra credits. If you are going for the top prize, you will further be presented with extra three envelopes which carry bigger bonus prizes.
In addition to the possibility of winning bigger prizes, the excitement that comes from bonus rounds is unmatched. If you consider arcade-style bonus games, the fun factor is great. Playing a slot game where you have to participate in a mission to get away with treasured gems or hunting down dangerous aliens is an excellent source of fun. Drawing from the popularity of conventional combat or mission-based video games, slot developers are proving to be some of the greatest creators of gaming fun content.
Best Free Slots with Bonus Rounds
Here are some of the best slots with incredible bonus rounds.
Buffalo. Built by Aristocrat, Buffalo is an exciting wild west American-themed game that offers a huge RTP of 94.85%. With high volatility, the in-game bonus rounds are attractively generous. They come courtesy of gold scatters symbols that trigger a round of free spins. 3, 4 and 5 gold symbols activate 8, 15 and 20 free spins respectively. There is also the wild bonus where the wilds your total wins get a 2× or 3× multiplier. Through the wild, you can as well take home the 12,000× multiplier non-progressive jackpot if you get 5 of them on an active payline .
5 Dragons. There are two bonus rounds on this game. Free spins and an extra reward feature courtesy of scatter symbols. Created by Aristocrat, the game has an RTP of 95.17% and a bonus round of free spins and wild features. The 8-shaped wild and the Money Wallet scatter symbols activate payout and bonus features if they form part of a winning combination. The scatter symbol activates free spins where you can win up to 20 free spins in case 3 of them anywhere on reels.
Queen of the Nile. In this Egyptian-themed game, bonus rounds are activated through Scatter and wild symbols. A Pyramid symbol represents a scatter symbol. If 3 of these symbols appear on reels, the free spins round is triggered. 2 pyramid symbols will get you two coins, three pyramids will give you five coins while 4 and 5 symbols will get you 20 and 400 coins respectively. The Cleopatra Queen represents Wild Symbol. Any line where Cleopatra is part of the winning combination, the player will have his line bet doubled. 2 wild symbols will get you ten coins, three wild symbols yield 200 coins, four yields 2000 while five wilds wins the jackpot of 9,000 coins.
50 Lions. Created by Aristocrat, this game also has bonus rounds courtesy of the flower scatter symbol. If you are lucky to spot at least 3 of these symbols on reels 1, 2 and 3, you will get a round of 15 free spins. This, coupled with a high RTP of 94.71% plus low volatility, gives you a good edge over the house.
Free Video Slots with Bonus Rounds no Download
Pink Panther. Bonus rounds are in the form of an extra spins feature which is triggered by the scatter symbol. Get at least 3 of these symbols. You will unlock this feature where the juicy round is activated by five scatter symbols that give you a 100× multiplier. 4 scatter symbols give you 20× with a maximum prize of 250× started by a screen full of Black Panther symbols.
Gladiator. Built by Playtech, this is a movie-inspired slot with exciting bonus rounds. It has an adventurous theme and a mission game approach. With General Maximus fighting for his villain rights, this slot comes with a bonus feature that is triggered by 3 Coliseum scatter symbols which award three free spins and a multiplier possibility of up to 100×. Besides a collection of 9 helmets reveal instant cash prizes which are topped up to your base game jackpot winnings.
Family Guy. Inspired by the famous cartoon TV show by the same name, IGT created this slot with a host of bonus rounds. The scatter will, for instance, activate a round of 20 random free spins if you land at least three of them anywhere on reels 2, 3 and 4.
Immortal Romance. With a romance theme, this slot game is rich in graphics and significant bonus features that are unlocked after a few base game spins. There are special features that rigger these bonuses as follows.
Amber
Gives you 10 additional spins that you can multiply by 5 and retrigger for an extra round.
Troy
If you come across it and its skills on the 5th trigger, he will get you 15 free spins on top of the Vampire Bats feature.
Vampire Bats feature
It randomly assigns 2x or 3x multiplier to the random symbol.
Michael Free Spins
You are awarded 20 free spins and rolling reels. Consecutive wins will have your multiplier increased from 2× to 5×.
Sarah Free Spins
It comes with a batch of 25 free spins plus a Wild Vine feature. The wild symbol has the potential of transforming other symbols into wilds.
Wild Vine
In case you get it on the 3rd reel, it will instantly turn the other symbols to the ones you lack for your bet to win.
Free Penny Slots with Bonus Rounds
Playable from a single penny, these are games meant for low budget players. Even so, they come with bigger bonuses and bonus rounds owing to the special intrinsic features. A few examples include;
Divine Fortune. Created by NetEnt, this game offers you a good range of bonus rounds. Wild symbols in the base game trigger the Falling Wilds Re-spins feature. Wilds are shifted one position down, and you will continue spotting more wilds should it expand to cover the whole reel. There is also a round of 12 free spins activated by 3 free spins symbols anywhere on reels.
Blaze of Ra. This slot gives a cool in-game bonus round in the form of free spins, which stem from the base game courtesy of the wild symbol as follows. If you spot at least 3 Book of Ra symbols anywhere on reels, you will relish 10 free spins. However, even before picking these bonus spins, some of the symbols will expand to cover at least three positions, thereby broadening the chances of landing matching symbols. Also, during the free spins, you will enjoy a 2× multiplier hence winnings from the 10 free spins will be doubled.
Superman. When playing this Playtech’s game, the main attraction is the free spins feature which is activated by the Daily Planet symbols. If you get 3, 4, 5 or 6 scatter symbols will award you 8, 15, 25 and 100 free spins respectively. Also, if you get at least 2 scatter symbols during the re-spin feature, you will get an additional bunch of 5 free spins. Players can as well leverage the power symbols feature. All power symbols transform into a high-value superhuman symbol that fetches bigger wins.
Free Vegas Slots with Bonus Rounds
Vegas slots are also known as class 3 slots. With these games, the outcome of each spin is determined by the Random Number Generator (RNG) at the instant when the auto spin button is pressed. A few examples with bonus rounds include:
Quick Hit. This slot will get you rewarded with nice in-game bonuses and a top prize of 2,500 times your line bets. The free spins feature is, for instance, activated through the bonus symbol. Getting at least three bonus symbols on reels 2, 3, and 4 will trigger the feature. When they show up, a player is taken to an 18-square grid on the screen. You will then be prompted with a six extras option, which unravels the ultimate and specific number of free spins. The 6 extras represent 5, 7, 10, 11, and 15 free spins with a 2× multiplier or 20 free spins and 3× multiplier. The feature can be retriggered to yield up to 50 bonus spins.
Burning Hot. Built by EGT Interactive, this slot game has loads of in-game bonus rounds. Players have access to the random bonus (Jackpot Cards Mystery). Each Mystery card is represented by a suite of cards; diamonds, clubs, hearts, and spades. Players will then select cards from the pick options of 12 face-down cards. In case they reveal three matching symbols, they win random credits to their accounts.
Cops N Robbers. Vegas Vacation – Developed by Novomatic, this game has cool bonus rounds on top of a 1,000× jackpot. There is the free spins round, which has diverse bonus spins as follows. The Daylight Robberies symbols show up on the 5th reel while the bonus symbol appears on reels 1 and 3. This activates a round of unlimited free spins and an additional wild (Bonzo). This wild roams around reels after each spin yielding 4 bouncing wild symbols and a 2× multiplier.
Free 3D Slots no Download with Bonus Rounds
3D slots with no download refer to slots that come with immersive 3D graphics and sound enhancements. The gaming experience is almost real, as there are intriguing animations, backgrounds, and stimulating musicals. These games also come with bonus rounds, as evidenced by these examples.
Jurassic Park. Developed by Microgaming, this slot is based on a movie that goes by the same name. Players have access to juicy bonus rounds when playing the game. You can take advantage of the initial 12 free spins courtesy of the Dilophosaurus scatter symbol appearing on the three middle reels.
Rocky. This game is served with a Balboa wild and an Italian Stallion as the scatter. While five wilds will get you 100 times the initial stakes jackpot, the Stallion scatter will garner you 12, 16, and 20 free spins when you get 3, 4, and 5 of them anywhere on reels.
Houses of Fun. This game comes with the Mystery Box as the scatter symbol. Landing at least 3 of these on reels will get a free spins round plus an animated Jack. Center reels become wild, making the game more lucrative. At least 3 Mad Host symbols trigger the Click-Me feature on the 1st, 2nd, or 3rd reel.
Hot as Hades. This game comes with cool bonus rounds that will get you winning big. To get you started is the Super Mode Free Spins feature, which is activated randomly. It guarantees you five free spins. During this round, an on-screen symbol will appear and transform into a Held Wild. Three of these wilds will give you a 2× multiplier applicable to your total winnings. Players can also benefit from the Quest for the Crystal Helm Bonus. It is activated by at least three scatter symbols. During this feature, the player is set to reclaim the Helm, which is jealously guarded by godly siblings. This is a multi-level mission in which the following levels give you access to various rewards.
Level 1
You are taken to pillars of Awesomeness to pick amongst the four pots and win instant cash prizes with a ‘Win All’ option.
Level 2
Referred to as the Medusa’s Gaze in which you have to choose a path. There are three cash prizes, including a ‘WIN ALL’ option.
Level 3
Poseidon’s Ocean, where you have to pick a shell with two end options. You have to tread carefully.
Level 4
Zeus Stairway in which players select clouds with two cash prizes and two end options.
Level 5
This is the chamber of the Crystal Skull in which you have two choices to make and get the lucky chest.
I think these games are targeted more towards younger audiences because us old fogies grew up with a little phrase “nothing in life is free” so i’ll stay far away from these because whether you wanna believe it or not there’s always a catch
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I think these games are targeted more towards younger audiences because us old fogies grew up with a little phrase “nothing in life is free” so i’ll stay far away from these because whether you wanna believe it or not there’s always a catch