Pokies, or slot machines as the rest of the world calls them, fascinate players because of various reasons. Some players love them because of the nostalgia, and not because they used to play them in the past: many people saw those in older movies. Others like the modern versions, with great animation, fun effects, generous payouts, and so on.
There are plenty of types of pokies, but big categories include classic, video, 3D, and Megaways. Of course, you can play casino online for real money and find other types of slots, but these are the most common options at online gambling NZ. Thus, we explore the main features of each type in this post.
Classic Machines
These pokies are the simplest form of the game. They use a three-reel grid similar to the original “one-armed bandit” machines that are still available in land-based casinos.
Virtual pokies in online gambling NZ casinos also simulate classic symbols. You’ll find these:
- lemons;
- cherries;
- oranges;
- BARs;
- sevens;
You spin the reels and hope to match symbols on a single payline. These games don’t have complex bonus features or multiple paylines. Their main appeal comes from nostalgia and simplicity.
Modern Video Pokies
These machines are the most common type in online gambling NZ casinos in the modern age. They typically use five reels or more instead of three. The number of paylines can reach 20 or more, which increases the number of possible winning combinations.
These games introduce Wild symbols, which substitute for other symbols to complete wins, and Scatter symbols, which can trigger bonus rounds and free spins. Video pokies often use advanced graphics and sound to create diverse themes, from ancient history to popular movies.
They often have innovative mechanics, like Hold & Win, cluster pays, avalanche, and so on. Video pokies attract visually and with generous payouts.
3D Slots
As the name implies, these are an advanced form of video pokies that focus on high-quality graphics and animation. The visual elements create the illusion that symbols and characters stand out from the screen.
Many 3D slots include short animated scenes, storylines, and interactive elements that develop as you play. Characters can react to wins or trigger unique events during the game.
While the graphics are more advanced, the core mechanics of reels, paylines, Wilds, Scatters, and so on, are similar to standard video pokies.
Megaways
These pokies introduced a new mechanic at online gambling NZ casinos. Megaways machine changes the number of symbols on each reel with every spin.
Each reel can display between two and seven symbols, which can create up to 117,649 ways to win. This mechanic changes the odds on every spin and increases potential payouts.
Many Megaways games also feature cascading reels, where winning symbols disappear and new ones drop in their place, giving you a chance to score multiple wins in one round. Megaways slots are often highly volatile, meaning wins can be rare but significantly larger than in other pokies.