5 Most Popular Slot Variations
June 20 2024, Published 3:00 a.m. ET
Some of you may be surprised to learn when I tell you that there are currently over 8,000 online fruit machines widely available to play on hundreds of fully licensed and regulated websites.
Incredibly, this number continues to climb almost daily because, when I last checked, there were more than 100 well-established independent studios and major software providers who make online fruitys, and most of these companies release anywhere from one to ten new titles per month throughout the year.
I played my first one back in 2014, so just over ten years ago, and since then, I’ve played hundreds, so I consider myself a seasoned pro and connoisseur when it comes to online fruitys, which is why I’ve decided to put together this page revealing five of the most popular online fruity machine variants I’ve come across.
The information here is aimed at anyone like me who loves playing and is keen to learn more about the industry’s most popular digital entertainment content.
What are the top 5 most common online fruit machine variations?
After playing online fruitys on numerous websites and from each of the industry’s most well-established providers, I’ve discovered that many seem to produce similar variants. For example, the five most common online fruit machine variations out there today are the following:
- Fixed coin online fruit machines
- Progressive jackpot online fruit machines
- High, medium or low volatility online fruit machines
- Megaways online fruit machines
- Bonus round online fruit machines
Some online fruitys fall into several of these categories, and others may only fall into one or two. These are the main variations I have noticed, anyway.
Are there any other variations?
Yes, I’ve also noticed many other common online fruit machine variations. For example, you can find hundreds of classic 3-reel fruitys at multiple gambling sites that are listed on sites like www.askgamblers.com, with many of them free to play. These ones are far more basic and laid-back.
They typically only have 1 to 5 paylines, 3 reels, no in-play bonus features, free spins bonus rounds, or simple second-screen picking bonuses where you can win additional prizes.
I’d say that these online fruitys are ideal for beginners or anyone looking for something less complex. The more feature-rich ones that I and so many other people love are the 5 and 6-reel video fruitys with at least one to three bonus features, and either multiple paylines, win ways or Megaways.
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Megaways is an engine that was pioneered by a software provider called BTG. It can now be found in over 220 online fruitys from 30+ other studios, not just BTG. This innovative software provider currently licenses out their ground-breaking Megaways mechanic to other studios.
The technology was introduced back in 2017 and it quickly gave birth to a new variation of online fruitys (Megaways fruitys) that completely revolutionised them and brought new life to online fruitys, making them more appealing to young and old audiences.
Unlike a standard 10-paylined fruity, which we know has 10 fixed paylines/possible ways to win each time you hit the spin button, or a 243 Win Ways fruity, which has 243 possible ways to win per spin, where the wins pay from left to right AND from right to left, Megaways fruitys work differently.
Thanks to this technology, each time you hit the spin button, the number of possible winning combinations is different because the symbols on each of the 5 or 6 reels are different sizes and can measure anywhere from 1 to 5 symbol positions high.
In these popular online fruitys, there can be anywhere from 243 possible ways to win (Megaways) up to 1,000,000 Megaways per spin. However, in most of the hit titles, the maximum Megaways per spin is usually capped at 117,649.
Which software companies have produced the most popular online fruitys?
Some of the most notable companies I think most people will agree with that have produced the world’s most popular online fruit machines with high or above-average RTP% (return to player) payout rates, immersive storylines with likeable characters, engaging and rewarding bonus rounds, and thoroughly entertaining animations, are the following multi-award-winning providers:
- GamesGlobal
- Red Tiger
- Pragmatic Play
- Blueprint
- Relax
- IGT
- NetEnt
- Play’n GO
- BTG
- Playtech
The other world-class providers with excellent back catalogues that I also think you will enjoy exploring are Yggdrasil, Skywind, Novomatic, Inspired, Thunderkick, Light & Wonder, ELK Studios, Hacksaw, Iron Dog Studios, StakeLogic, and Playson, to name a few.
Final thoughts
When searching for online fruit machines to play, the ones I’ve mentioned on this page are the most common variants you will likely encounter. When I’m looking for online fruitys to play today, I tend to search for them by which provider made them because I prefer playing ones from specific companies.
I also like to narrow down my searches even more by looking for online fruit machines with a certain theme. My favourite online fruity machine themes I’m currently liking at the moment are Wild West, Leprechauns, Ancient Egypt, Horror, and Sports.
Some of the other popular online fruity theme variations I also enjoy playing are Science Fiction, Movies & TV Shows, and Norse Mythology.