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Slots players live for hitting a bonus round. It is one of two exciting events possible in a slots game: 1. you hit a bonus round, and 2. you hit a jackpot. But we are going to look at bonus games right now.

Something to know about bonus games is that they are factored into the payout percentage of a slots game. This means that that 94% slots game that you are spinning the reels on, that will pay back 94% of wagers put into it, is partially made up of any winnings made in a bonus round. So keep that in mind while you are playing.

For example you are playing that 94% slots game and you are having a hard time triggering the bonus game, but the game is making fairly frequent smaller payouts. It is pretty good logic that most of its payout percentage is derived from regular game play.

Now if another game with a 94% payout percentage does not seem to be paying out in regular play, but the bonus game is fairly easy to trigger, it stands to reason that the bonus winnings factor in more in the payout percentage.

It is up to you to decide which type of slots game you want to put your money into. Personally I would tend towards the latter.

A bonus game’s factor in payout percentage is only one faucet of their nature. Bonus games do not have a probability assigned to them. While slots games have a probability assigned for it in terms of your odds of hitting the jackpot. Bonus games do not. So do not play assuming that you have some sort of odds value assigned to hitting that bonus game.

But then game developers know that nowadays slots players are drawn to online slots games for their bonuses. Some keep this in mind in a positive way by creating one of those two types of games I mentioned above.

However, you will come across game designers that will take advantage of this well-known draw to slots games. They take the knowledge of what attracts an online slots player and will design a game with poor regular game play and a bonus game that is not easy to trigger.

These games should be avoided, and when you find that you are playing one walk away from it and find a different one to play.

Also keep in mind what I said about how bonus games affect the payout percentage when you are playing. Try to determine which type of game you are playing and whether it suits your taste in slots games.

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Microgaming brings slots players a fun online slots game with a witchy twist.

While there are other magic oriented slots games to be found online, this one presents the best quality in graphics and animation. The slots game in question would be Witches Wealth. This is a five reel online slots game with nine paylines.

Slots players will be playing with Jars of Eyes, Jeweled Goblets, Magic Dust, Potions, Spell Books and an Owl. The animation when winning combinations are landed are exquisite, as is the detail on each symbol. But can the graphics and animation live up to a good game?

Slots players are given a Wild, a Scatter and a two level bonus game.

Serena is the Wild Witch. And she is better than the average Wild, but then she is a witch. She will substitute for all symbols except for the one that triggers the bonus game. This includes the Scatter. It is not often that slots players come across a Wild that will substitute for the Scatter as well. She also will payout like a Scatter too. And I have to say that her animation is one of the best in the game.

As for the Scatter itself, it is a cute little Bat. He unfortunately does not trigger anything, but with him working together with the Wild slots players will have an easier time landing some Scatter wins.

But it is a little blue cat named Mr. Twinkles that slots players will want to see the most of, and not because he is cute. He is the trigger to the bonus game. Landing three to four of him on an active payline will take you to the Spinning Wand bonus game. In this bonus game slots players spin the wand; whatever it comes to rest on is the bonus prize, unless the wand lands on Bonus. If it does players are taken to the second level of the bonus game.

The second level is called the Flying Rescue. Here slots players have to avoid falling objects in their effort to rescue poor Mr. Twinkles. Taking Mr. Twinkles all the way home will result in tripled winnings.

But if slots players land five Mr. Twinkles on an active payline they will be taken straight to the Flying Rescue bonus game where they can win up to 16,200 coins.

Now that we know what all Witches Wealth has to offer, let’s talk about its game play.

Regular game play is on the slow side so you will not get to see those animations too often. But when it does payout this online slots game tends to at least give you at least the cost of a spin in most cases. The bonus game is not as easy to trigger as others, but it is triggerable. The only downside is that if you only land three Mr. Twinkles the most you can win from spinning the want is eighty coins.

I have to say that while this is a wonderful example of the graphic abilities of slots games designers, the actual game play does not make this one suitable for anything other than low stakes playing. But it is worth a shot to see it.

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With Microgaming and Rival releasing new online slots games for the spring, Vegas Technology sets loose their latest games. This time there are four new online slots games for players to dive into: Jurassic Slots, Bigfoot, Butterflies and California Gold.

First we will take a look at the new Jurassic Slots. Inspired by the blockbuster hit of 1993, this is going to be a five reel online slots game with twenty five paylines. Unlike the movie, slots players will not be running from the dinosaurs but rather they will be hunting for them. They will find themselves surrounded by Raptors, Amber, Dinosaur Eggs, Pterodactyls and volcanoes…I do not recall any volcanoes in the movie, but we will go with it.

Players will be glad to know that this online slots game does come with dinosaur-sized features such as a Wild, Scatter and free spins. There is also a bonus game in which players play through several levels of different dinosaur themed objects to choose from. Choosing the right objects will reveal bonus prizes. Choose the wrong one and you might not make it off the island…

Next up in the list of new online slots games from Vegas Technology is Bigfoot. Go in search of this illusive creature in the mountains and forests in this five reel, twenty five payline slots game. Players will be joined by other Hunters in search of the creature using the Bigfoot Crossing Signs and Footprints.

Again players are offered some big features such as a Wild and a Scatter. But there is also the free spins feature. In this bonus game players keep choosing from pairs of glowing eyes to win free spins with up to a 10x multiplier. But the more eyes you reveal that are not Bigfoot the less spins you will win. It pays to find him fast.

Taking a break from big and hairy things, we move on to Butterflies. There is nothing scary or big in this five reel, twenty five payline online slots game. Take a break from the crazy world around you with this picturesque game in lush fields in search of butterflies to play with. Among the Butterflies are Caterpillars and Cocoons.

Mixed in with these peaceful bugs and relaxing surroundings are a Wild and a Scatter to help you along the way to your wins. There is also a Butterfly bonus game that, once triggers, releases butterflies who alight on symbols at random, changing them into Wilds.

Finally we have California Gold. Take your slots playing to the California Gold Rush with this five reel, twenty five payline online slots game. To help you on your way to striking it rich are Pickaxes, TNT, Maps and Mining Carts; there are also Mad Prospectors, but what would the Gold Rush be without a little competition?

This online slots game holds a Wild, a Scatter and free spins to help build up the gold you mine. There is a fun bonus game in which players are presented with several mine shafts, of which they must choose from to prospect for a shot at gold.

These are some exciting new offerings in online slots games from Vegas Technology. Stop by your favorite Vegas Technology powered online casino to take them for a spin.

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Microgaming never ceases to amaze me with the things they think to make into online slots games. Today’s example is Kung Fu Monkey. Yes, they have taken monkeys and the art of Kung Fu and wrapped it all up in the reels to create a rather engaging online slots game.

Kung Fu Monkey is a five reel slots game with fifteen paylines. Symbols include various monkeys in Asian costumes—some are kung fu masters and some are ninjas. But there is also the Gorilla Boss who has kidnapped Baby Monkey. And it is the slots player’s job to help Kung Fu Monkey rescue him…and win some money along the way.

The Chinatown Scatter is the key to getting started with the rescue. Landing three of the Chinatown Scatters on reels three, four and five will trigger the Kung Fu Bonus game. This is one of the most engaging bonus games that I have seen to date outside of an iSlot’s bonus game.

Slots players have to play through three levels to attain the highest bonus amount. The first stage presents slots players with six Baboons. Three must be defeated before slots players can continue to the next level. In level two slots players are confronted with six Ninjas. Again, three must be beat before slots players can move on to the final level. In the final level players face the Gorilla Boss. Slots players must choose to fight combinations to defeat him.

If at any point one of the bad monkeys defeats the slots player and Kung Fu Monkey but free spins are awarded as a consolation prize.

And speaking of free spins, landing the Scatter Gong on reels one and five will award ten free spins with a 2x multiplier.

Lastly the Logo serves as the Wild and will substitute for all symbols other than the two Scatters.

I have to say that this bonus game is not only entertaining, it is also triggerable. I was able to trigger it four times in one hour. Game play is a little on the slow side, but the Wild helps out remarkably. Payouts in regular pay vary from small to large; there does not seem to be one type that is stronger than the other so there is good variety offered in this online slots game to go along with that bonus game. Go be a Kung Fu Monkey Master!

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Many slots players, both those who play slots online and in casinos, will often start out playing low stakes. They will stake with nickels and dimes. Then eventually they will work up to quarters and dollars. And after that comes the five dollar games.

This comes from a slots player adjusting their comfort level on how much money they feel like gambling. Slots are games of chance so they really are a gamble. There is nothing that a slots player can do to improve their odds.

And that is why it takes a slots player time to adjust from one level of wagering to the next highest one.

But why do slots players up their base wagering amount over time? Why play five dollar machines? It is their belief that if they play a higher denomination slots game they will win more money. Which is true…and it is not true.

Let’s say that you are playing a slots game on which you are wagering $0.01 per payline on twenty five payline game, making a spin cost $0.25; in other words this is a quarter machine. Now let’s say you win a payline win that awards 100 coins. Those 100 coins translate into you winning $1. If you had won the same payout on every line you would receive $25; this would be your potential total win. But you only won $1 on one payline. So you won 4% of your total potential total win.

Now let’s say that you are playing that same slots game for $0.20 per payline, making it $5 per spin—a five dollar machine. You win the same payline for the same 100 coin payout, awarding you $20. But if you had won 100 coins on all twenty five paylines, your potential total win, you would have won $500. But you have still only won one payline out of twenty five, which is still only 4% of your potential win from a spin.

This boils down to the point that while higher denomination slots games, both online slots and casino slot machines, will make a higher payout, it is only a higher payout because you are wagering more. The amount you win versus how much you could have won per spin is still the same regardless of how much you are wagering.

So while you are winning more on each payout, you also have the potential to lose more because you are wagering more. You are not winning more without risking more, which is what casinos would like you to believe.

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Wow, this is one naughty online slots game!

Cashanova comes from the Microgaming arsenal of online slots games. This is a five reel with thirty paylines of action, including two bonus games and free spins.

This spoof on ‘Casanova’ stars Roger Rooster, a rather puffed up rooster with his eye set on Henrietta, the cover model of Henhouse. In this online slots game slots players help Roger try to woo Henrietta. This could actually work in an iSlot. Shame it was not made into one—it would have been most amusing.

Symbols in play include—thankfully no traditional letters or numbers—Whipped Cream, a Corn Cigar, Champagne, a Fruit Platter, a Berry Bowl, Roger’s Pipe, a Fountain, the Henhouse and Henrietta of course.

Important symbols of note include the Henhouse Magazine, Roger Rooster, the Free Range Egg and the Golden Key.

The Henhouse Magazine is the Scatter, paying double the cost of one spin for only landing three.

Roger is the Wild who substitutes for all symbols except for the Henhouse Magazine, the Free Range Egg and the Golden Key. Considering his rather ardent desire for Henrietta it is quite right that he is the Wild.

The Free Range Egg is the trigger for the free spins feature. It can only be found on reels three, four and five. To trigger the free spins the Free Range Egg must be scattered on those three reels. Slots players can win up to fifteen free spins with up to a 5x multiplier.

But the Golden Key has to be by far the most entertaining symbol. It only appears on reels one, two and three. Slots players must land the Golden Key scattered on those three rules. This triggers the first of the bonus games, the Barn Bonus.

In the Barn Bonus slots players help Roger Rooster search for the key to the henhouse. Players can keep picking until they have picked all the options and not found the key; or unless they wake the dog up to scare away Roger. But if they find the key they will win all the bonus prizes and progress to the Get Lucky Bonus—yes, that is what it is called. In the Get Lucky Bonus players pick a gift for Roger to give to Henrietta. If you pick the one that reveals the highest amount Roger will win Henrietta; but pick any of the others and she sends him packing.

As for game play, between the Scatter and the Wild, players will be able to keep their bankroll afloat for the most part. The Golden Key is fairly easy to land, which will give slots players a good chance of adding to their bankroll. The free spins are harder to trigger though.

On the whole I have to recommend this online slots game. Game play is pretty decent as far as slots games go. If anything it is worth playing if only to watch that rooster try to win a night with his lady chicken.

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One of Vegas Technology’s most widely used tournament slots games is Solomon’s Mines. This is a five reel online slots game with twenty five paylines. If a slots player cruises the list of tournament offerings at a Vegas Technology powered online casino they are bound to see Solomon’s Mines listed.

Given by its title, this is online slots game is themed around a jungle mine. Players can expect to see Bones, a Pack, Gold Coins and a Red Gem. And, par the course for a Vegas Technology game, it also has all the traditional 9, 10, J, Q, K and A. It seems that there is no end to Vegas Tech using these symbols; and they do not even bother to try to blend them into the theme of the slots game.

As for the special symbols in Solomon’s Mines, they would be Penelope and the Journal.

Penelope is the Wild, substituting for all symbols other than the Journal. She only appears on reels 2, 3 and 4 though. So she is not as helpful as any other Wild, but she is better than nothing.

The Journal is the Scatter but is also the trigger for the Solomon’s Mines bonus game. The way that the bonus game works is that a slots player will travel through a mine tunnel until they come to two vases, where the slots player will choose one. If no gem is revealed, a consolation prize is given that is twice the amount of the triggering bet. If a gem is found a random prize is awarded. The bonus game will continue in this manner until the slots player chooses a vase that is empty.

Now for the game play. I have to say that I am not surprise that the game play is on the poor side. Payouts are small when they come and it is quite obvious that your bankroll is being drained. At least some slots games try to hide it by making more frequent or higher small payouts. The bonus game, like other Vegas Tech games, seems like you are unable to trigger it, making anything won not worth the spins it takes to trigger it.

But it seems that the majority of Vegas Technology online slots games are like this—very low game play and bonus games that are all but triggerable. And then they throw in those traditional symbols that they cannot take the time to blend in. It makes the slots games feel like they are not well thought out.

So I am going to have to add Solomon’s Mines to the list of online slots games that are best left for fun play rather than any serious type of playing.

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Do you know what a munchkin is? No, I am not talking about the ones from the ‘Wizard of Oz.’ But other than those from Oz I do not know what a munchkin is. This made me curious about the Munchkins online slots game from Microgaming.

First off this is a five reel slots game with fifteen paylines. When the game loads on the screen slots players are greeted with symbols that all have bites taken out of them.

Apparently, munchkins eat things. Things like Homework, Keys and Wallets. If a slots player lands a winning combination made up of one of those three symbols, they will mysteriously be eaten.

However, the traditional 10, J, Q, K and Ace, despite each having a bite taken out of them, will not be devoured when they are a part of a winning combination. I guess traditional symbols just do not taste that great; I will add that to my list of reasons why I do not like traditional symbols.

This online slots game offers a free spins feature, which is being considered its bonus game. That in itself I find sad. Free spins are free spins, and a bonus game is a bonus game. Landing three, four or five Scatter Cookies will trigger twenty free spins with a 2x multiplier.

Now the thing we have been waiting for: what is a munchkin? If you land the Wild Globe as part of a winning combination, it will open to reveal three furry, funky-colored monsters with lots of teeth. These are not scary monsters, but cute ones. Behold—the Munchkins!

While your eyes are glued to the screen watching invisible mouths devouring keys and wallets and those Munchkins pop out of their globe, you will be missing one important thing: how quickly your money is disappearing. The Wild helps to offset losses since it turns up fairly often. Unfortunately you will still most likely wind up with less money than what you started with.

Normally you could count on the free spins to give you a bit of a boost. But at least three Cookies would have to appear on the reels at once, which does not happen as often as a slots player would like. But when they do happen, those free spins are nice.

Despite the designers’ attempt to make a cute online slots game, while being cute it does sit a bit on the outside of normal. With what could be considered lacking payout quality, slots players are probably better off finding another online slots game.

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In order to keep up with the highly competitive online casino industry, All Slots has made a major change to their site. No, it is not a whole new set of slots games. It is a flash version of their casino software.

Having a flash version of their casino software will open the All Slots games up to slots players who do not wish to download the software. Flash versions of online casinos allow players to play instantly.

It is very common to see reputable online casinos with instant flash versions of their software. In this highly competitive industry, it is unusual to see an online casino without a flash version. But in order to stay competitive, All Slots had to give in and offer up an instant play version of their casino.

The flash version will feature three hundred games total. Of those three hundred, one hundred will be slots games. It only makes sense that a third of the games offered in the flash version be slots games since this online casino takes its name from that type of casino game.

The one hundred online slots games in the flash version will be made up of a mix of three and five reel slots game, as well as single-line and multi-line slots games.

Slots players who already have established player accounts can still access all their funds, bonuses and casino support. Any new slots players can access the $5,000 Welcome Bonus through the flash version same is if they were using the downloaded software.

And when slots players need a break from the slots they will have access to other classic casino games as well as the live dealer games found at All Slots.

Stop by All Slots Casino and check out their new flash casino.

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It has been established that I am not a fan of online slots games that use the traditional 9, 10, J, Q, K and A symbols. I think they are a cope out on the designers’ part. So I was a bit skeptical when I tried Kings of Cash.

Kings of Cash is a five reel with nine paylines from Microgaming. I already had to give it points for not using the 9, 10, J, Q and A. But it does use the K in a way. This game is flooded with the symbols of the Kings of Spades, Hearts, Diamonds and Clubs—along with their Thrones, Crests and Treasure Chests. The Kings are presented as playing card kings which further takes away from the traditional use of the K; graphically speaking, this online slots game redeems itself.

There are three symbols I have left out until now the Logo, the Banner Scatter and the Crown scatter. Yes, this online slots game has two Scatters.

The Logo is the Wild and will substitute for all the symbols, Kings included, except for the two Scatters. Its maximum payout is 5,000 coins for landing five of them. Unfortunately it does not double the wins of any winning combination it completes.

The Banner Scatter, while paying from anywhere, is the key to the free spins. Slots players must land at least three to trigger the free spins, but the number of Banner Scatters landed will determine how many spins and what multiplier is awarded: three grants ten spins with a 1x multiplier; four gives fifteen and a 5x multiplier; finally five will award twenty five spins with a 10x multiplier.

The Crown Scatter, in addition to paying out from anywhere, is the trigger for this online slots game’s bonus game. At least three must be landed, but whether a slots player lands three, four or five will determine how the bonus game goes and how much it will payout.

The bonus game has players trying to match three kings. Players will pick until they match three cards of one king. The bonus game prize is determined by which king is matched.

On the whole for the amount of spins it takes to trigger the bonus game, it is not worth it. The free spins are easier to trigger and they do tend to be more rewarding than the bonus game.

As for the regular game play, the game seems prone to paying out decently. But like with any online slots game, it is only a matter of time before it goes cold for a little while. But overall, this is one of the better online slots games that I have tried.

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