Slots are amongst the most popular forms of internet betting, meaning that it has become quite a populated market over the years. In order to combat that, game makers are constantly trying to come up with news ways to attract audiences and keep the games that they offer fresh and interesting. Elsewhere on the site you can read about Megaways slots, which are an attempt to do just that, with infinity slots the next in line.
The concept is such a simple one that many game makers will wonder why they didn’t think of it before: your game starts off with a set number of reels and each time you win another reel is added. There are two main companies that offer it, with others licensing the infinity reel idea out.
The Idea Explained
The advent and proliferation of online slots means that game making companies have been able to be far more inventive with the sort of games that they offer to punters. There are no longer any physical boundaries in place, with the only things limiting what they can offer being their imaginations and the ability to see their ideas play out in a manner that is easily understandable for the players.
It is under these circumstances that infinity reels were created. Punters start off with a certain number of reels, most commonly three. They spin the reel and if they get a winner then another reel gets added to the game. If they don’t win on their next spin then the game resets to the three-by-three panel that it was before, but if they do win then another reel is added and this continues ad infinitum.
Winning spins see the reels added to the end of the playing area time and again, so as long as you keep winning then you’ll keep having reels added to your game. Each specific game then has its own quirks and eccentricities, just like with any slot game that you might choose to play. As a result, you could end up in a situation where you potentially get wins for a certain number of spins, for example.
Who Offers It
There are two different groups that offer infinity reels, with the first being Infinity Reels by ReelPlay. The other is InfiniReels by NetEnt, with many other studios licensing the latter in order to offer their own takes on the format. ReelPlay define their game by saying that ‘each spin provides the chance to add an additional reel, re-spin and multiplier’. Relax Gaming owns Reel Play and was founded by Patrik Österåker and Jani Tekoniemi.
NetEnt, meanwhile, are one of the best-known game operators, creating InfiniReels to offer players a ‘highly volatile game’ that promises ‘Wilds, InfiniReels, Re-Spins, Multi-Slams, Free Spins and Free Spins Retrigger’. Both types of games work in essentially the same way, so if you’ve played a game offered by one of the companies or licensed alternatives then you’ll know what to expect when playing a different one.
NetEnt are the company that offers their InfiniReels product to others on a licensed basis, such as Red Tiger using the mechanic to take their smash hit Dragon’s Fire to another level. It is not the first time that Evolution Gaming’s Red Tiger and NetEnt have worked together, also combing forces for the likes of Piggy Riches Megaways and Gonzo’s Quest Megaways, demonstrating that big companies can work together to make great games.
How They Play
The best way to explain infinity reel games is by offering a description of how a go on one of them might pan out. You start the game with a standard reel of, say, three-by-three.
You press spin and win, meaning that another reel is added to the end of the game area. More wins result in more reels being added, so you want to see the same symbol landing on as many reels as possible so you’ll end up with a large number of reels.
If things go well for you, you’ll be in a situation where you have more reels that can typically fit onto the screen. The result of that is that you’ll normally see a ‘mini map’ appear at the bottom of the play area, which shows your reels and the winning symbols flashing up on them. Once your winning spins have ended, the reels will return to their previous form of three-by-three, allowing the process to start again.
Depending on the game, you might find yourself in a situation where you land, for argument’s sake, three scatter symbols and enter a game such as one that presents you with a number of winning spins. There’s no telling how much you’ll win, of course, but you will get a prize with each of your spins and the more free spins you get the higher your final prize is likely to be.
Example Games
Now that we’ve got a clearer idea of what to expect from an infinity reel game, let’s take a closer look at some example games and see what we can expect from them. In many cases, they’ll work in much the same way with the only major difference being the theme behind them, but it’s still worth explaining what you can expect. It will give you a good sense of whether you want to play each of them or not.
Gods of Gold: Infinireels
Themed around the idea of a previously unearthed tomb being found in what was once upon a time the Kingdom of Mesopotamia, the game takes you into the tomb on an Ancient Pharaoh and promises a volatile playing experience. The game gets underway with three-by-three reels, offering a 10 Win Spins game if you hit three or more scatters on the reels that you’ve got in play.
You’re guided through additional reels courtesy of the Minimap, which is used to indicate the layout of the play area. The features of the game include Wilds, which can appear from the fourth reel onwards, Respins that are triggered at random, and a Multi-Slam that will randomly add two or three reels after you’ve enjoyed a win. Multi-Slam will also cause a win with every subsequent spin.
The game itself uses the theme well, complete with spooky sounds and well-worked Egyptian architecture. If the soul of the trapped Pharaoh appears then you’re in luck, given he’s the one that will see you win big prizes. It’s sold by NetEnt as being an ‘immersive experience’ and it’s difficult to argue with the company’s assertion. It boasts a Return To Player percentage of 96.21.
Dragon’s Fire: InfiniReels
Mentioned earlier, Dragon’s Fire: InfiniReels is a collaboration between Red Tiger and NetEnt. As you might imagine from its name, it is set in the fantasy world of dragons and…well…fire. Starting with three-by-three reels, the game is set inside the lair of a dragon and promises a mythical atmosphere. Starting with 27 ways to win, they go up each time a reel is added and the number of symbols you can land increases.
If a Scatter symbol reveals a multiplier that applies to all wins then the Fire Egg feature will be activated. Only one egg can appear on each spin but new egg symbols will add too the multiplier amount in-play if there’s already one active. When the reels go back to their original size, so does the multiplier. Three Dragon Spins Scatters across the initial three reels will trigger eight Dragon Spins, after which a randomly selected symbol lands on all reels.
The game is a re-working of Red Tiger’s Dragon’s Fire slot, which already proved to be a popular offering even before the infinity reel aspect was added to it. The adaptation fits with the original Dragon’s Fire, so users of that will likely enjoy what this version of it has to offer. The fact that you can trigger so many additional reels and see big wins come in thanks to the Scatters and Wiles makes it even more exciting.
Eldorado Infinity Reels
Brought to you by ReelPlay and powered by Game Server, Eldorado Infinity Reels is set in the land of El Dorado, from the mythical story of the same name. The land of ‘almost limitless opportunity’ is the perfect theme for a slot game that offers an infinite number of reels, depending on how the game goes, so it’s no surprise that ReelPlay opted for it. It’s well done in the game too, making you feel like you’re in a South American wonderland.
The game works by adding an extra reel if the right-most reel on your spin improves your standing in the game. It has a number of twists and differences to other games we’ve already mentioned, including the fact that you can actually store up your Free Spin triggers in order to activate a higher level. If you hit 12 or more new reels in one spin then you’ll end up triggering the jackpot, which can result in a big win.
In addition to storing Free Spins, you can also gamble them to try to trigger a higher level of winning. The Symbol Multiplier increases with each additional reel added, meaning that there are a number of ways that you can trigger big wins in the game. Landing any Temple symbol will see a Free Spin get triggered, whilst Wild Native symbols can substitute in for any symbol apart from a Temple.
Giza Infinity Reels
The second addition to ReelPlay’s Infinity Reels slot offering is Giza Infinity Reels, based around the pyramid of the same name. The Great Pyramid is the oldest of the three and is also the largest. The idea that it could contain untold treasures is obviously the reason why ReelPlay chose to use it as their theme, claiming that ‘amongst the sands a source of infinite wealth awaits to be found’.
The game promises both a higher level of risk/reward for punters and a faster-pace of play. As you’ve no doubt figured out by now, wins see more reels added to your play area, with consecutive wins offer the chance to push you up the multiplier trail. You can also opt to Buy-A-Bonus in certain areas, if it’s permitted. The base is different to other games, starting out at three-by-four reels rather than three-by-three.
Each spin promises the opportunity to see new reels added, which can see you eventually win the Jackpot Prize of 888 times your total bet. You can land Free Spins as well as trigger the Gamble Wheel feature. The soundtrack as immersive, as is the gameplay in general, so you’ll soon take to this game that promises punters a Return To Player percentage of 96.45.
Odin Infinity Reels
Megaways can offer 117,649 ways to win, but Odin Infinity Reels is able to outstrip that on account of the infinite number of reels that you can see added to your game. The old Norse god is the one responsible for seeing your play either hit the big time or remain relatively normal. It is a good addition to the Infinity Reels market introduced in 2019.
The thing that helps set it apart from others on the list is that it is actually a combination of Infinity Reels and Megaways, combining the two latest developments in the world of slots to make something new and fascinating. As far as the actual gameplay is concerned, the Free Spins bonus gives a solid chance to win, not least of all because Sticky Multipliers hold for each further spin.
The 888 times your stake bonus is on offer after 12 reels or more, meaning that the maths that goes into it all becomes something that you’d need to a mathematician to help you figure out. The theming is really well worked, from the various symbols on offer through to the music that you’ll listen to as you’re playing. Odin doesn’t look like the one you might be used to from the Avengers, but is no less fun to see arrive on your screen