The defining characteristic of video pokies is that they have five sets of reels. Most of them will have three rows of symbols, but there are a few video pokies with four rows of symbols as well. The number of paylines begins with 9. The current trend in video pokies is to have all possible combinations as paylines. In the 5 x 3 format this works out to 243 paylines.
One of the important aspects of video pokies is its theme. The themes popular in Australia are sports, ocean, beach and adventure. Video pokies depict the theme in many ways. The most important is the symbols that are taken from the theme. The background to the reels, the introductory video clip and win animations can all enhance the theme. Often background music and other sounds are added to create a realistic atmosphere. Themes help to draw players to the video pokie.
Video pokies have different types of gaming features that enable larger payouts. There is the wild symbol that substitutes for many other symbols in order to make winning combinations and sometimes also multiplies payouts. In the latest video slots you will find many different types of wild symbols, some of which will remain fixed on the reels for a number of spins. In other video slots randomly chosen symbols are turned into wilds. In yet other video pokies wild symbols may appear stacked on the reels. Such features make the game play more interesting.
Contemporary video pokies also offer bonus features. This means that you may be eligible for additional payouts without staking any additional amount. One such feature is the free spins round. It is usually triggered by a combination of scatter symbols. You will be allotted a number of free spins during which you do not stake any amount but collects the payouts. Often the payouts are enhanced by a multiplier.
Another bonus feature that is popular in Australian video pokies is the bonus game on the second screen. When this feature is triggered the reels disappear and the screen displays a scene that fits in with the theme of the video pokie. Here you will be asked to make choices like picking objects or finding matching objects and will be awarded bonus credits. Again you do not stake any additional amount. Some video pokies offer multi-level bonus games. If you are successful in the earlier level you get to play the next one.
Australia Online Pokies Casino Sites
