Wild symbols are the one type of reel symbols which virtually all online slot games have attached to their reels. However the way in which they work has changed from all recognition in the last few years on the most recent slot game releases.
By its very nature a Wild symbol is going to help you form additional winning combinations, and they do this by standing in for most other reel symbols. However, thanks to new additional ways that Wild symbols have been designed they can and do now offer a new range of different features, which can be rather confusing to someone who is not used to playing slots online.
So to give you a much better understanding of the many different uses of Wild symbols, below you will find a definitive guide to how these unusual reel symbols work, play and operate whenever they spin in on certain slot games. Have a good read through this guide for when playing some slots some mega sized winning payouts can be achieved thanks in no small part to Wild symbols!
Wild Multiplier Symbols
A Wild Multiplier symbol is going to give you some enhanced winning payouts should you get one or more of these types of reel symbols spinning in and landing alongside other matching reel symbols on activated paylines.
The value of the multiplier will always be clearly shown on the slot games pay table, however on some slot games when two of these symbols line up and help form a winning combination the value of those multipliers is combined, and as such if for example the value of the multiplier is x5, when two of them form a winning combination the value of the winning payout you will be awarded with is 25 times that wins normal payout!
Look out for Microgaming’s Couch Potato slot game which has a set of these Wild Multiplier symbols attached to the reels, for some huge winning payouts are always possible when you are playing that slot online!
Expanding Wild Symbols
Look out for online slot games that boasts a set of Expanding Wild symbols, for whenever you play these types of slot games and a Wild symbol drops in on any reel position then it can expand upwards and downward and by doing so that entire reel it has spun in on and expanded on becomes completely wild!
Random Wild Symbols
If you come across slots offering Random Wild symbols then one thing can be guaranteed when you set the reels of these slots into live play, and that is you will be in for an exciting time, for completely at random Wild symbols can suddenly appear on the reel positions.
In fact some slot games have a randomly triggered bonus feature which when awarded turns any number of the reels completely wild, and the more reels that end up wild the better your chances are of getting a large winning payout.
Roaming Wild Symbols
There are often some heart stopping moments when you are playing an online slot game which boasts a Roaming Wild feature, for when playing these types of slot games at the end of any one spin of the reels you make, when all of the reels have come to a complete stop, an onscreen animation may suddenly spring into life, and some of the reel positions can become completely Wild positions.
There are a few good examples of these kinds of slot games online, one is the Great Griffin slot game which sees a large Griffin fly across the screen occasionally and it will swoop down and touch one or more reel symbols which then become wild. Another is the Jonny Specter slot game which has a Ghost animation which roams around the screen and it will land on one reel position after the reels stop spinning and make that symbol wild!
Trailing Wild Symbols
We have seen a couple of recent slot game releases that offer a very unique type of Wild symbol, and these are known as Trailing Wild symbols, now how these symbols work is that as they are spinning around the reels they leave an animated trail in their wake, and as such when they spin into position any of the reel symbols above them on the layout can and do also turn into Wild symbols.
As these types of symbols are spinning around the reels tend to slow down more gradually than they do on other slots, which makes it possible for you to see their trails, and as such they tend to be quite exciting slots to play, but it can be a tad annoying when those Trailing Wild symbols drop just below the visible reel symbols and do not make it onto a winning payline!
Locking Wild Symbols
A Locking Wild symbol is found on some of the newer online slot games, and often these will kick in and appear once a bonus type feature has been triggered, a Locking Wild symbol will work much like any other type of Wild symbol, however what makes it unique is that when you set the reels into play after one of these symbols has been spun in, it will stick to the reels and lock into place for the next spin you make, thus possibly helping to form additional winning combinations on the very next spin you put into play!
Conclusion
The way in which the Wild symbols keep evolving does mean that you should never be surprised when you get them spinning in and they suddenly spring to life, and perform all manner of unique and magical things!
It is obviously those Wild symbols that turn other reel symbols wild, whilst also boosting the value of winning payouts that you are probably going to look forward to spinning in when playing any type of slot game, have a good look around our website for you will find plenty of slot game reviews and that is where you will be able to locate just which slot games have these unique Wild symbols attached to their reels.
