Half of the fun of playing slot machines is the thrill of winning, but also the time in between. Take it from me, the spins that don’t result in a win are just as exciting as finally getting that jackpot finally. But getting that feeling really depends on the machines you play and it comes down to one factor: volatility. Take a look at this guide to find my favourite high-volatility machines and maybe you’ll now have a new favourite.
What is volatility?
Before I get into what machines have the highest volatility, I’ll show you what that means for the player. What does high volatility mean in slots? It’s a term you’re more likely to hear in stocks.
Well, it’s the same concept: high highs and low lows. With a high volatility machine, I find you’re more likely to see long periods of not winning, but when you win, you win big. I love high-volatility machines because it gives you a more thrilling demo. Like horror movies, the longer the tension builds the bigger the payoff when the shark finally comes out of the water.
1. Rich Wilde and the Book of Dead
Rich Wilde and the Book of Dead is a classic reel. I think it’s one of those machines that will last forever. The fun Egyptian theme, with a mascot that might have been inspired by Indiana Jones but definitely has the face of Jake Gyllenhaal, will always please me.
It’s part of the most popular demo themes around the world that include but aren’t limited to:
- Egyptian
- Irish
- Chinese
- Mining
- Pop culture
- Magic
- Horror
But that’s just the start of the perks of this Play’N Go machine. It also has a scatter symbol that offers 10 free spins and a jackpot win of 200 coins, and Rich Wilde appears as an expanding symbol that can give you a massive jackpot win of 250,000 coins!
2. Immortal Romance
Immortal Romance from Microgaming is the machine made for anyone who still can recite every lyric of Welcome to the Black Parade, like me, or still keeps a copy of Twilight nearby. As the title might suggest, and why it’s a personal favourite of mine, its theme is that of gothic romance.
There is a fun love triangle going on in the woods and castles, and that’s just the start of what excites me about this version. You can win up to 364,500 in a jackpot win and get there with an extensive wild feature that doubles your wins just to start and triggers the Wild Desire feature which can be triggered randomly, as per the fun of a high volatility demo.
But that’s just the start. I love this game because there is also the Chamber of Spins feature that will unlock more features, including free spins and multipliers.
3. Reactoonz
Reactoonz is a great demo for anyone who misses the heyday of Warner Bros cartoons, like me. The icons are aliens who get zapped out of existence when you win for a goofy fun time. It has a massive board of tiny characters that allow for more – and bigger – paylines for more and bigger wins!
There are five features: implosion, demolition, incision, alteration and wild, that turn icons into wilds, destroy all one-eyed icons, gives you a wild in the centre of the board, turns one type of symbol into another and the classic: replaces icons for more wins. That’s just the beginning of the features available. It’s a favourite of mine because it’s a goofy fun time but I also get a big payout.
4. Mustang Money
Mustang Money feeds the part of me that longs for a simpler time. It’s a simpler game set in the Wild West. The red sunbeams in the backdrop while you spin and with 100 available paylines, there are plenty of chances to win. I spin through stallions and eagles to win and gain more paylines with two wild symbols. There is also a scatter that gets you free spins, but that’s it. There is nothing more elaborate so I can just relax and spin and win.
5. Fruit Shop Megaways
The term “Megaways” always gives me a thrill, which is just one reason that this is my favourite of the classic fruit machine style. This Netent demo brings the classic theme to life with fun modern graphics. I love that icons come in various sizes for more wins and a wild symbol to help you make more paylines. There is also a free spins feature that is triggered by a win on any of the medium win symbols, namely the fruit. And the free spins have a 1x multiplier that goes up with every win! But the best part to me is the fact that the Megaways aspect gets you 117,649 paylines to win!
You should have plenty to choose from now. These are some of my personal favourites but we don’t gatekeep here, so I’ll share them with you. Not only do they give you a fun time, but also a great payout. Browse the list and find your new favourite demo.