Fruit machines are quintessentially British amusements, and form an important part of the country’s popular culture. Now there are great online fruit machines that allow you to enjoy the games wherever you are in the world. These games involve more skill than certain other Slots games do, but still deliver immediate thrills, so they’re perfect for the savvy and sophisticated player of today.
The History of Fruit Machines
Slots machines had already been popular all over the world for some time when, in the 1960s, British lawmakers stipulated that games had to involve an element of skill if prizes were to be won. The Fruit Machines that met this requirement were introduced, with the very first machines awarding cigarettes, drinks and other prizes rather than money, and their popularity has been growing steadily ever since.
Online Fruit Machines were introduced in 2007 and have gained a considerable following. More and more people are discovering how enjoyable and rewarding they can be, with higher payouts than land-based machines, and new games are often rolled out to keep things fresh and exciting.
Features of Fruit Machines
Most fruit machines have three reels, each with a range of numbers and symbols. Originally these were almost all fruit, but they’ve expanded to include many other brightly coloured icons such as hearts and diamonds. The reels are spun with the aim of lining three identical symbols up along the middle display.
The skill involved in Fruit Machines involves successfully using the Hold and Nudge features. The Hold allows you to hold symbols in place as you spin the rest of the reels and try to find a match. The Nudge lets you move the reels up and down by one position to create a winning combination, and is not as commonly found. You’ll also often see a Repeat feature, where you have the chance to repeat features or wins by successfully clicking a button as it flashes Yes rather than No.
Like offers in sports betting from mobile, Bonus Trails are also often featured, and are essentially randomly triggered bonus rounds within casino games. You make your way along the board and can win great prizes, including cash, multiplied winnings and Free Nudges, Spins and Holds. Your wins will be displayed on screen in a Cash Pot. You might also be lucky enough to land on a Gamble Feature, where you can gamble your current winnings by predicting the outcome of an event such as which suite a card will be or which number from 1 to 12 will come up.
Onwards and Upwards
Online Fruit Machines are really the best of every world. You can enjoy all the action you always have, but with higher payouts. You can also refine the skill they require at no financial risk to yourself, thanks to the no-deposit Free Games mode that most reputable casinos allow. It’s no wonder that more and more British citizens are playing online games rather than popping down to their local pub, and fellow enthusiasts around the world can do the same just as easily. The future for these online games looks very bright!