Fruit Machines

If you have spent any length of time reviewing online slot machines, and perhaps even playing some of them, you will have encountered the famous three-reel slot machine. This is one of the most familiar ones for many of us. There are bigger, better, and far more complex games out there, so why would a three-reel game experience such success?

Indeed, it begs the question of whether these machines are real classics to enjoy and play, or whether they are flashier in appearance than they are in gameplay.

What is a classic fruit machine?

A classic fruit machine is one that is akin to the classic games seen in real casinos. The so-called one-armed bandit is the original slot, and with three reels in place and mostly just one line, it is a close relative to this type of slot seen online today.

Fruit machines got their name because the symbols shown on the reels are those of various fruits. You will spot cherries, lemons, berries, melons, and much else besides. You might occasionally get other icons there as well, but these are the main ones.

For some, they are a sign of a classic game. For others, they are boring and predictable and turn them off the idea of trying a game that features them. Which category do you fall into or does it depend on the game?

A classic casino experience transferred to the internet age

This is undoubtedly part of the appeal for some. You can look forward to trying some great games online that attempt to replicate the original fruit machines as closely as possible. Some even have graphics that make it appear parts of the game are flashing at you, much as they would if you played the real machines.

While you will use your mouse and cursor to make decisions and click buttons, the experience is quite close to what you would expect it to be like if you played the original machines.

Minimal special features are included

Three-reel slots are not the ones to play if you are keen on trying to unlock special features, bonuses, on-reels pick-me features, or anything else out of the ordinary. While some three-reel slots have a few additional features to try and trigger, they are the exception to the rule. Oftentimes, such features are restricted to those games that have five reels or more.

Scatters rarely, if ever, show up in these games. Wilds are more common, but again, you can never count on them appearing. You might spot multiplier values attached to those wilds though, so do check the rules to see if those are included in the games you have decided to play.

For some players, a simple experience where you spin three reels to try and find a successful combination is all they are looking for. Those who like to see more in their slot games will undoubtedly give these a miss and go for bigger slots instead.

Yet some three-reel slots have been given a 21st century makeover

It is more common now to see three-reel slots with more paylines involved. To make this possible, three rows of icons have been added to the slot instead of having just one. That means a 3 x 3 formation in which five lines (or more) might be added.

This also allows for more features to be included that bring the quality of the game up to something that is closer to the usual five-reel slot experience. The thing to remember is that if you like these fully-featured slots, you can still find a few three-reel games that provide something far closer to this experience.

It is undoubtedly true to say some three-reel games are dull as dishwater. Yet some are far more exciting to play than you’d think. Since they are more affordable than many bigger games, they still have an audience – one that is likely to remain in place for a long time to come.