There’s no secret that the Free Spins feature is one of the most popular bonus rounds in online slots. Players around the world are holding their breath for them to land as a result of a specific Scatters combination. We at Social Tournaments are well aware of that- that’s why we have a bunch of excellent titles with Free Spins but don’t think this is the only feature worth looking for on the reels.
Pragmatic Play games provide a lot of thrilling features to enjoy, and in this article, we’ll be talking about one just as fun as the Free Games: the Respins. What are Respins, how can you trigger them, and what makes them unique? Let’s find out!
What are Respins in Online Slots?
In a nutshell, Respins are a unique bonus found in online videoslots that allow you to hit more winnings in a single spin. While providers have built different variations of Respins, the most common ones are triggered by a specific number of bonus symbols or coins, that remain sticky on the reel throughout the round.
How Do Respins Work in Online Slots?
Respins usually make the reels (or the empty cells) spin again without having to click the Spin button. They can also be very fruitful when it comes to creating other features. Pragmatic Play slots offer a rather classic Money Respins Feature and a Hold & Spin one. Let’s see what sets them apart.
- Money Respins Feature – is triggered with 3 or more Money Symbols on the screen. As their name hints, Money Symbols are a different type of symbol, not to be confused with Scatters or Bonus symbols. They are usually depicted as Coins or bags of gold, carrying random multipliers that can reach 1000x. However, that’s not always the case. For example, in the Wolf Gold slot, the Respins are triggered with at least 3 Full Moon Symbols on the screen, while in the Book of Kingdoms slot, the same sort of feature can be triggered with at least 5 Silver Coin Symbols on the reels. The safest way to know how to activate this round is by checking the paytable.
Once the round is triggered, most often than not, you will be taken to a new screen, where the symbols that activated the feature are present on the reels, surrounded by empty cells. The reels with blank spaces spin, bringing more Money Symbols or void cells into play. Most of the time, the starting number of Respins is 3, and every time you hit a new Money Symbol, it is reset back to 3. What’s more, the newly added symbols remain on the screen until the end of the round. Your goal is to fill as many cells as you can with Money Symbols, or, better yet, cover the reels in Coins or Bags of Gold. The payout comes at the end of the round when the values of all Money Symbols in view are added together.
Now, things can get more interesting if you add a little…spice to the Respins round. For example, in the Bounty Gold slot, the feature is played in a very particular way: the normal reels are replaced with four 3×5 matrices, and, depending on how many Money Symbols activated the round, you can play on one, two, three or all four grids. The other matrices will unlock as you gather more Money Symbols on the active ones, which means there are more chances for a big hit!
Something similar happens in the Gold Party slot. You are playing the Respins on four 3×5 grids, but this time, all are active from the very beginning. In addition, the game comes with extra symbols, such as the Multiplier or the Extra Spin ones, which offer even more chances for a juicy win.
- Hold & Spin Feature – this round is also triggered by Coin Symbols, but only if they land on the middle reel. When this happens, the reels will be replaced once again with special ones holding only empty spaces and Money Symbols. Depending on the mechanics, the game can also come with more types of Money Symbols that carry multipliers. The Floating Dragon Hold and Spin slot features a Coin Money Symbol, a Diamond, and a Fish one, where the Diamond is the star of the Respins show. The Ultra Hold and Spin slot works in the same way, only it starts with 4 Respins and awards multipliers of up to 500x.
The Hold & Spin Feature can be found in other games as well, in all kinds of variations. In the Lucky, Grace & Charm slot, the reels have the potential to grow to a 20×5 format once the round is active. You can reach the maximum capacity by filling the screen with Money Symbols. This will cause the reels to move down, opening two new rows for you to cover with Money Symbols.
Respins vs. Free Spins
Respins and Free Spins in Pragmatic Play slots are worlds apart. Although both offer a way to land that long-awaited win, they come with different experiences, but equally as thrilling.
- Triggering Symbols – the symbols that trigger the Respins are usually Money Symbols, whereas to activate the Free Games, you’ll need Scatters.
- Mechanism – during the Respins, the reels spin while keeping the triggering symbols on the screen, while in the Free Spins round, you basically play on the same grid, with the same symbols as in the base game. In addition, the number of Respins is indefinite – you have the opportunity to play more as you collect more Money Symbols. As for Free Spins, you know from the start how many you’ll be playing – unless there’s a progressive round active, like in the Christmas Big Bass Bonanza slot.
- Paylines – you play only with Money Symbols in the Respins round, so you can’t form winning combinations. However, during the Free Games bonus, all symbols and paylines are active, so you can go ahead and start creating winning combos as the Free Spins go.
Respins are another feature in this ever-growing ocean of bonus games meant to enhance your gaming experiences and offer more chances to get your hands on a sweet prize. They can also be solid ground to build other features, as they present a lot of room for bonus features to grow. If Respins are your type of feature, check out our Pragmatic Play free online slots and play the demos!
