Modern slots may have very similar features to traditional slots, but they have come a long way.
Mechanical Vs Electrical
Traditional slot machines were purely mechanical and had to be operated through the use of a lever. To set the reels in motion players had to pull down the lever. This lever could also be used to stop the spinning reels, giving the player the feeling that they were somehow in control.
In contrast, more modern slot machines like at Megareel.com are purely electrical and run almost exclusively by software. Since modern slots are mostly played on online casino websites or downloaded apps, the lever has been replaced by a spin button, and just like with the original mechanical slot machine, this button can also be used to stop the reels.
Special Features
In terms of features, traditional slot machines were quite simple. With simple we mean that there was no such thing as wilds, scatters, or bonus games. Technological advancements and the extreme competitive nature of the online casino industry have led to the development of many new features, and there is no doubt that more is to come.
Modern slot machines come with many fancy trimmings. Some slots have various jackpots, accompanied by special features such as wilds, multiplier wilds, expanding wilds, bonus games within bonus games, and a gamble feature just to name a few.
Reels and Paylines
Traditional slots were so simple and easy to understand. You would have three reels, three rows and one payline. All you had to do was land three identical symbols across all three reels and you won. The best part? You knew that you had won. The pay table was simple. Nowadays, modern slots have so many different paylines that you could win and have no idea that you are winning (until the machine states that you did that is). All these paylines and winning combinations are just too much to memorise. And the fact that these features differ from slot to slot, makes it even more difficult to keep track of.
The most reels you that would find on a traditional slot machine was five. Modern slot machines can have up to 10 reels and just as many rows, if not more.
Deposits and Withdrawals
Traditional slot machines were mechanical in every sense of the word. Money was deposited into the slot by manually slipping a coin through the slot. Nowadays players can deposit money through a variety of channels, including credit cards, bitcoin, etc.
This also meant that instead of players only being able to deposit a few coins at a time, they could now deposit hundreds. The fact that withdrawals are done electronically also means that jackpots are considerably bigger. There is no need for staff to cash out the money won by a specific player.
What Does All This Mean?
Players do not necessarily have to choose one or the other. Both types of slots have their pros and cons. While traditional slots are easier to understand and play, modern slots are more accessible and convenient. You can enjoy modern slots from the comfort of your home, and depositing coins has never been this easier. This is more a case of how the industry has grown over time.
