Play Slots with Stacked Wild feature
Stacked wilds are one of the most popular special features in modern video slots. These clustered wild symbols provide enhanced winning potential compared to standard wilds, making slots with stacked wilds a thrill to play. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explain what stacked wilds are, how they work, key differences from expanding wilds, and highlight some of the best slot games that utilize stacked wild mechanics.
What Are Stacked Wilds?
Stacked wilds refer to two or more wild symbols that appear vertically stacked on a single reel. This creates a column of contiguous wilds that essentially functions as one giant wild symbol.
Standard wild symbols in slots can only substitute for one symbol at a time on the reels. Stacked wilds build on this by allowing a group of wilds to stand in for an entire section of symbols vertically.
Some key attributes of stacked wilds:
- They always appear vertically, covering multiple symbol positions on a single reel.
- The number of wilds stacked can vary, often 2-5 wilds clustered together.
- In some slots, stacked wilds may cover an entire reel.
- Stacked wilds boost the chance of hitting winning combinations across paylines.
- Their clustered formation leads to higher volatility and bigger potential payouts.
- Stacked wilds are valued for their ability to trigger multiple wins from just a single spin.
How Do Stacked Wilds Work?
Whenever a column of stacked wild symbols lands on the reels, they will substitute for any regular symbol in their path. This allows them to potentially complete multiple winning combinations across various paylines simultaneously.
For example, if a stack of 3 wild symbols lands on reel 3, every payline running through that reel now has a greatly improved chance of forming a win. The stacked wilds can stand in for any 3 adjacent symbols needed to make a matching combo.
As a result, it’s common for slots with stacked wilds to award several wins on a single spin. The more paylines available, the higher the likelihood that stacked wilds will trigger multiple wins together.
This is why stacked wild slots tend to be on the volatile side with a high hit frequency – their ability to trigger several wins at once increases the potential payouts per spin.
Stacked Wilds vs. Expanding Wilds
Expanding wilds are another popular type of special wild in modern video slots. While they sound similar to stacked wilds, there are a few key differences:
- Stacked wilds always cover multiple symbol positions on a single reel vertically.
- Expanding wilds start as a single wild symbol that can expand to cover an entire reel horizontally.
- Stacked wilds boost winning chances across multiple paylines at once.
- Expanding wilds impact a single payline but with higher payouts.
- Stacked wilds trigger more frequent but smaller wins.
- Expanding wilds lead to less frequent but larger wins.
So in summary:
- Stacked wilds = multiple smaller wins per spin.
- Expanding wilds = fewer but bigger wins.
Both special wild features make slots more exciting to play. But stacked wilds provide a higher hit frequency for keeping gameplay lively.
Top Slots with Stacked Wilds
Now let’s look at some of the best slot games that incorporate stacked wild mechanics. These picks highlight the winning potential that comes with landing clusters of wild symbols on the reels.
1. Thunderstruck II
This wildly popular Norse mythology slot from Microgaming offers stacked wilds on its Great Hall of Spins bonus wheel. During free spins, Odin’s ravens can land stacked on reels and substitute for all symbols. With 243 paylines, huge wins are possible when stacks of wild ravens fill the reels.
2. Lara Croft Temples and Tombs
Tomb Raider heroine Lara Croft stars in this action-packed slot from Triple Edge Studios. Stacked wilds showing Lara herself appear on all 5 reels during the Free Spins bonus. With 720 paylines, the stacked Lara wilds lead to some highly lucrative wins.
3. Raging Rhino
WMS’s popular safari-themed slot features stacked wilds showing the eponymous rhinos. Up to 6 wild symbols can stack on any of the 6 reels. With 4096 ways to win, the stacked rhinos ramp up the winning potential on every spin.
4. Wolf Gold
Pragmatic Play hit it big with this wildlife slot featuring stacks of wild Wolves on the middle 3 reels. During free spins, full stacks of wild wolves are possible, along with a lucrative retrigger mechanic for extended gameplay.
5. Gorilla Kingdom
This jungle-filled slot from Pragmatic Play offers stacked wild gorillas on reels 2, 3, 4, and 5. When the silverback gorilla symbols stack, they substitute for all other icons and trigger multiple wins across 25 fixed paylines.
6. Jumanji
Based on the classic movie, NetEnt’s Jumanji slot brings stacked wilds to the jungle adventure. Giant rhino and elephant wild symbols stack on the middle reels, both in the main game and Free Spins bonus round.
7. Legacy of Egypt
Play’n GO takes players to ancient Egypt in this slot with stacked wilds showing the golden Eye of Horus. Landing a full stack on one reel creates a huge wild stripe for big combo wins across 10 paylines.
8. Dragon’s Fire MegaWays
This fantasy slot from Red Tiger Gaming features Damsel wild symbols that appear stacked on all reels. With 117,649 ways to win, the stacked Damsels boost your odds of landing big MegaWays payouts.
Stacked wilds add serious excitement to any slot machine. Their clustered formation allows them to substitute for a whole section of symbols at once, leading to some highly lucrative hits. While not as flashy as expanding wilds, stacked wilds create a fun, volatile experience with frequent combo wins across multiple paylines per spin. Hopefully this overview gives you a better understanding of how stacked wild mechanics work and which slots execute them the best.
