Base Game (Slots)

 A base game in online slots is the standard, primary mode of play where you spin the reels using your own money and look to hit normal winning combinations or symbols that trigger a bonus round. 

What is a Base Game in Slots?

The base game is the standard mode of play on an online slot before any special bonus round or feature is triggered. Symbols land across the reels and payouts are awarded according to the game's standard rules and paytable. Most spins on a slot take place within the base game, including the first spin you take. An exception is if you purchase a bonus buy feature, where you pay to instantly enter a slot's bonus round.

Although it is the simplest form of a slot, the base game can still include features such as wilds, scatters, multipliers, cascading reels and random modifiers, depending on the game.

However, the bonus round almost always includes the most complex and potentially lucrative features compared to a base game. That's why base game wins, on average, will be lower than bonus round wins.

How Does the Base Game Work?

The base game begins as soon as a player opens a slot and starts spinning. Once a stake is chosen, a spin takes place that generates a random outcome, with winning combinations determined by the paylines, paytable and general rules of the game.

A typical base game works like this:

1. Select Your Stake: Select how much you want to wager on each spin.  
2. Spin the Reels: Click 'Spin' to begin the round. 
3. Symbols Land: Using RNG technology, a slot game will randomly determine which symbols appear on the reels.
4. Wins are Calculated: If a winning combination lands, a payout will be made according to the slot's paytable. 
5. Features can Trigger: Certain symbols, such as scatter symbols, could trigger a bonus round, or other features like cascading reels or sticky wilds might come into play.
6. Continue Playing: Once either the base game or bonus round ends, players can start spinning again (on the base game). 

Exact gameplay varies between slots. Some will have very simple base games, while others include additional mechanics that can activate without entering a separate bonus round.

Different players will have different appetites for gameplay, but take note that if you're playing a slot's base game that's packed out with several features, it doesn't necessarily mean you'll get higher or more frequent payouts over time. 

Base Game Example

Imagine a five-reel slot where three matching symbols appearing across a payline award a payout.

A player makes a $1 spin. Three matching symbols land and award a 5x payout, resulting in a $5 win. This all happens within the base game.

Later on, three scatter symbols appear on another spin and activate 10 free spins. The player temporarily leaves the base game and the free spins bonus round automatically begins. 

Once all 10 free spins have been completed, the bonus ends and the player is paid out on their winnings. The slot then returns to the standard base game.

What Features Can Appear in a Slot Base Game?

While most people hope to trigger the bonus round when playing slots, a base game can still include several interesting (bonus-like) features. Some modern slots in particular add a ton of different features and dynamics into base games, as they realize players value gameplay and base game spins will occur far more frequently than bonus game spins.

Therefore, it's important to make a base game engaging, and not just keep the exciting features for the bonus rounds. 

Here's a quick look at some of the different base game features you might find in slots. 

Wild Symbols

Wild symbols can substitute for other symbols (excluding bonus or scatter symbols) to help complete winning combinations. Different types of wilds may appear during either the base game or bonus features, such as sticky wilds or expanding reels with wilds. 

Scatter Symbols

Scatter symbols can provide payouts, but are also a common trigger of a bonus feature. They often don't have to land in a certain pattern or on a specific payline, for instance, three random scatter symbols appearing anywhere on the reels could trigger the bonus. It just depends on the rules of the slot.

Multipliers

Multipliers increase the value of a win by a specified amount, with some slots including significant three or four-figure multiplier symbols. It will most commonly be a smaller multiple, though, such as 2x, 3x or 5x, and these can also be a feature during a bonus round.

Cascading Reels

Cascading reels replace symbols that form a winning combination with new ones, effectively elongating a standard spin. It means there is potential to create several winning combinations from a single paid spin.

Random Features

Some slots can activate features randomly during base-game play. These could include extra wilds, respins, symbol transformations or other game-specific modifiers. 

Base Game vs. Bonus Game - What's the Difference?

The main difference between a base game and bonus game is that the base game is the slot's standard mode of play, whereas a bonus game is a separate feature that often includes various dynamics that trigger potentially higher payouts and are activated under specific circumstances.

Below is a quick comparison between base games and bonus games. 

Base Game vs. Bonus Buy – What's the Difference?

A Bonus Buy feature allows players to pay a specified amount (that's always significantly more than the cost of a standard spin) to access a slot's bonus feature directly rather than triggering it through normal gameplay.

Some countries and regions ban Bonus Buys for online slots and even when legal, not all slots will have a Bonus Buy option. They're banned in places like the UK due to their high cost and the assumption that they will entice players to spend excessive amounts in a short space of time. 

Does the Base Game Affect a Slot's RTP?

Yes. The outcomes generated during base-game play contribute towards a slot's overall Return to Player (RTP).

However, the way RTP is distributed between the base game and bonus features can differ significantly between slots. For instance, the RTP for one slot might be more heavily factored into its base game, while another slot might have a bonus round that pays more, with less of the RTP 'allocated' to the base game.

RTP is a theoretical long-term percentage and doesn't necessarily mean a player will receive that percentage back during one or even several sessions.

Does Slot Volatility Affect the Base Game?

Slot volatility describes the general risk and payout behavior of a slot, which impacts the experience of playing its base game.

Lower-volatility slots generally produce smaller wins that are more frequent, while higher-volatility games tend to produce wins less frequently but can offer larger potential payouts.

Base Game FAQs