Lock It Link Slots
Jackpot games are always a big attraction for gamblers, no matter where they might play them. From casino slot machines that offer the potential for payouts in the millions of dollars to free online slots where only fictional credits go to the winners, bonus rounds that can dole out massive prizes might just be the biggest player attraction in the industry today, and developers are all looking for new and innovative ways to present these prizes to players.
One of the latest releases in the field of exciting bonus rounds is Lock It Link by WMS. This feature has a lot in common with the Lightning Link feature from Aristocrat, in that it allows players to start with a small number of prizes and continue watching their payouts grow over the course of the bonus. However, there are some interesting innovations on the format here that give these titles a unique feel, ramping up the tension and ensuring that players are constantly on the edge of their feet.
Locking In the Prizes
The Lock It Link video slot machine series consists of two different base games: Night Life and Diamonds. Both of these have a sort of luxurious feel to them, which is perfect for a game designed to attract jackpot chasers who want to walk away with the grand prize. The video board above the main play area prominently displays both of the jackpots available as well as the two smaller bonuses that can also be awarded to players. These games can be played as penny slots, though you’ll also see higher denominations available for high limit players, and with a max bet of 500 coins, it is possible to spend quite a lot per spin here. On the other hand, this line hasn’t yet come to online casinos, so you won’t be able to test out a play for free version first.
Both of these machines use a pretty typical 3x5 layout, with players hoping to match symbols across the reels. However, users do not have to worry about paylines on these machines, as you’ll be enjoying an “all ways” format that gives you 243 ways to win on every single spin. In Diamonds, the base symbols are made up of the four card game suits, with various diamonds offering bigger payouts. Meanwhile, Night Life starts out with the poker ranks (from jacks through aces), with various things you might see on a night out on the town – champagne, sports cars, and so on – representing the high-paying symbols.
From the Bottom of My Heart
When it comes to the Lock It Link video slot games, however, you’re mostly going to be looking out for the heart symbols. These hearts are the key to getting into the bonus round. Any three in a row on the same horizontal line will trigger the feature, sending you into a new set of reels that is only made up of two possibilities: hearts and blank spaces.
Most of the hearts you encounter will have numbers on them, letting you know how many credits you’ll win when they are found in this feature. At the start of the bonus game, you’ll see your three or more hearts linked together and locked in place, after which you’ll be awarded three spins. Any time a new heart appears on the screen during one of these spins, it will also be locked on the screen. Should it border any of your linked hearts, it will immediately reveal its prize, become part of the linked group, increase the value of the other linked symbols, and reset your free spins.
This feature continues until you run out of free spins without linking another special symbol, or until you manage to fill the entire screen with hearts. At this point, all of the prizes you’ve collected will be awarded to you, after which you’ll be returned to the main game again.
Some of these hearts won’t offer instant credit prizes, and instead will feature the name of one of the four prizes listed above the screen. These can be the fixed mini and minor bonuses, or the two progressive jackpots (the major and grand prizes). If one of these prizes becomes part of your linked group, you’ll immediately win it, with those winnings being added to the coins you’ve collected during the rest of the game.
Don’t Break the Chain
The Lock It Link video slot series is an interesting evolution in how players are awarded bonus prizes. As we noted, ideas like this have been tried before – most notably by Aristocrat – but the fact that the symbols have to appear in specific places to unlock prizes is a nice added touch here that surprising adds a lot to the tension of the game. It will often occur that a couple of hearts will be separated from the main group, but could potentially be linked by a single hit in the right position, something that adds anticipation to every feature spin. Not only is it a lot of fun, but it tends to lead to some big payouts with or without the progressive jackpots, which is something we think any gambler should enjoy.
