Every Casino Has A Western Slot. This One Actually Earns Its Spurs
Western-themed slot games are the iGaming equivalent of the Wild West part of American history–if that’s your vibe, you have quite the selection to choose from among the popular slots. But unlike many other themed slot titles, Wild West slot games end up feeling like just another slot reel after only a few spins. Maybe the graphics at the start of the game give the impression of cowboys, pistols, and street fights, but the slot games start to lose their uniqueness very quickly
And the loss of uniqueness comes with reducing interest in the game. How does this lack of interest arise? And why do many western-themed slots (and some other kinds of slot games) become boring? We delve into the gameplay and connect the dots here.
Why Most Western Slots Feel The Same
As we stated earlier, the western-themed slots do have their cowboy lure, but they lose that identity early on. The reasons are not far-fetched, at any rate. Western slot games all have a sameness in their gameplay, from graphics to in-game mechanics, that makes each game quite monotonous eventually.
Similarities in gameplay are fine; after all, the games all belong to the same theme of popular slots. However, the features become boring when they are the same from one game to the next. You don’t want to encounter the exact same symbols on two different Wild West slot games, especially when you are gunning for some variety.
Another reason a lot of Wild West slots feel the same is in the pace of most western-themed slots. The games have the same stops, the same bonus rounds, and the same outcomes for decisions. The result of such sameness is that you start to lose interest in all the games associated with the Wild West theme.
What Makes A Slot Worth Playing
There are features and factors to consider before settling to play a particular slot game, but that’s not all that makes the game worth playing time and again. Your experience in the game contributes a lot to whether you even come back to playing.
For the most part, your slot game choice will reflect just how much risk you’re ready to handle. But, apart from risk, volatility also indicates how much fun you are ready to experience. With increasing volatility comes increasing pressure to win, and there lies the thrill of gambling.
One other factor that makes players come back to the most popular slot machines is the pace of the gameplay. The remarkable slot games have varying sequences in their gaming sessions. Just as in Aviator, your plane may crash in a few seconds, or it could last a full minute. You never know when or at which multiplier it will crash, and each game sequence is as unpredictable as it is random.
In a few words, a slot game with varying pace and outcomes makes for a more thrilling experience than one with predefined sequences. Many players lose their excitement for western-themed games because they fall into a monotonous, predictable game rhythm with equally predictable outcomes.
Pacing, Risk, And How Players React To It
We outlined in the previous section that volatility (ergo, risk) and game pace and rhythms are some of the reasons you will return to a slot game. While graphics and catchy game titles or game descriptions play a huge role in attracting players, the game’s pace and the risk involved make the game so much more memorable for you.
The reactions to these factors are almost telegraphed. Say, you have invested about $100 in a slot gaming session in just over an hour of rolling spins, all spent on the same recurring spin sequences without any game-changing modifiers. You will reach burnout fast–not because you’re not winning, but because the game is not offering anything different to spice up the experience.
The game is progressing at a predictable pace that eventually becomes slow and dull, and you eventually check out of the session altogether–money gone and still no thrill from challenges or competition. However, the video slots that vary their game progressions will always be more challenging, thrilling, and memorable. In such games, you never know when the bonus rounds begin or when you will get wild modifiers; you keep spinning, anticipating the features that will elevate your gaming.
The same applies to low volatility slots, especially where the maximum bets are capped in low price ranges. You want to bet larger amounts, maybe because you’re finally getting a hang of the game or you simply want to up your chances of a bigger jackpot, but you can’t. That leads to frustration that swiftly becomes boredom. On the other hand, games with medium to high volatility offer a much more complete control over your gaming situation, since you will be able to make bets that are more to your liking, according to how you choose to play at the time.
Bonus Features That Don’t Feel Like Filler
It is common knowledge that the bonuses in slot games are designed to add life to the overall experience. Still, it’s not all bonuses that make the game necessarily more fun. For the slot games to be much more memorable, they will have to offer bonus features that truly change the tides of the games.
One such feature is the wild modifiers. Essentially, these are symbols that get added to your slot game screen to increase your chances of getting winning combinations. If a slot game requires a specific 5-symbol combination to win and you have four of those five symbols already on a payline, a wild modifier will come in handy to ensure you win that round.
Another bonus that changes the game momentum is cascading reels, typical in games that feature cluster paylines. The feature allows all the winning clusters on the screen to be eliminated automatically until there are no more such clusters. The eliminated clusters add to your multipliers, increasing your jackpot at the end of the gaming session.
Scaling free spins after your regular spins is another bonus feature that increases the appeal of most slot games. Your regular spins may end with your paylines needing only a symbol or two to complete the winning combinations. The extra free spins give you a chance to complete those paylines or clusters; even if you don’t get to complete them, the anticipation will have you coming back for more.
Why Some Slots Are Easy To Come Back To
Different players have varying appeals, especially when it comes to slot games, but the slot reels that get the most users have some common elements that indicate why you will find it easy returning to them.
One key attribute is how the gaming experience impacts you. The memories of close-shaves, anticipated wins, and missed opportunities form a mental challenge that could see you opt to play that same game again, just to beat the system. Optimal user experience also plays a huge role here, as the right sound effects and animations could transform a slot game from simply being an option into becoming one of your regulars.
You may also find it easy going back to a slot game if it is a fast-paced one. If your gaming session is over in a few minutes, all action-packed with anticipation and the occasional bonuses, you could find yourself selecting the game again next time you’re in your casino. Slots with the highest RTPs also get more user retention, mostly because they combine consistent payout frequency with decent player experiences.
Where To Find Western Slots That Actually Deliver
At first, your initial impression of western-themed slot games is that they will be so much fun. Eventually, their monotonous nature creates a poor experience, and you don’t want to try any other slot game with a cowboy or pistol symbol.
Still, as much as you are likely to never play many Wild West slots again, you may yet find some that actually deliver on gameplay and payouts. A lot of such games in the 1xCasino slot library have decent RTP ranges, and they come with bonus features that improve your payout potentials.
If you prefer slot games that offer consistent payouts and minimal volatility, you can always check the RTP on the casino homepage to confirm. If you are big on great gameplay, you might need to play a demo version of the game before committing your time and efforts.
Conclusion
It is not very often that a slot game category comes under scrutiny, but the Wild West-themed games have been overrated for a while now, given their underwhelming gaming experience. They fall short in terms of game rhythm (pace), too little risk (or volatility) that makes for a boring session, and not enough bonuses that change the game’s momentum.
However, you may yet find some great titles among the Wild West slots, depending on what appeals to you. Here, we have simply explored the reasons players generally don’t go back to certain slot games and the factors that ensure user retention on the popular online slots.
