When were the most popular online slot machine features developed?

For the current generation of video slot player, who play online or via their mobile/tablet, it may seem strange to think that not all that long ago, many of the features you may take for granted as being a key attraction of the slot, weren't available.

The history of the slot and its features starts back at the end of the 19th century. The inventor of the original slot was a man called Charles Fey and the original slot had 3-reels with a five different symbols on it. Diamonds, Hearts, Horseshoes, Spades and the Liberty Bell, after which the slot was named.

Fey's invention soon gained in popularity and soon, his company was forced to expand to keep with the ever-increasing demand for slot machines to be installed in bars and casinos across the country.

However, it may sound amazing to consider this but from that time up until the 1960s, the slot basically remained unchanged. There may have been tweaks to the design, but it was essentially a non-electrical mechanical device.

Electro-Mechanical slots (1963-1980s)

The next big change in slot development came in 1963, when the world's first electro-mechanical slot, a hybrid machine that used the same mechanics as a traditional slot, but combined with electrical components, was developed. This was by Bally Technologies and was named Money Honey.

The big developments here was the chance to offer multi-coin bets per spin, which meant that machines could now offer larger payouts than previously.

That, combined with the fact that slots could now have their own 'light show' to attract punters to play meant that casino-goers were increasingly finding these machines a more popular attraction than the more traditional table game.

The rise of the machines - The era of the Microchip (1980's - early 90s)

The next big development in the slot machine era came in the 80s and 90s when Microchip technology was first developed. By incorporating micro chip circuitry into slot machines, manufacturers realised that not only could microchips enhance current electro-mechanical game, but actually replace them entirely.

These circuits started off simply enough with additions to the games such as 'hold', the ability to 'hold' a single, or several, reel(s) while the other spun. Nudge was another feature which soon developed, allowing players to move the reel one symbol up or down at a time when triggered.

Perhaps the biggest key feature of the slots at this time however was the ability to link several slots together to form a chain of slots which all operated from a single prize fund. In the past, casinos had done this with games that existed on the same site only. Now it was possible to link games that were physically in different buildings.

This new technology meant that in 1986, the first progressive jackpot game, Megabucks, was developed and began to be played in casinos.

For the early part of this period, slots were hugely popular but only played in arcades or casinos across the world. However a key development in the 1990s would alter the landscape for the humble slot, perhaps forever.

1990s - The dawn of the internet

Without doubt, the greatest change in the history of the slot machine came when the internet first began to take off in the 1990s. It was not long until casinos and slot developers realised that this new platform, where people could visit a site from anywhere in the world, offered virtually limitless potential for gaming.

Now instead of just video slots that you could play in a casino on a screen, you could play from the comfort of your own home via the internet. Casinos realised that there was a huge demand for slot games and as such, the great casino boom started.

It is often said that necessity is the mother of invention and that was precisely the case here. After the initial boom in casinos starting up on the internet, developers quickly realised that offering them the same video slots as had been available previously wasn't going to cut the mustard; this was a new era of slot enthusiasts and as such, they wanted some different features.

Fortunately, the fact that these new slots were software, rather than hardware and mechanically-based, meant that developers could start to include far more features on these new types of slots than ever before.

So while variable pricing and other features of the slots were ported over, developers began to play with idea of how new internet-friendly slots could be different.

The free spins bonus games and special triggers

This was when the first games started to develop Wild symbols, symbols which can substitute for almost all others on the reels. Then the idea of free spins for users took hold, allowing users a set number of free spins if they achieved a certain combination of symbols across the reels (now, almost universally, it is three Scatter symbols or more).

From these seeds of initial ideas, further additions were made. Some developers added bonus games where players could select hidden prizes randomly from a board, others added a gamble feature to their slot where a player could double, or even quadruple their winnings if they correctly predicted the colour or suit of a playing card drawn at random from the pack.

This has led us to the position we have now where we have thousands of very different slots, each with a whole host of features, many of them the same, but stylized to suit the theme and genre of the slot.

Another key development that occurred in this period was progressive slots. The internet meant that now, you didn't need to find a terminal to play a progressive game, you could simply log into your PC and play and give yourself a chance of winning a life changing amount of money.

Indeed it is easy to argue that the Internet is without doubt the ideal platform for the progressive jackpot game, in that it affords far more people the chance to play it, which means the jackpots grow more quickly and are won more often; precisely the situation that keen progressive slot enthusiasts want.

The internet has irrevocably changed how we play slots. Now we can play not just from our laptop, but also via our tablets and mobile handsets. This means that you literally have access to thousands of top quality slots, wherever you are in the world.

And the most exciting thing is that this is only the beginning.

What will future slots features be like?

At this juncture it is always important to consider where the current level of development of slot gaming has taken us. New slots now come with a wealth of features, but there is growing evidence that players are now looking for the 'next big thing' in online slots.

What will be the next big thing?

One would think that given the popularity of social gaming and console gaming across the globe at present, the first company to crack this market will be on to a winner.

Mobile live dealer gaming is another area, which currently is limited to internet speeds and the mobility of the internet. Once everyone is enjoying super-fast internet wherever they may be, there will be no problems playing live dealer games on mobile.

I also think developers will continue to develop new bonus features for slots. New games such as Castle Builder is a good example of this. Ideas could be expanded and improved to usher in a new era of bonus games to access from within the base game.

One thing is for certain, the humble slot has seen its features radically change, particularly in the last 30 years or so. The current slot may bear little resemblance to Charles Fey's Liberty Bell, but the enjoyment they provoke remains exactly the same.

Video shows Charles Fay's grandson's slot machine collection.