3 reel slots: Timeless classics
Slots with 3 reels are old school games that are popular at both land-based and online casinos. In terms of design, they imitate mechanical one-armed bandits in almost every detail. 3-reel slots tend to have a virtual lever that needs to be pulled to spin the slot reels. Traditional 3-reelers cannot boast advanced 3D graphics, animated backgrounds or intricate storylines. Those are classic games with few innovations and features. Truth be told, many gamblers love 3-reel slots for that. After all, these games were the first major achievements in the gambling industry.
3-reel pokies: Key characteristics
Almost every three-reel slot has a number of distinctive features:
- Fruit theme. Most of the time, 3 reelers tend to use the images of berries, fruits, as well as BARs, bells and sevens. Did you know that each slot symbol has its own backstory? For example, a bell is a tribute to the first mechanical slot machine named Liberty Bell which was invented more than 100 years ago.
- Small number of paylines. Three reels greatly limit the total number of paylines available on a slot machine. As a rule, 3-reelers come with no more than 9 paylines, i.e. 3 paylines for each reel. You can also find classic online slots with 3 reels and only 1 payline. These devices are referred to as horizontal slot machines.
- No bonuses and prizes. Three-reel pokies don’t have bonus rounds, juicy multipliers, gamble games, or special Wild, Bonus or Scatter symbols. You simply spin the reels and land winning combinations. That’s what the gameplay is all about.
- High payouts. Three-reel slot machines offer better payouts than pokies with 5 and more reels. This makes old school 3-reelers a popular choice among gamblers who’re looking to make money on slots!