Best Slots with 3 Reels
Following the first-ever slot machine built in California in 1894, the first 3-reel machine design with automatic payouts was created just 4 years later. This is said to be the machine design from which all classic fruit slots were copied. With time, digital technology moved land-based slot machines online, giving all game developers the possibility to experiment with 3-reel slots in all kinds of crazy ways.
In most 3-reel slots, matching 2 or 3 symbols of a kind on a payline will generate a win. Once that line crosses through one symbol on each reel, your gains will be calculated, usually from left to right, before the next spin. In classic slots, these symbols will be all kinds of fruit, but in contemporary versions of a classic slot, they can be literally anything.
Classic 3-reel slots are great for newbies just getting used to these games because they are super simple and don’t come cluttered with unnecessary bonus features. Though more bonus features don’t always translate into more frequent wins. In modern slots, some features are added purely for visual effect rather than win outcome.
| Free Spins or Respins |
| Free spins (not to be confused with casino bonuses) often appear in slots as a lucrative bonus feature that doesn’t cost you anything to spin. For example, if you triggered 10 free spins, you’ll get 10 consecutive free spins which will not come out from your play balance. The good news is, you’ll still be able to form winning combinations. Anything you win during the free spins round, will be added to your play balance. A respins is another wishful feature that gives you a second chance to boost your bankroll. When a respin triggers on a reel, that reel stays sticky or locked in place while the remaining reel(s) spin for more possible winning combinations. |
Mega Joker
NetEnt’s iconic Mega Joker is one of those rare slots to come with high variance and an exceptionally high RTP of 99%, a dream combination for any slots fan. But there’s even more to this 3-reel, 3-row and 5-payline classic fruit slot. Not only does it feature mystery wins and a supermeter mode, but also hosts a progressive jackpot which triggers randomly in the basic mode.
Lightning Joker
Alongside wilds, respins and random up to 10x multipliers, the mystery win gets the star status here. Triggered with 2 or more jester symbols on a payline, the slot awards an electrifying top win of up to 10,000x your bet for 3 jokers.
