Did you know that there are slots without paylines? Known as Cluster Pays, these slots can mix things up a bit if you feel constrained by predetermined winlines in rigid patterns.
The fan-favourite Cluster Pays feature allows us to win by landing clusters of adjacent symbols across the reels – usually a minimum of 5. The only rule is that the symbols in the winning cluster must be positioned alongside one another.
This setup leaves more room for winning combinations to occur, but there are even more upsides: the clusters pay both ways and can form anywhere on the reels.
Now, let’s see some interesting Cluster Pays slots released in 2022!
Video transcript:
Not a new game, but it is the first of its kind. The Cluster Pays mechanic was patented by NetEnt and debuted in 2016 in their hugely popular Aloha! Cluster Pays.
The Hawaii-themed game features an expanded 6-reel and 5-row grid to accommodate for the large clusters of symbols. At least 9 matching symbols are needed to land a winning one, but that’s not the only thing good about the game.
Despite the low volatility, it can churn out some pretty high wins - up to x10,000 the bet. NetEnt also added a handy bankroll builder in the form of free spins feature with sticky high-paying totems.
Try the game at SlotsMillion, Rizk, or Voodoo Dreams Casino.
The Border is the first ever NoLimit City slot to feature cluster pays. Released in September 2022, the game is quite impressive in terms of both the number and nature of bonus rounds, but also offers a beautifully designed world with great artwork and sounds.
NoLimit City gave their best creating this slot, and we can clearly see that. The Cluster Pays feature is obviously not the star of the game, but it is wisely paired with Cascading Reels to create winning ways that are both visually striking and potentially very profitable.
Highly volatile with dual RTP of 96.17% and 94.07%, it promises an eventful experience with Split and Nudge mechanics, two kinds of free spins, exploding Wilds, an increasing win multiplier and a chance to buy your way into any of these features at any point during gameplay. Play The Border at Leo Vegas, Casumo, or Videoslots.com
Azticon Chaos Clusters by Quickspin
This highly volatile game is another 2022 Cluster Pays release developed by Quickspin. Not as feature-rich as The Border, Azticon Chaos Clusters still packs a punch with interconnected mechanics that work together to create many winning opportunities.
Cluster Pays takes the center stage, aided by transforming symbols to help form winning combinations, followed by tumbling reels that trigger after every winning cluster.
Players can also make use of a progressive multiplier attached to tumbles, and retriggerable free spins. In case of long dry streaks, Quickspin added a bonus buy option for 150x the stake.
Azticon Chaos Clusters comes with a max win of 25,000x the bet and three RTP settings.
The slot is available in demo mode or for real money at PokerStars, Stake, or NordicBet Casino.
MexoMax! MultiMax by Yggdrasil
Yggdrasil continues the trend of adding a unique twist to the Cluster Pays feature. The mechanic proved very flexible, blending well with the common bonus rounds.
In MexoMax! MultiMax, every winning cluster of at least 5 symbols comes with a multiplier attached to all formed columns.
Sounds simple enough, but what it actually means is that you can build up massive wins due to the total multiplier value reaching 10,000x.
And if that’s not enough, you have two bonus buy options and a gamble feature to make the experience stimulating.
Yggdrasil deemed the game a maxed out adventure with super high volatility, so even though it can be great fun, it is not for the faint of heart.
Visit Fortuna, BetSafe, or Guts casinos to try out this game.
Star Clusters Megapays by Big Time Gaming
Innovators themselves, Big Time Gaming joins the ranks of Cluster Pay developers with a unique take on the Clusters, or as they call it - reactions.
A lot is going on in this game: at some point, you can get up to 256 symbols on a 16x16 grid. The gameplay is created to allow further payout opportunities out of winning clusters.
The winning symbols in the initial cluster are replaced with several smaller or matching ones, which then collapse in a tumbling reels fashion in a seemingly never-ending chain reaction.
Add to this an increasing multiplier, a progressive jackpot, free spins and a max win of 27,050x the bet, and it’s clear the game is anything but boring.
Play it at Optibet, Twin, or Betfred Casino.
Do you have a favorite Cluster Pays slot? Tell us all about it in the comments!
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