Play xWays casino games – unlock expanding reels and explosive wins
Nolimit City has long been a prominent voice in the casino games industry, and its xWays game mechanic is another addition to an impressive portfolio. While it can be used in a variety of slot concepts, the mechanic is most popular in high-volatility, feature-rich slots as it can dramatically expand the grid on every spin.
In this article, we’ll explore the xWays mechanic and everything you need to know about it. From the best xWays casino games on the market to tips for optimising your gameplay, we have the information you need to hit the ground running.
What is xWays in casino games?
The xWays slot mechanic is one of the most innovative slot mechanics in recent history. It revolves around the element of surprise. On the surface, it’s a simple reel modifier. Dig a little deeper, however, and you’ll see that there’s quite a bit more to it than that. xWays casino games feature mystery symbols and significant reel expansion, typically when players land some of the former on the board. Each spin provides players with the opportunity to get more mystery symbols, and therefore more reel modifiers, on the reels. These reel modifiers increase specific reels from anywhere by one to six or more.
If it seems like this mechanic would make games a bit more volatile, that’s because it does. It is designed to add some unpredictability to the game, with players facing an unknown number of potential modifiers on every spin. While not every spin results in huge upsets, some of them will feature significantly less predictable reels.
How the xWays mechanic works
The Nolimit City xWays mechanic is easy to understand. The most important thing to remember here is that xWays symbols are the only way to trigger it. These symbols can be found very sparingly during regular spins, but are often much more readily available in free spins and bonus rounds.
xWays symbols initially have a ‘mystery’ icon. Once they land on the reels, the icon changes to reveal a symbol. Each xWays symbol holds between two and four iterations of the revealed symbol. The reels expand accordingly to accommodate the additional symbols. More xWays symbols on the grid equal bigger expansions. The expansion process itself is often designed to be as flashy as possible. This sometimes includes animated symbols, lights and music, though this will vary from game to game. xWays casino games often contain more than one ‘Ways’ features. xNudge and xSplit are two of the most common combinations.
As the reels expand, players have more paylines and more opportunities to win!
Top xWays slots to play
Given the popularity of the expanding reels slot feature, the number of games featuring the xWays mechanic is growing by leaps and bounds. Some of the best xWays slots include Infectious 5 xWays, Misery Mining, and xWays Hoarder xSplit.
In Infectious 5 xWays, players must battle against five villains in the search for winning spins: Misery, Torch, Mind Flayer, Toxicity and Havoc. In addition to the xWays mechanic, the game also includes wild symbols, locked wild symbols and a few different free spins rounds. The latter range from seven to 12 spins depending on the symbols on the reels when the bonus rounds are triggered and are a definite ‘pro’ of the game. Players interested in a unique hero vs villain storyline might find this game especially enjoyable.
Misery Mining sees one very disgruntled dwarf search for the perfect beer recipe. Players follow along on the dwarf’s journey deeper and deeper through the mines, bypassing all manner of loot and treasure on the way. The game features xBomb mining, a free spins round and xSize, in addition to xWays. Story-focused players won’t want to miss this one, with the game’s collapsing mine feature offering memorable gameplay.
xWays Hoarder xSplit is by far the cheekiest title on this list. The game takes place in a world rocked by chemical warfare, and players must collect all of the toilet paper, gas masks and cars in order to survive. Game features include sticky xWays symbols, xSplit wilds and free spins, in addition to the standard xWays mechanic. The free spins round is a standout in xWays Hoarder xSplit, so players craving unpredictable gameplay might want to give this one a look.
Tips for playing xWays games
Before you sit down to play xWays slots, there are a few things to keep in mind. First, you must understand volatility and everything that this entails (including the need for bigger bankrolls and high risk tolerances). You’ll also want to find games that combine xWays and other mechanics to increase the win potential. Finally, bet sizes matter as dry spells are common in this kind of game. Preserve your bankroll accordingly.