The feature Shifting Wilds, first introduced by Playtech, is the next phase in Wild bonus features evolution. The Wilds substitute other icons but often migrates around the reels in order to connect paylines.
Shifting Wilds is a replacement for icons that behaves Wild in one turn, then move for another respin in one reel. It will continue to pass around the reels until disappearing off the reels. Essentially, players triggering Shifting Wilds get 5 Wild cherry bits. At the fifth reel, Moving Wilds will start and work its way left towards Reel 1, or continue at Reel 1 and go right.
Increasing a number of your Wilds is also a good way to raise your winnings. So if they land down the reels you're practically having free Wilds without putting in any extra cash. However, what you have to note is that you can only win in relation to what you bring in. Therefore, it is important to always increase your bets to take advantage of the feature as you get a 'free' Wild for four consecutive spins effectively. If you, like it is the case with Robin Hood Shifting Riches, are playing a slot with a progressive multiplier, it's much more important to keep the stakes up.
Obviously, Playtech is the first choice if you think of developers of slots with Shifting Wilds features. But each slot will have a slightly different operation of this feature. Let's look at some of the other major developers who implement this new feature for Wild. But before our Top-4 countdown we take a time to bring here our traditional Hall of Fame of the notable online slots that utilize the shifting wilds feature (in on particular order): Superman - The Man of Steel (Playtech), E.T. Lost Socks (Evoplay Entertainment), Keystone Kops (IGT), Divine Forest (Spinomenal Slots), Wild Christmas (StakeLogic), Strolling Staxx - Cubic Fruits (NetEnt) and Zombie Circus (Relax Gaming).
Top-4 slot machines with Shifting Wilds feature (and what its significant about them)
4. Dolphin Cash (Playtech)
Significance: Simple Shifting Wilds
The Shifting Wild occurs only on Reel 5 in Playtech's Dolphin Cash slot, which can shift over one reel on subsequent spins to help fill winning combos. Players should not care about 'covering' bonus symbols, either: any Scatters emerging under Changing Wilds will come into play in Dolphin Gold. Where Dolphin Cash is really excelling is its functionality 'XtraWin.' Enabled at any time, XtraWin needs a 50 per cent additional bet on every spin.
3. Jack and the Beanstalk / The Invisible Man by NetEnt
Significance: Shifting Wilds that walk through all reels until disappear.
The Invisible Man slots game by NetEnt was based upon H.G Wells 1897 book. The book, also made into a film in 1933, is the basis of a slot game called The Invisible Man.
Naturally, NetEnt has its own way of naming the feature of Shifting Wilds which they refer to as Walking Wilds. When the Invisible Man arrives on the reels, he will shift as Wild symbols on each reel until it disappears completely at the other end. The same concerns the Wild symbols in Jack and the Beanstalk online slot.
2. Robin Hood Shifting Riches (NetEnt)
Significance: Shifting Reels
While fairly old, Robin Hood - Shifting Riches brings an interesting touch to Shifting Wilds: shifting all the reels.
In Robin Hood Shifting Riches from Netent, every win results in the reels changing one reel to the right. The reel that was left behind would then re-spin again free.
A multiplier of prizes often goes up depending on the amount of consecutive winning spins. And you can get three or four reel shifts and get a 5x multiplier on your win. If the Wild emerges, it travels as part of the reel, too.
1. Easy Slider (NextGen)
Significance: Sliding Wilds
Easy Slider, the 25-payline slot of Sliding Wilds from NextGen, also features a regular Wild that replaces any existing symbol in the slot.
The game however comes into its own with the feature 'Slide a Wild.' You can switch Stacked Wilds and Multipliers to the reel of your selection by clicking on a motorbike icon at the top of the reels. It's like picking up your own Shifting Wilds, in effect.
