In the lead up to this year’s Global Gaming Expo, I asked a number of players if there were anything they’d like me to ask while talking with the various providers. Two of the key questions I got related to Aristocrat and how their machines work.
While I feel like I surfaced enough information to answer these questions in the past, being able to point blank ask someone in the know is certainly a valuable opportunity, so I did just that and am happy to report back what I learned.
Both regard how the games work and their relation to the random number generator (RNG). One is regarding how the four games format works on Wonder 4, and the other is around the Hold and Spin feature on Lightning Link and whether it is predetermined or not.
Wonder 4 and Game Independence
A player asked me if I could check on the Wonder 4 type games and whether they were functionally one game despite the four reel sets, or if reel set was truly independent.
When I asked, the answer was largely that they’re working independently, but there are examples, such as on the upcoming Cash Express Mega Line, which is like a cross between Cash Express Luxury Line and Wonder 4, where the four boards work together on a bonus, and so in that scenario it’s operating as a group.
So figure it’s 99 percent independent games, with only the rare feature need to have them all working together as one.
Is the Hold and Spin Predetermined?
I’ve done laser-focused analysis based on the available video evidence on Lightning Link, and based on Aristocrat’s answer to this question, I think it firms up what I’ve been saying for some time now.
I asked point blank if the hold and spin bonus is predetermined, or works with the RNG, and they confirmed that it is NOT predetermined, and therefore is related to the push of that button.
So my expectation holds that they keep one reel as the one that’s mathematically quite challenging to land, and then you still have to land the other 14/19 (on Buffalo Link) you have to land (which isn’t a lock, as any hold and spin player will know) to yield that Grand progressive jackpot. Landing the tough one isn’t a guarantee of success, but takes the largest obstacle out of the way.
So like I noted during my conversation about the Fire Link series earlier in the week, these bonuses are based in probability math with the RNG (presuming a traditional Vegas-style Class III slot machine), and your button press does matter. For those players that this matters, it’s a helpful thing to be aware of.
