When a slot player won a $1.9-million jackpot on Aristocrat’s Buffalo Power Pay at Wynn Encore Las Vegas in mid-July, it wasn’t just another life-changing event.
This one was special, because the player reaped the bounty after buying directly into the bonus using the juggernaut “buy a feature” mechanic which Aristocrat Gaming has branded “Instant Feature”.
The pathway to the nearly $2-million haul was the first of its kind. No one had ever before collected such a massive jackpot by choosing to bypass the base game play, in which features are triggered randomly, in favor of cutting directly to the chase by buying a bonus feature outright.
Curiously, the mechanic first gained popularity in the igaming sector before crossing over into the brick-and-mortar casino world.
Aristocrat Gaming introduced the Instant Feature functionality on Cashman Kingdom, followed by Coin Trio, Bank Buster, Buffalo Power Pay, and Louie’s Gold Xtra Cash.
The minimum wager on Buffalo Power Pay’s base game is $1.00. However, just as an impatient listener may admonish a long-winded speaker by blurting out “c’mon, get to the point”, players have the option of the Instant Feature play starting at $60.
The Buffalo Power Pay Instant Feature awards either the Buffalo Free Games or the Wheel Feature. The lucky player at Wynn Encore placed the minimum Instant Feature of $60, which triggered the Wheel Feature that resulted in the dream result, the Power Grand Jackpot
Buying the feature is equivalent to playing $1.00 bets in the base game. The perk is that the player doesn’t have to hold their breath in anticipation of getting into the feature. It brings them right there. What’s more, the player can increase their Instant Feature wager.
Buffalo Power Pay is the second game under the newly revamped $1,000,000 Aristocrat WAP (Wide Area Progressive). The attraction is undoubtedly intensified by Aristocrat’s wildly successful Buffalo franchise, which, through many iterations, has kept the slot player base glued to their screens in anticipation of those snorting nostrils and thundering hooves.
The game’s branded “Power Pay” feature copies special Buffalo wins up to four additional interfaces, and gives each interface another spin to increase the Buffalo winning combinations, including some 10-times multipliers, a Buffalo franchise first.
Power Pay also features a new twist on the classic Buffalo free games whereby all Buffalo icons are “special” Buffalo which triggers the Power Pay feature with greater frequency.
The Wynn Encore player was the fortunate recipient of the Wheel Feature, which is the “dream result”. It awards a large number of free games, or as the $1.9-million winner experienced, the Power Grand Jackpot.
There is no denying the anticipation of getting into a feature, or bonus round, is what keeps players on the edge of their seats. Many of them will argue that getting there is half the fun, meaning the entertainment they derive from playing the base game has timeless appeal.
Slot players also can experience the bitter disappointment of finally getting into the feature, only to discover after the free spins are over that their wait was for nought. No life changing jackpot, sometimes just barely enough to cover valet parking.
Waiting in anticipation for that magical number of icons to appear on the grid, accompanied by celebratory music, and the end result is chump change. Kind of like waking up on Christmas morning with a lump of coal in your stocking.
Few players understand that during any finite window of playing time, they may never lock into the feature. Conversely, it is possible to lock into the feature on consecutive spins. Such is the nature of probability.
The creation of the random feature, or “free spins” bonus, is one of the most monumental slot machine developments. It changed the face of the games forever.
Prior to getting into a bonus, the prime mover for players was to “hit the jackpot”. Of course, a jackpot hit always came with a considerable sum of money. There was no guess work, no free spins. It was just “there”.
Not so with bonus rounds. First of all, they are awarded far more frequently than jackpots. It makes the chase seem easier. Afterall, triggering the bonus is your ticket to possibly winning a jackpot. But you have to get into the bonus first.
Waiting to get into the feature is the spell-binder. Will it be on the next spin? Players are frequently seen rubbing the screen with their hands during a feature, coaxing the grid to line up in just the right way, or perhaps even a feature re-trigger that amplifies the intrigue.
The big question is whether or not the monumental Wynn Encore hit is going to create interest in the buy a feature mechanic among a new genre of slot players, such as table games devotees or even sports bettors?
Blackjack, poker, and craps players are notorious for taking a break from the tables and slipping a c-note into a slot machine during a break in the action. The machines are appealing, they are a few steps away, and who knows? Perhaps a tidy score is in the offing.
Such players, who may not appreciate the entertainment value of the base game, may just be more inclined to cut right to the chase and buy a feature. It’s the money they are after, and not the incremental hits that keep slot aficionados in the game. They are more likely to come up with bigger money for a bigger bet if it translates into a shot at a significant score.
It all boils down to a matter of choice, or better yet, preference. Sitting down to play your favorite slot while sipping a cool beverage, waiting for the magic to happen, or going right in for the kill knowing you are least a step closer to bagging a trophy payout.
