📖 Detailed Explanation
The Avalanche Reels in Gonzo's Quest replace traditional spinning reels with a cascading mechanic where symbols fall like stones into a 5x3 grid across 20 paylines.
Upon landing a winning combination of three or more matching symbols on a payline, those symbols explode and disappear, allowing symbols above to drop down and fill the empty spaces. New symbols then tumble from the top to complete the grid, potentially forming additional wins. This process repeats indefinitely in a single spin as long as new winning combinations appear, creating chains of avalanches.
Each successive avalanche activates a win multiplier that increases potential payouts: the first avalanche applies a 1x multiplier, the second 2x, the third 3x, and any further up to 5x in the base game. Only the highest win per payline is paid out per avalanche.
- Symbols cascade down rather than spin, mimicking tumbling rocks for immersive gameplay.
- Wild symbols (question marks) substitute for others to help form wins.
- In the Free Falls bonus (triggered by 3+ scatters on reels 1-3), multipliers escalate higher: 3x (1st), 6x (2nd), 9x (3rd), and 15x thereafter, with 10 free falls that can retrigger.
This innovative feature, introduced by NetEnt in 2011, boosts win potential from one spin and influenced cascading mechanics in modern slots, offering high volatility and up to 2,500x the bet max win.