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Sticky Wild Slots

Sticky wilds have become an increasingly popular feature in modern online slots, adding a fresh dynamic that keeps players engaged and brings extra depth to each spin.

Unlike standard wild symbols, sticky wilds remain fixed on the reels over multiple spins, creating more chances for winning combinations.

Here you can find out how sticky wild symbols function within slot mechanics and discover several popular titles that use them creatively.

What are Sticky Wilds in Slots?

Sticky wilds are special wild symbols in certain slot games that remain locked on the reels for multiple spins, rather than disappearing after each spin like regular wilds. The difference is that sticky wilds remain in place on the reels for a set number of spins or until a feature ends, rather than disappearing with each new spin.

Their behaviour often depends on the slot’s design. Some remain locked in place throughout free spins, while others stick during specific mechanics like cascading reels or respins. The exact details vary by game, but their purpose is consistent: to create repeated chances for connecting symbols without resetting the grid each time.

This section highlights several popular slot games that incorporate sticky wilds into their gameplay.

Each title employs sticky wilds uniquely, shaping player experiences and influencing potential outcomes when these special symbols appear on the reels.

Wild Falls 2

Play’n GO’s Wild Falls 2 is set against the backdrop of the Klondike Gold Rush and builds on the original title with a sharper look and several expanded features. The game takes place on a variable grid that shifts between a 5x3 and 5x5 layout, depending on the active features. With high volatility and a reel system that adjusts mid-round, the game leans heavily into sequences that can change as the feature unfolds.

Sticky wilds appear in the form of chests, which land only on reels 2, 3, and 4. These chests serve as both wilds and scatters. When one or two appear, they trigger Rapid Re-spins. During this sequence, the chests lock in place and the grid expands by one row for each new chest added, up to a maximum of five rows. If three chests appear, they unlock the River of Gold Free Spins.

In River of Gold, sticky wilds shift down one space after each spin, remaining in play until they fall off the reels.

These can include gold chests with win multipliers, and new chests can appear during the round. There’s also a Super River of Gold version, where all sticky wilds are gold chests with increasing multipliers that climb by +1 each time they move down the grid, capped at 9x. Both versions of the feature continue until no chests remain in view.

The Dog House MEGAWAYS

Pragmatic Play revisits one of its most popular titles with The Dog House MEGAWAYS, a six-reel upgrade set in the same recognizable suburban backyard.

The Megaways format allows each reel to show two to seven symbols, generating up to 117,649 ways to win. Despite the expanded setup, gameplay stays linear with no cascades or bonus reels.

Sticky wilds are central to one of the two free spins options, triggered by landing three or more paw print scatters. The Sticky Wilds Free Spins mode awards up to 20 spins, with wilds landing on reels 2 to 5. These lock in place for the duration and may carry multipliers of 1x to 3x, scaling in size with the reel height. Winning combinations can stack multipliers together, increasing overall payouts.

An alternative option, Raining Wilds Free Spins, introduces randomly placed wilds with each spin instead. The bonus feature can also be bought directly, triggering a spin with 3 to 6 scatters for a set cost.

Wild Swarm

Push Gaming’s Wild Swarm is set in a lively forest clearing where animated bees and hives frame a 5x4 grid with 20 paylines. The theme is playful, while the gameplay leans toward medium-to-high volatility.

Sticky wilds appear in two bonus modes: Free Games and Swarm Mode. The Free Games round is triggered by landing three or more Hive Scatter symbols, awarding up to 14 free spins. During this mode, sticky wilds can land and remain fixed in place until the round ends. A Pick feature may also trigger beforehand, modifying the round with effects such as sliding, expanding, or additional sticky wilds.

Swarm Mode builds gradually. Bee symbols collected during the base game fill a Hive meter, and once it reaches its maximum level, any new bee symbol may trigger the feature. The round begins with 10 free spins and a random number of sticky wilds already on the grid. Any new sticky wilds that land will also stay in place for the duration of the feature, making the buildup phase key to its design.

Immortal Romance II

Developed by Stormcraft Studios, Immortal Romance II builds on the gothic atmosphere of the original with a cinematic tone and updated visuals.

The base game runs on a 5x3 grid with 243 ways to win, featuring Rolling Reels and character-driven bonus rounds.

Sticky wilds appear as locking wilds during Rolling Reels in the base game and in Troy’s bonus feature. In the base game, they remain fixed during the roll sequence and disappear once no further wins are formed. In Troy’s free spins, locking wilds land on reel 3, duplicate vertically to create a full wild reel, and may receive multipliers of up to 3x.

Amber’s round increases wild multipliers up to 18x. Michael adds synced reels, while Sarah introduces stacked mystery symbols and a coin win multiplier trail. Locking wilds do not appear in these three features.

The Wild Desire feature uses a 5x4 grid with 1,024 paylines. Full-reel wilds can land during this one-spin event, with multipliers up to 3x applied to all outcomes. Both this feature and the character-based free spins can be bought, though Wild Desire becomes available only after 1,000 spins.

Jammin’ Jars

A product of Push Gaming, Jammin’ Jars plays out on an 8x8 grid with cluster pays, cascading wins, and a disco-themed backdrop filled with colourful fruit symbols. The game replaces traditional paylines with adjacent clusters, where matching groups vanish to make room for new ones.

Sticky wilds appear as jam jar symbols. These substitute for any fruit and carry a multiplier that increases by +1 with each win they help form. After every win, they shift to a nearby position and remain on the grid as long as cascades continue.

The Free Games feature is triggered by three or more jam jars and begins with 6 spins. All triggering jars stay locked in for the duration of the round, and any additional jars that land will also remain sticky. Multipliers on these wilds carry over between spins and continue to increase with each contributing win.

The Rainbow feature may trigger after a losing spin, placing giant fruit symbols onto the grid. A feature buy option is available, depending on the game version, allowing direct access to the bonus round.

Money Train 4

Relax Gaming’s Money Train 4 wraps up the series in a dystopian sci-fi world, using a 6x6 scatter pays grid where wins come from matching symbol counts rather than paylines. It’s a high-volatility release packed with layered mechanics.

Sticky behaviour shows up in the base game via the Respins feature, which can trigger after any spin. When active, the most frequent symbol becomes sticky while a respin begins.

Matching symbols that land also stick, while multipliers do not. The round continues until no new sticky symbols or multipliers appear.

The main bonus, Money Cart, starts with 3 spins and is triggered by three or more scatter symbols. It opens on a 6x4 grid and includes a wide range of modifiers, including collectors, payers, snipers, and persistent versions that reactivate every spin. The board expands each time a full row is filled, up to four times.

Sticky wilds don’t appear in the conventional sense, but the Respins feature replicates the mechanic by holding symbols across spins, adding a layer of persistence to the base game.

Sticky Bandits

Quickspin delivers a Western-style setup in Sticky Bandits, where a 5x5 reel grid and 30 paylines set the stage for a stylized train heist. Canyon cliffs and an atmospheric soundtrack frame the action, but it’s the oversized wilds that define the gameplay.

Sticky wilds appear exclusively during the Free Spins round, triggered by landing a Train Bonus symbol on reel 1 and a Massive Wild symbol on either reel 2 or 4. These Massive Wilds span two reels in width and five rows in height, acting as both wilds and bonus triggers. Once activated, the triggering wilds become sticky and stay fixed throughout all seven free spins. Any new Massive Wilds that land during the feature also lock in place. The size and placement of these wilds create strong coverage across the grid, increasing the chances of landing high-value combinations during the feature. While the bonus cannot be retriggered, the locked wilds maintain pressure on each spin.

Vikings Go Berzerk

Developed by Yggdrasil, Vikings Go Berzerk revisits the Norse theme aboard a longship sailing through stormy seas. The 5x4 grid sits atop a carved dragon vessel, and the visuals centre around Norse warriors whose personas shape both the design and the bonus mechanics.

Sticky wilds are introduced during the Free Spins feature. Landing three or more scatter symbols or opening a treasure chest triggers the round, which includes Viking-versus-siren battles. When a Viking wins, their character symbol transforms into a sticky wild and remains for the rest of the feature. Treasure chests can also add modifiers, including extra sticky wilds or full wild reels.

Before the round begins, a bonus wheel determines an effect such as extra spins or Ragnarok Free Spins. In this version, all Vikings enter berserker mode, ensuring every clash results in a sticky wild.

The Rage Meter offers another route. Each Viking has an individual meter that fills as high-paying versions land. Once full, it activates a special round with that Viking guaranteed to generate sticky wilds throughout. While these free spins cannot be retriggered, extra spins may still come from chests.

Honey Rush

Honey Rush by Play’n GO unfolds on a honeycomb-style grid suspended above a forest floor, blending cluster mechanics with a shifting layout that ranges from four to seven tiles per row. The visuals favour soft greens and golds, with smooth transitions and a natural tone.

Sticky wilds appear through the Rush Meter, which fills as cluster wins occur. At levels one to three, the Drone Colony is activated, creating a small cluster and adding a sticky honey pot wild to the second outer ring. These wilds shift position after each cascade and can carry multipliers up to 3x, increasing by +1 with each new win they help form. At the final level, the Queen Colony can produce a cluster of up to 37 matching symbols, covering the entire grid.

Another element is the randomly triggered Worker Colony, which can form a cluster of up to 15 symbols and may introduce a sticky wild.

Easter Island

Yggdrasil’s Easter Island unfolds on a vibrant 5x3 grid set against a colourful backdrop inspired by the Moai statues. The game begins with 27 paylines but introduces flexible mechanics that reshape the board based on symbol combinations.

Sticky wilds appear on reels 2 and 4, activating only when part of a win. When triggered, they expand to fill the entire reel and remain locked in place during a respin. A four-of-a-kind expands the grid to five rows with 65 paylines, while a five-of-a-kind extends it further to seven rows and 103 paylines for that respin.

The structure is built around these incremental shifts, offering consistent variation without relying on a standard bonus round.

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