Much more than “just a feature” The Compelling Case of Connect & Collect from Bragg Gaming

Slot games have come a long way since their inception in the late 1800s. Since then, mechanical slot machines with bars, bells, sevens, and other classic symbols have been exciting casino-goers and become a staple of pubs, bars, and other public venues. Advances in technology allowed slot game makers to grow beyond classic 3x1 and 3x3 steppers and offer players increasingly more sophisticated experiences. The mid-1990s and the advent of the internet saw the introduction of online casinos where players could indulge in their favorite hobby from the comfort of their homes. The development of the Random Number Generator technology ensured fairness and allowed for a transition from physical reels to fully virtual gameplay. With brand-new options to entice and delight players, such as rich graphics and sounds, novelty themes, and the ability to develop original new mechanics, online slots rapidly evolved into a strong pillar of the iGaming industry.

The most prominent - and promising - field of innovation was the evolution of mechanics and features this new generation of games could offer. And it still is: when it comes to them, there is so much to be explored and invented yet, and it is this aspect of the game that game developers can still considerably improve upon. The basic game format has stayed more or less the same for quite a while, while the lion’s share of innovation lies in the softer, more abstract things, such as new ways to establish wins and hold player attention and interest. Winways and Megaways™, cascading, replicating and extra reels, stacked wilds, expanding grids, cluster-pay, multipliers, free games, hold and respin mechanics - all these were invented to please the players further, engage them longer, deeper, and better, and give slotcrafting studios an edge over the competition. The race is still on, but now there’s a new contender in play worth taking very seriously.

Connect & Collect is a veritable super-feature developed and implemented by Wild Streak Gaming and Atomic Slot Lab, both from Bragg Studios, that offers a very intuitive and graphic way to follow feature progression. It’s somewhat similar to the main mechanic in plumber/pipeline-based puzzle video games, where the player's task is to assemble a continuous pipeline from start to finish so that a liquid can flow through it. In Connect & Collect, however, the player tries to land horizontally and/or vertically adjacent Connect symbols from the leftmost reel to reach rewards on reels three and six. Some symbols and mechanics are there to help players achieve that, such as Quick Connect positions on reel three that add extra connection symbols. Reel three includes mid-tier rewards and helpful bonuses that add wilds or additional connection symbols, while reel six positions contain major rewards such as bet multipliers, free games, and jackpots. The process of assembling the pipeline toward those big prizes is visually pleasing and creates extra suspense as it lets players follow feature progression and see for themselves what they could win. Connecting symbols provides visual feedback that ramps up the excitement and turns each spin into a special mini-event with trackable progression. We all love to see things fall into place and create satisfying results, which is what this feature does extremely well. By creating successful paths to reels three and six, players are literally paving the way for the game to dish out its best rewards.

Many modern games have so many paylines and winways with win evaluation taking place in the background that it’s beyond players to see for themselves how their win was created. The Connect & Collect feature does the opposite: it allows players to chase bonuses that are 1.) constantly visible on the grid and not the result of some abstract condition, and 2.) offers an illustrative way of showing them how they won (or could’ve won) a prize. The feature’s clear path to game rewards plays on our completionist streak and gives plenty of satisfaction by letting us observe how something is fully brought to a close.

In some games, the feature relies on certain mechanics that help players chase major rewards on reel six. When a player reaches a Quick Collect symbol on reel three in 7 Shields of Fortune and Cai Fu Emperor Ways - which is much easier than reaching reel six - it will add enough connection symbols to help them reach reel six instantly. It’s a handy shortcut to the best rewards in the game and a nifty substitute for reaching reel six naturally. This way, winning the best rewards never seems out of reach, and players can always feel that a big win is just a spin away.

Another boost to path-making can be the respins feature. When triggered, it makes all connection symbols sticky for the rest of the phase and gives players five respins, i.e. additional chances at creating a path to reel six. On top of that, these connection symbols can establish multiple paths to major rewards on reel six and allow players to win free games AND instant credits AND a jackpot. Nothing is impossible and everything is there within an arm’s reach.

What’s more, in Almighty Pegasus, each connection symbol may carry a random value of up to 5x the current bet. Even without reaching reel six, players can still win something, which inspires them to try again. And finally, again in Almighty Pegasus, plenty of free games may be won, while the game may randomly drop added wilds, connection symbols and/or top-paying symbols. In combination with the add wilds bonus and 1875 winways all Connect & Collect games have, this creates a viable alternative to path-making and allows players to score sizable payouts in a more conventional way.

The Connect & Collect feature, now one of the cornerstones of current game design at Bragg Studios, was the result of an extensive development process that spanned several years and underwent numerous iterations. The initial concept was far removed from the final product: game designers envisioned using pipes to create connections across the screen. Inspired by Asian aesthetics, they explored using bamboo pipes to channel water into prize buckets. While visually appealing, this design proved problematic due to the sheer number of connection symbols required (36 in total), making gameplay overly complex.

After extensive prototyping and user testing, developers realized they needed to simplify the design. They experimented with various layouts and connection mechanics, always striving to balance visual appeal with user-friendliness. The unique reel layout presented its own set of challenges and required them to rethink how connections were formed and prizes were awarded. Ultimately, they stripped away all the extra elements, focusing on core components that delivered a clear and engaging gameplay experience. The result was the Connect & Collect feature as it exists today.

However, the work didn't stop there. The next challenge was to seamlessly integrate additional features into the Connect & Collect framework. Elements such as the respin feature, free games, jackpots, and other bonus mechanics needed to complement the core gameplay loop without overwhelming the player. This required careful balancing and extensive playtesting to ensure that all the elements worked together harmoniously.

Speaking of land-based slots, the first games to feature Connect & Collect mechanics were Fire Stampede and Firebird Spirit by Wild Streak Gaming, while 7 Shields of Fortune and Cai Fu Emperor Ways by Atomic Slot Lab were the first ones to introduce this super-feature to online slots. Atomic Slot Lab has just recently released the already top-performing Almighty Pegasus with a different but still highly engaging feature set, and there will be even more games with this fun feature coming out in the future.

All these games share the Connect & Collect feature but with certain variations in their subfeature sets. Cai Fu Emperor Ways performs brilliantly in all markets and players respond very well to its distinguishing characteristic, namely reel mirroring. In addition to Connect & Collect with Quick Connect symbols, there’s a random chance of reels one and two mirroring reels four and five, too. In practical terms, this effectively turns a 5-reel slot into a 3-reel slot, which boosts symbol wins and makes connections much easier to establish. Needless to say, players love this extra opportunity to score wins conventionally, too. What makes the game even more attractive is the chance of scoring added wilds, while the respins feature with sticky connection symbols delivers additional chances of creating lucrative pathways to reel six.

On the other hand, the Almighty Pegasus game saw a slightly different approach. Instead of Quick Collect symbols, this title offers two different ways to start - and restart - a retriggerable free games phase. Players can trigger them with scatters or by collecting the free games symbol on reel six. What’s more, the game can randomly add collection symbols, wilds, and top-paying Pegasus symbols to spin results, and there’s even a chance of randomly winning the grand jackpot of 4000x the current bet in the base game. Randomly added symbols and top prizes significantly contribute to player anticipation of big wins and inspire them to persist in their prize chase.

Connect & Collect is a powerful feature, but it’s also extremely versatile as well, since it works as a framework that encompasses multiple and exchangeable mechanics. The Cai Fu Emperor Ways game, for example, includes mirroring reels that help create winning combos, and Almighty Pegasus has random top-paying symbols addition and credits values on connection symbols, which other games with this feature don’t. Their core mechanic is shared, while they still have a variety of subfeature sets that make each game distinct and a perfect match for a certain type of player. Game designers can create bespoke variations with a selection of mechanics that fit the desired game theme or current slot gaming trends.

Furthermore, these sets of mechanics can be customized and tailored to the players' tastes for casino operators who know their players well, allowing Bragg Studios to cater to the needs of their clients even better than before. Players at casino X love Connect & Collect, but also ways games with collection meters and stacked wilds? No problem, a Connect & Collect game can be developed to include these subfeatures under the Connect & Collect umbrella feature - and just like that, casino X has hit a goldmine with a huge slot sensation that can be played and replayed for a long long time.

Moreover, this super-feature is flexible from a player’s perspective, too, as the rewards aren’t fixed to a single outcome. Depending on the game and its specific subfeature set, players can win anything from free games to a huge jackpot prize, which considerably diversifies their game sessions and keeps the game fresh and exciting. And when everybody profits, well, everybody profits!

To sum it up, games with the Connect & Collect feature offer a fresh twist that keeps players engaged and excited. This innovative mechanic allows players to create winning combinations while unlocking additional rewards, bonuses, or even jackpots. The feature lets players see the potential rewards they could win, up to seven at a time. This kind of visual temptation makes them appear readily attainable and within the player’s grasp every single spin, which drives excitement and expectation big-time. We found ourselves drawn to this feature because it combines the thrill of conventional slot gameplay with the satisfaction of achieving goals and seeing things fall into place.

If you're a fan of immersive slots replete with fascinating features and magnetic mechanics, Bragg Gaming has an impressive portfolio worth exploring. Their games, skillfully crafted and expertly conjured by the accomplished teams at Atomic Slot Lab, Wild Streak Gaming, Indigo Magic, and Spin Games, blend striking visuals and captivating themes with cutting-edge features like Connect & Collect. Discover their most exciting titles at Spinline, Asino, or Planbet online casinos and let this amazing slot journey begin - it’s time to spin and win!

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