When looking at slot games, we often look at various aspects of the title. How impressive are the graphics? What kind of bonuses can we play? How volatile is the title? What is the highest possible win we can get? It can be easy to hyperfocus on these questions. Very rarely do slot reviews focus on a slot’s sound design.
Despite not being the most essential thing in a slot game, sound still has a crucial role. Join us to explore what makes sound so necessary when playing video slots.
SETTING EXPECTATIONS
Imagine you just launched a creepy Halloween slot set in a haunted mansion. It has superb visuals that capture your attention and thrilling features centered around horror scenarios. Odds are you did not just imagine how it all looks – but also the accompanying sounds. The all-too-loud creak of a staircase. The cold wind outside, the faint sound of footsteps creeping along. A slow tune that puts the hairs on your arm on edge, priming you for an encounter with the unknown.
That is why sound design is so important. We may not pay attention to sounds and music, but we unconsciously expect them to be there. We expect a thrilling rock soundtrack with an action-packed slot or the sound of crashing waves in a beach-themed game. If these elements were not there, a game would feel incomplete.
ESTABLISHING REWARDS
In almost all slot games, sizeable wins get a unique screen that counts until it displays your prize. That screen also has loud, upbeat music to celebrate a big victory and the sound of coins pouring from a slot machine. Sound design is vital in helping to set the winning mood. It is also used to tell what kind of win you got without paying too much attention. A short ding indicates the win was small, possibly less than you staked. Bigger wins receive a more upbeat sound effect.
Music and sound design also play an essential role in making bonuses feel good. The game will often use a different soundtrack for free spins and other extra features. Similarly, cascading reels producing one win after another usually get highlighted by a faster-paced track than the usual one.
Software providers also use sound design to indicate when a player is idle. The music will become muffled or stop altogether.
HOW SOUND DESIGN AFFECTS PLAYERS
Sound does more than add to the experience. It has a real, physical effect on players! The University of Alberta showed that music and sound effects play a vital role in slot games. The sounds we associate with winning can create sweaty palms, faster heart rates, and dilation of pupils. The study confirmed games with plentiful sound effects are infinitely more attractive to players than their quieter counterparts.
One of the most exciting finds of that research paper was that some players placed music and sound above everything else. A game whose sounds produce a pleasurable gameplay experience could get players to ignore the risk of a specific game. It could also get them to ignore what kind of odds it offered.
Researchers are not the only ones aware of this fact. Software providers have also begun using more sophisticated sound designs in their slot games. As such, players can expect games to become even more immersive as time goes on. We look forward to seeing how this often overlooked part of slot games continues to improve.