Slots with non-standard wheel shape (hexagons, pyramids)

Slots with non-standard wheel shape (hexagons, pyramids)

The material refers to the section "What are luck wheel slots? ». The classic wheel is a circle with sectors, but developers are increasingly moving away from their usual shape, experimenting with geometry. This approach enhances the novelty effect and helps to allocate a slot among competitors.

1. Why a custom shape is used

Uniqueness effect. The player immediately notices the unusual design and remembers the slot.
Gamification. Non-standard wheels create the feeling of "mini-game within the game."
Visual accent. Unusual geometry attracts attention and increases engagement.
Marketing value. Games with a "pyramid" or "hexagon" are easier to promote as a novelty.

2. Hexagon wheels

Features:
  • The wheel is divided into six large segments or six faces, each containing its own sub-sectors.
  • It can be implemented as a "cubic" or "hexagonal" roulette, where the result is determined by the face.
  • Most often used in slots with multi-bonuses: each face is responsible for a separate type of bonus (freespins, multipliers, jackpots).

Effect: The player perceives the process as a choice between several "portals," which enhances the strategic sense of choice, although the outcome always depends on the RNG.

3. Pyramidal wheels

Features:
  • They are presented in the form of a three-dimensional pyramid, where each face contains sectors.
  • The rotation of the pyramid imitates a "three-dimensional wheel," often with visual effects (illumination, rotation around the axis).
  • It is used to create level bonuses, where the player can "rise higher" and get to more valuable segments.

Effect: an association with "rise to the top" is created, increasing excitement and emotional involvement.

4. Other forms and variations

Multi-level wheels: several concentric circles or tiers, where one rotates inside the other.
Grid Wheel-The wheel is represented as a box with cells pointed to by an arrow or marker.
Combined shapes: circular wheel + additional selection zones (for example, "wheel + cube").

5. Influence on mechanics and perception

It does not affect mathematics. RNG works in the same way: shape is a visualization, not a change in probabilities.
Emotions are directly affected. The unusual shape is perceived as a "new experience," even if the odds remain the same.
On marketing: custom wheels help attract attention, but over a long distance, retention depends on RTP and volatility, not shape.

6. Advantages and disadvantages of non-standard wheels

Pros:
  • Increased entertainment and uniqueness.
  • The ability to combine multiple bonuses in one interface.
  • Strengthening the thematic atmosphere (for example, pyramids in Egyptian slots).

Cons:
  • It can be more difficult in perception for beginners.
  • Sometimes animations are too long and drag out the process.
  • In some games, an unusual shape is used only as a "wrapper," without real innovations.

Result

Slots with a non-standard wheel shape are experiments by developers aimed at creating a vivid visual effect. Hexagons and pyramids add an element of novelty and enhance the atmosphere, but do not change the essence: the probability of winning is still determined by the RNG. For the player, such solutions are interesting as a way to get a fresh experience, but when choosing, it is important to look at RTP, bonus structure and activation frequency, and not just the shape of the wheel.