Fruit Machines

The term “fruit machine” is often used in the United Kingdom as simply a different term for slot machine, much like Australians call these same games “poker machines.” However, there is also a special subset of slot machines that are particularly popular in the UK which are specifically referred to as fruit machines. These games are similar to standard slots, but also have a few modifications that can make these games feel slightly different than a typical slot.

History of Fruit Machines

Fruit machines share much of the same history as slot machines. Both come from the early innovations of inventor Charles Fey, who created the first Liberty Bell slot machine in San Francisco around 1890. The Liberty Bell machine quickly became extremely popular, and imitators popped up throughout the United States and around the world.

In the early days of slot machines, many of these games were found in clubs, pubs, and similar locations. Rather than give out cash, many of these games awarded prizes, such as drinks, candy, or chewing gum. These gum machines are particularly important to the history of the fruit machine, as many of these games would feature symbols like cherries, melons, or bananas on the reels; these were the flavors of gum that players would be awarded with should they match those symbols.

The use of these symbols soon became widespread, and the fruit machine became instantly recognizable throughout most of the world. While the slot machine name stuck in the United States, players in the UK began referring to all of these games as fruit machines, regardless of what symbols were actually used within the game.

Over the course of the next century, there would be many improvements to the traditional fruit machine. Mechanical games gave way to electronic versions; in more recent years, video fruit machines have become the latest evolution in machine gaming. Now, fruit machines are available at most online casinos.

However, while it is correct in a sense to refer to all slots games as fruit machines, there’s also a special subset of games that truly captures the essence of what a fruit machine truly is. A “true” fruit machine, of course, will use the classic fruit symbols to award prizes to players. Complex five-reel slot machines generally aren’t seen as the prototypical fruit machine, either; instead, the authentic fruit machine is a three-reel game that attempts to replicate the kind of action that has been found in classic fruit machines for over 100 years.

How Fruit Machines and Slot Machines Differ

If we’re going to talk about fruit machines as a separate entity from slot machines, it’s probably a good idea to look at how the two types of games differ. Cosmetically, they share most of the same features: both require players to match symbols across reels to win prizes, and both often offer players large jackpots for matching rare combinations of symbols.

However, the evolution of fruit machines has taken a slightly different path than American slots. Many fruit machines offer players the opportunity to manipulate the reels somewhat during play, increasing your chances of winning.

For instance, many fruit machines offer a hold function. This allows you to hold certain reels in place before a respin, after which your prizes will be rewarded. While this feature isn’t unheard of in slot machines, it is definitely more common in UK fruit machines.

Another option that you’ll find much more frequently in fruit machines is the “nudge” feature. This feature allows you to make a reel move one spot further to make winning combinations.

These two features add some depth of strategy to fruit machines, something that isn’t commonly seen in slot machines. On fruit machines with these features, players must make decisions that can affect the returns they’ll receive from the game. In many cases, players will have the option to hold reels or nudge a reel, but won’t be allowed to do both. This often leads to situations in which players must balance having a high chance (or guarantee) at a small prize against the opportunity to shoot for a much bigger prize that’s tougher to hit.

Another thing you’ll find while playing fruit machines is that they have many more special symbols on the reels, especially in comparison to standard three-reel slot machines. It’s not rare to have a dozen different possibilities pop up on the reels (or in bonus rounds), each of which has a different affect on your gameplay or the prizes you can win.

In other ways, modern fruit machines are very similar to slot machines. Both types of games have now increasingly moved to offering players lots of bonus rounds in which they can win increased prizes and play games that take place on a second screen, away from the reels. Progressive jackpots are also popular on fruit machines, just as they are on slot machines.