Mechanic collection
Cascading slots
Avalanche, tumble, cascade: one spin that keeps resolving until no new win forms, and the multiplier ladders built on top of it.
In a cascading slot, symbols that form a win are removed and replaced by new symbols falling into the gaps, so a single spin can produce a chain of separate wins. Providers market the idea under names including Avalanche, Tumble and Cascades. The chain often drives a multiplier that rises with each successive win, and the whole sequence is one spin for the purposes of the game's maths.
Filter and sort the game list
| Game | RTP | Volatility | Grid / lines | Released | Data |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
The Crypt 2Nolimit City · Video slot
|
96.1% | Very high | 3 Mar 2026 | ||
Fire in the Hole xBombNolimit City · Video slot
|
96.06% | Very high | 2 Mar 2021 | ||
Sweet BonanzaPragmatic Play · Video slot
|
96.48% | High | Jun 2019 | ||
Le BanditHacksaw Gaming · Video slot
|
96.34% | Medium-high | — | ||
Jammin' JarsPush Gaming · Grid slot
|
96.83% | High | — | ||
Dragon's Fire MegawaysRed Tiger · Video slot
|
95.72% | Not published | 19 Sep 2019 | ||
Gates of OlympusPragmatic Play · Video slot
|
96.5% | High | Feb 2021 | ||
Rich Wilde and the Tome of MadnessPlay'n GO · Grid slot
|
— | Not published | 27 Jun 2019 | ||
ReactoonzPlay'n GO · Grid slot
|
— | Not published | 23 Oct 2017 | ||
Temple TumbleRelax Gaming · Video slot
|
— | Not published | — | ||
BonanzaBig Time Gaming · Video slot
|
— | Not published | 2016 | ||
Extra ChilliBig Time Gaming · Video slot
|
— | Not published | — |
What a cascade is
A cascade replaces the reel spin as the unit of action. When a winning combination forms, the symbols involved are removed, the symbols above drop down, and new symbols fill the empty positions. If the new arrangement forms another win, the process repeats.
NetEnt calls it the Avalanche, its signature mechanic, in Gonzo's Quest1. Play'n GO describes the same idea in Reactoonz, where symbols in winning clusters are removed and replaced by new symbols from above, giving multiple chances to win in the same round2. Other studios use tumble, cascade or drop.
The multiplier ladder
Because a chain has a natural counter, most cascading games attach a multiplier to it. Each successive win in the same sequence raises the multiplier, and the ladder resets when the chain ends.
Gonzo's Quest sets the ceiling at 5x in the base game and raises it to 15x during the Free Fall round1. This is the main reason a cascading game can appear to pay very little for long stretches and then resolve a single spin into a large total: the value is in the length of the chain, not in the first win that starts it.
One spin, several wins
For the purposes of the game's maths and for the stake deducted, the whole sequence is a single spin. The return to player is calculated across the chain, not across each individual drop.
This is worth knowing for two practical reasons. A cascading game's win frequency, as displayed, may count the chain once rather than counting every drop. And a long sequence plays out at the game's own pace: in Great Britain at least 2.5 seconds must pass between game cycles, players must release and press the start button for each cycle, and features that reduce the time a result takes to present, such as turbo, quick spin and slam stop, are not permitted3.
What to check in the rules
- Whether the multiplier applies to the whole chain or only to wins after the first.
- Where the multiplier resets, which is normally the end of the chain but can be the end of the spin or the end of the round.
- Whether the bonus round uses a different ceiling, as Gonzo's Quest does1.
- The published return to player version in force, which must be available before a customer commits to gamble in Great Britain4.
How our database records it
We tag a game with the cascading mechanic when the provider describes winning symbols being removed and replaced within the same spin, whatever trade name is used for it. Multiplier ceilings are recorded as published, separately for the base game and the bonus round where the provider distinguishes them.
FAQ
About cascading slots
Is a cascade the same as a respin?
No. A cascade removes winning symbols and refills the gaps within the same spin, continuing while new wins form. A respin re-spins some or all of the reels as a separate event, usually with symbols locked in place, and is normally awarded as a feature rather than occurring as part of the base spin's resolution.
Does each drop count as a separate win?
Each drop that forms a combination pays, but the sequence belongs to one spin and one stake. The return to player is calculated across the whole chain. That is why a cascading game's totals can look uneven: the same spin may pay nothing, once, or many times as symbols are removed and replaced.
Why do cascading slots use rising multipliers?
Because the chain provides a counter to build on. Gonzo's Quest raises the multiplier with each successive avalanche to a ceiling of 5x in the base game and 15x in the Free Fall round. The ladder concentrates the payout potential in longer chains, which are rarer, so it widens the spread of outcomes rather than raising the average.
Can I speed up a long cascade sequence?
Not in Great Britain. Technical standards require a minimum of 2.5 seconds between game cycles, require the player to release and press the start button for each cycle, and prohibit features such as turbo, quick spin and slam stop that let a player reduce the time a result takes to present. A long chain therefore plays out at the game's own pace.
Gambling can cause harm
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