Paylines describe defined paths
A line-based game evaluates combinations along defined paths through symbol positions. The game’s rules establish which paths are active, where a match must begin, and how many matching symbols qualify. A payline may be straight or shaped; the visible rows alone do not establish its path.
The Fortune Gems 2 and 3 comparison lists both games as five-line entries. That shared count is one format detail. It does not establish identical symbols, wheel features or multiplier rules.
Read a line count together with the line diagram and paytable. A board with nine visible cells can have a different number of defined lines; cells and lines measure different things.
Ways count eligible position combinations
For the illustrated shape, 4 × 4 × 4 × 4 × 4 gives 1024 possible position paths. A ways-based rule evaluates eligible symbol positions across reels instead of relying only on a fixed set of drawn lines. The symbol, direction and minimum-match requirements still matter.
Super Ace uses a 1024-ways description. An uneven layout, such as the middle-reel positions in Mahjong Ways 2, needs its own explanation. Do not carry a count from one board shape onto another.
Ways are possible combinations of positions, not guaranteed winning combinations. A higher count is not a standalone comparison of game quality or returns.
Wild and Scatter describe different roles
A Wild commonly substitutes for eligible symbols according to a game’s rules. A Scatter commonly has a feature-related or special evaluation role. The names alone do not establish that a Wild substitutes for every symbol or that every Scatter triggers free spins.
Read the exceptions: which symbols cannot be substituted, how many special symbols are needed, and whether their positions matter. Golden-symbol transformation is a further step: a symbol may change role only after an eligible event.
Keep “what the symbol looks like”, “what the symbol does” and “when its role changes” as separate notes. That makes comparisons more precise than relying on artwork.
Respins, collapses and free spins are different events
| Term | Question it answers |
|---|---|
| Respin | Which reels or positions spin again, and what continues or ends the sequence? |
| Collapse or elimination | Which symbols are removed, how do positions refill, and when is the next result evaluated? |
| Free-spin feature | What triggers entry, how many rounds are granted, and which rules change during the feature? |
| Multiplier | Which qualifying amount is adjusted, when does the adjustment apply, and when does it reset? |
The Fortune Tiger guide discusses a respin description. The Super Ace comparison discusses elimination-linked multipliers. Similar-looking animation sequences do not make those rules interchangeable.
A free-spin feature is a state defined by the game rules. Its name does not establish a free, no-account demo or the availability of a game on this website.
Read numerical settings in context
RTP is a theoretical long-run return measure for a particular game configuration. It is not a promise that an individual session returns that percentage. Volatility describes a distribution characteristic, not an instruction that lets you predict the next result.
Before comparing numerical settings, match the complete game, configuration and source. A publisher reference and a live platform installation may not establish the same settings. An advertised maximum does not establish what a session is likely to produce.
This guide does not provide a system for winning. Use these terms to read game information accurately. Browse the twelve-game directory by publisher or format, and keep the publisher source records alongside your comparison.