Birds!

Birds! by the people at Betsoft, is perhaps the most inventive take on a slot game we've seen to date. And you see the difference right away – while it could be said that this has five reels with three rows each, and 25 pay lines, that's about the only way it resembles the traditional experience.

That's because instead of symbols on a grid, there are three telephone wires set against a background of a field of sunflowers. And although there is a "Spin" button, there is no spinning. The birds turn all at once and fly off their wires, replaced by a new flock that comes in from the left side of the screen. They get themselves arranged, and if there is a winning combination, one of the birds in that combo flies to the front of the screen and does their own little specialty move, and then flies off with their matching birds. The remaining birds hop down to the bottom wire, and more fly in from the left side.

The result is a completely animated gaming experience that is one of the most entertaining slots we've ever seen. Not only will you cheer to get wins, but you'll actually find yourself rooting for specific bird combinations just to see what they do next. Although the rainbow-feathered bird is always welcome, because he's a wild card.

Free Spins are a bit complicated, as they don't come from symbols on the grid. Instead you have to keep an eye on the "Free Flights" pole on the left, which lights up blue. When it gets to the top, you'll be awarded from eight to 20 "free flights," or – and this is where it gets confusing – 14 plus however many combos you have.

There is also a "Double Up" feature when you win, which triggers a coin toss feature that can double your winnings.