Thunder Birds Power Zones

Casinos with Thunder Birds Power Zones

An Introduction to Thunder Birds Power Zones

Something that we think all players can agree on is that many themes are reused and recycled in the online slots world. While that’s not the end of the world, it does make it more impressive when a software developer gives players something fresh and fun.

This is exactly what you get with the Thunder Birds Power Zones video slot from Ash Gaming.

The theme has several dozen birds sitting on a grid of power lines. They all have their own goofy personas and colors. However, they all also have a lot of detail to how they’re drawn and animated. This brings out a ton of character for each of them, which is something we appreciate a lot. Additionally, the animation is hilarious when you get a winning combination and they fry on the power lines.

Regarding the gameplay, it’s handled particularly well here. The grid of symbols is a bit larger than most “cluster matching” style titles. As a result, it feels easier to get basic wins. Additionally, this format and the style of play is used in some different ways with regard to the feature set. Because of this, you end up with a gameplay experience that has quite a bit of action. This is especially the case with the absolutely massive multipliers available during the free spins. However, the regular game mode is fast-paced as well, especially with the Power Zones mechanic.

Betting and Layout

The format here is not the most common out there. However, if you’ve been around slots for a while, you’ve probably played something somewhat similar. Even if that’s the case, we strongly suggest reading over the following so that you know what to expect:

• A grid of symbols is used with eight rows and eight columns of symbols. This yields 64 symbols on the game board at all times.
• Wins in this title are cluster-based. A cluster is a set of at least five matching symbols that are adjacent to each other.
• Note that to form a cluster, the symbols must touch either vertically, horizontally or both.
• You’ll place wagers in this game that are based on a total amount you want to bet. Ash Gaming didn’t include any coin-based complications, thankfully.
• The minimum bet available in this game is €0.50 per turn. However, the maximum will depend on where you’re playing, but it will usually be at least €100.

The volatility of this title is something players should pay attention to. Most cluster-based games have a below-average volatility. However, in this case, it’s somewhere between what we would call average and above-average. A lot of this has to do with the absurdly massive multiplier available in the free spins mode.

Note also that since line-based payouts aren’t used, you’ll have wins expressed below as multiples of your overall wager. However, we actually prefer this system because we think it’s more clear than other approaches. In the actual pay table, it’s listed as multiples of your bet size divided by 10 instead.

Gameplay and Features

The gameplay style of the Thunder Birds Power Zones online slot is exciting and fun-driven. However, it’s definitely a little bit outside of the box. Because of this, we break down how everything works step-by-step in the following. This will help players to jump right in and get started playing once they know how it all works.

Cascade Feature

Of everything available in this game, the first feature you’ll almost certainly run into is the cascade. You’ll have the same basic idea here as what you’ve probably seen in other titles. However, the Power Zones mechanic it’s tied to is a bit different. We’ll look at it below.

For the cascades, it’s pretty straightforward. Winning clusters of birds are paid out. However, once they win, you’ll see them be electrocuted and go “poof” before allowing new symbols to fall down into the empty space they leave behind. As a result, you get another chance to hit winning combinations with the symbols that fell down into place.

What’s really important to realize here is that you can get wins over and over like this. You don’t have just one shot at the cascade feature. This means players have chances to get several pays in a row off of cascades from a single paid spin.

Power Zones Game Mechanic

You’ll notice when you start playing that the middle 4×4 block of symbols has a different background in this game. This is tied to the Power Zones game mechanic, which itself is tied to the Cascade Feature.

Each time you get a win, a drumstick is added to the meter on the far-left side. However, note that this is not based on the number of cascades like what you see with most titles. For example, if you got three winning clusters on your initial spin, that adds three different drumsticks to the meter.

Once you get to four drumsticks on the meter, you get a shot at the Power Zones mechanic. A randomly chosen symbol is shown beside of the game board. If that’s located on the reels within the grid, every single symbol within the Power Zone turns into that matching symbol. This makes it much easier to get bigger cluster payouts. However, it’s not a guaranteed hit when you get four drumsticks. Instead, this only gives you a chance at it, which is fair since in our testing, four drumsticks wasn’t particularly rare.

Free Spins Bonus Round

The Thunder Birds Power Zones video slot also offers a free spins mode. With the egg bonus symbol, you need at least four of a kind to trigger the feature. However, this is a scattered bonus symbol, so they don’t have to show up in a cluster like all other symbols do. Additionally, you can get more free spins depending on how many bonus symbols appear:

• Eight of a Kind – 12 free spins
• Seven of a Kind – 11 free spins
• Six of a Kind – 10 free spins
• Five of a Kind – 9 free spins
• Four of a Kind – 8 free spins

Note that eight of a kind is the most you can get because you can only get one scatter on each column at a time.

During the free spins mode, a special multiplier symbol can appear. This is a rooster holding a sign and gives players multipliers on their wins worth up to 100x. Additionally, the Power Zones mechanic is still available in the free spins mode. That means you can potentially get those larger payouts multiplied several times over for massive prizes.

How to Win at Thunder Birds Power Zones

We mentioned up above that the volatility of this game is between the medium and medium high ranges. As a result, we suggest that players consider a slight betting adjustment. Dropping your bet size down by about 25 to 33 percent may be a good idea here. While keeping it at where you’d normally play is fine as well, a small decrease will take the edge off of the swings a bit.

The swings aren’t terribly high in this game. However, they’re high enough that some players will feel like things are a bit unbalanced. Because of this, it’s a call of personal taste whether you make this adjustment or not.

Payout Structure for Thunder Birds Power Zones

You need at least five of a kind in a cluster for a payout in this game. However, clusters of 25 or more all get the same size win. The larger violet bird gets you a 4.2 win for 25+. From there, it drops slightly to 3.6x for 25 or more of the yellow, red, green, orange or pink birds.

At the bottom tier, four birds remain that all pay out 3.2x prizes. These are the purple, the white, the blue and the teal. You’ll notice that the pay table is pretty flat and balanced. This helps to keep the volatility from being even higher than it already is.

Overview

The style of gameplay in the Thunder Birds Power Zones online slot is very much action-oriented with a tremendous number of ways to win, and the driving theme of frying birds put into play as the center of this online slot is a great foundation for the gameplay style and excitement. The fun is completely amplified by the tremendous level to which the aesthetic appeal of those birds is suited for the game’s driving concept.

What slot fans will absolutely love about this game is the additional padding that the selection of features add to your overall winnings. It’s also worth noting that as a result of the large appeal to a lot people, this online slot has a strong spot in Ash Gaming’s portfolio overall.

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