New mobile slots releases are always welcomed news as it means even more games for us to play.
And sure, we get excited when it comes to the big name brands like NetEnt or Microgaming, but sometimes the smaller casino software can bring the biggest surprises of the lot.
This time Thunderkick and Yggdrasil Gaming go head to head as they release their latest slots on the same day. And these are two very different themed games; one plays with Russian dolls as the other with big colourful blocks.
We give you a sneak preview of each, and figure out what features we can expect and whether they will be worth your real money spins.
Update 11/08/2016: Be the first to play Babushkas ahead of its official release at Casumo casino now »
Thunderkick’s Babushkas slot preview
Let’s start this hot slot battle with the rather subdued looking Babushkas slot machine.
The name itself meaning ‘older woman or grandmother’ in Russian. It’s pretty apt, as a knitted background sees you collecting Russian dolls spread across a 5 reel, 3 rows, and 17 payline game.
You have a total of six different doll symbols ranging in size and in payouts of how much you can win.
However, if you know anything about Russian dolls, you’ll know that’s there’s always a few surprises hiding inside each of the bigger ones.
Upgrading symbols provide a chain reaction of wins
If you’ve ever played a Thunderkick slot before you’ll know that they usually come with one unique feature.
The Zoom slot had the bigger symbols, the TokiTime game had the expanding wild respins, and this Babushkas slot will see you upgrading your dolls for smaller yet higher paying symbols..
- 5 reels, 17 paylines
- 95.8% Return to player rate
- Russian doll theme
- Upgrading chain reaction symbol wins
- Wilds with 3 bonus features including free spins
What does this mean exactly? Well it means that on a win those symbols will upgrade if the surrounding symbols are of bigger value (but smaller size) and will create even bigger wins.
Once this initial upgrade is done, it can set off a chain reaction creating a screen full of the same symbol.
This has the potential for some big wins in our books, especially if you manage to get all of the highest paying symbols.
Mystery bear wilds come with bonuses
The wild symbol is a welcomed feature in a slot, helping you create more winning combinations.
Here though Thunderkick have decided to do something a little different. We are hoping it’s in order to get even bigger wins, but only time will tell.
How? By creating three casino bonus features depending on the type of wild you get.
- Scare Bear: depending on the size of the bear symbol all of the lower valued symbols on screen will upgrade by either 1, 2 or 3 levels.
- Charm Bear: get the charm bear and it’ll upgrade all symbols on screen by 1 level.
- Dance Bear: this accordion playing bear will reward you with 7 free spins where 1 wild will appear on reel 3 on every spin
Brown bears as the wild symbol fits in nicely with the overall Russian granny theme, but as you can see, this is still all about upgrading for that chain reaction of wins.
However, with a 390x your total bet maximum win on a single bet, those looking to win bigger might want to turn to Yggdrasil’s Big Blox slot instead.
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Yggdrasil’s Big Blox slot preview
If the Russian doll theme doesn’t grab you, then perhaps the quirky Aztec themed Big Blox slot machine will.
With 5 reels and 243 ways to win, this Big Blox game is set deep in the Aztec jungle where nature has started to crawl it’s way back over the relics of the past.
But this Yggdrasil is no relic as it gives you a 5×3 reel layout full of individually styled, colourful stone symbols.
As a 243 ways to win game, it follows in the footsteps of NextGens Wolfpack Pays and Microgaming’s Dragon Dance slot, each of which provide some thrilling entertainment.
However, looking at the stats, we would probably compare this Big Blox video slot with the likes of Thunderkick’s very own Zoom, or perhaps, NetEnt’s Spinata Grande slot.
Which is a big task considering that one of our favourite online mobile slot game thanks to the Mega Symbols, or as Yggdrasil renamed it, the Big Block feature.
The Big Blox slot has a Big Block feature
Unlike Babushkas, with it’s three wild bonuses, the only bonus feature that you’ll find here is that of the Big Block feature.
One we’ve seen before, and one that will undoubtedly create heart pounding moments of excitement.
- 5 reels, 243 ways to win
- 96.2% Return to player rate
- Aztec stones theme
- Big Blocks on every spin
- Win up to 3888x total bet on single spin
These mega symbols will randomly appear, covering anywhere from 2×2 to 5×3 symbols on your screen, and these can even contain the golden wild which has the potential to create a 3888x your total bet win on a single spin.
That’s almost 10x bigger win than the biggest you can get on the Babushkas mobile slot.
Add some great sounds and funky graphics, and we feel like Yggdrasil’s simpler video slot with only one bonus feature will probably capture our hearts.
Play Yggdrasil Games at Leo Vegas »
Which mobile slot will win come 24th August 2016?
For us the Babushkas slot might be a little too complicated to follow for slot beginners. More experienced players will enjoy the chain reaction of wins that can be created thanks to those upgrading dolls.
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Those three bear bonuses will also come in handy to create plenty of action across the 17 paylines. However for us the clear winner has to be the less complicated and simpler Big Blox machine.
Those Big Blocks of symbols showing up on every single spin keeps the thrills constant, and the potential for those bigger wins will grip most players new and old, especially as the return to player rate here is slightly better too at 96.2% compared to Thunderkick’s 95.8%.
Play both slots at our top mobile casinos
Once they are officially released you’ll be able to play at some of our favourite online casinos that we highly recommend. Both of which provide the full collection of Thunderkick and Yggdrasil slots for you to play in the mean time.
- Leo Vegas mobile casino: With over 250 mobile slots available, plus a huge £1500 / $1000 bonus & 200 free spins, you’ll never get bored.
- Vera&John mobile casino: Grab yourself 10 free spins on Sparks, plus a bigger 100% up to £€$200 bonus ,and play on games from Thunderkick, Yggdrasil, NetEnt, IGT, Microgaming and a whole load more.
And if those two don’t take your fancy you can always grab up to 420 spins plus an exclusive 100% up to £€$200 at Mr Green casino.
So why wait? Go see what these two software providers have in store for you and start playing on some great mobile slots.