Esqueleto Explosivo: Feliz Navidead Slot Review
Get ready to deck the halls, rattle those bones, and sing through every win in Thunderkick’s latest release, Esqueleto Explosivo: Feliz Navidead!
Everyone’s favourite singing skulls are here to light up the holiday season, spreading cheer & joy as they scream ‘Feliz Navidead‘ at the top of their lungs (do they actually have any, though?).
It’s hard to believe that a year has passed since the release of Esqueleto Explosivo 3, and in that time, we’ve reconnected to much-loved features, as well as shiny, new ones. While it doesn’t look like much has changed, we’re hoping there’s more to it than just strapping a Christmas hat onto skulls and adding tons of snow & presents to the backdrop.
Esqueleto Explosivo: Feliz Navidead brings the fiesta to life, with all the Christmas bells & whistles to kick-start the festivities. As the Cluster Pays mechanic works its magic, a choir of skulls breaks out on the reels, marking the occasion with the words ‘Feliz Navidead‘. Explosive Wilds continue to shake up the reels, clearing a path for fresh wins & even bigger avalanche events.
As each win explodes into a song & dance, the Mucho Multiplier begins to climb through the ranks, up to a maximum of x1,024. With a fixed RTP of 94.33% and a high volatility score, this game can produce wins worth up to 7,500x your bet…it’s loud, joyful, and highly explosive – it’s Feliz Navidead, indeed!
Base Game & Features
Esqueleto Explosivo: Feliz Navidead is a highly volatile slot, as part of an ongoing series of slots, featuring 5 reels, 5 rows, and a Cluster Pays mechanic. Paytable symbols deliver winning combinations when 5-15 identical symbols land horizontally or vertically on the grid.
The highest-paying symbol falls to the Yellow Lady Skull, followed by Pink, Green, Blue, Orange, & Teal Skulls. Once a winning combination has been confirmed on the grid, a fixed payout between 0.2x and 150x your bet is awarded.
Due to the Cluster Pays mechanic, an Avalanche Feature causes all winning clusters to be removed from the grid, allowing new symbols to drop in from above, potentially creating further wins in the same spin. This feature continues until no more winning clusters are available.
Explosivo Wild
During or after the Avalanche Feature, a single Explosivo Wild can randomly appear in an empty cell position, substituting for all symbols as part of a win evaluation. Once an Explosivo Wild appears on the grid, it will destroy paytable symbols in a 3×3 area, excluding the highest-paying symbol, Wilds, or Scatters.
Mucho Multiplier
The Mucho Multiplier, situated at the bottom of the main reel set, starts at x1 during each spin, doubling in value with each winning cluster or Wild explosion that occurs, up to a maximum of x1,024 in Free Spins and x32 in the base game.
Esqueleto Explosivo: Feliz Navidead Free Spins
Landing 3 or 4 Scatters anywhere in the base game triggers the Free Spins mode, awarding 10 and 12 Free Spins, respectively. Additionally, after the 4th Scatter, a further +2 Free Spins are awarded.
During this feature, each time a new Explosivo Wild appears in view, it will be highlighted in the meter below the reels. When the meter has been filled, +1 Free Spin is awarded. If, over the course of this feature, the meter is filled 5 times, no additional Explosivo Wilds can be collected.
As the Mucho Multiplier increases, it does not reset between spins, making the max Multiplier of x1,024 all the more achievable. Finally, when 2, 3, or 4 Scatters appear on the grid, an additional +3, +5, and +7 Free Spins are awarded, respectively.
Bet+ & Bonus Buy
Players within eligible markets can purchase any of the following Bet+ & Bonus Buy options:
- Bonus Boost: Each spin is 2 times more likely to trigger the Free Spins mode for 1.5x your bet per spin (94.25%)
- The Enrico Show: Guarantees an Explosivo Wild in the initial spin for 2x your bet (94.35%)
- Bonus Boost Plus: Each spin is 5 times more likely to trigger the Free Spins mode for 3x your bet per spin (94.31%)
- Free Spins: Instantly triggers the Free Spins mode with 3 or 4+ Scatters for 75x your bet (94.40%)
Esqueleto Explosivo: Feliz Navidead has a maximum win potential of 7,500x your bet. If a single session reaches this figure, the current mode ends, and the player returns to the base game with the qualifying amount.
Our Honest Verdict
As soon as Summer ends and the colder months start to (literally) pour in, software developers begin racking their brains in search of fresh & unique ideas for their Halloween/Christmas-themed slots. However, it’s not uncommon to see a much-loved game reappear as a Christmas or Halloween reskin, which leads us to Thunderkick’s next release…
While Esqueleto Explosivo: Feliz Navidead is a stand-alone release, it’s hard not to judge it based on its predecessors. Given the series’ current reputation, this release was always going to bode particularly well with players, even if there isn’t much difference between them.
As you spin the reels, you’ll hear the familiar soundscapes of chattering teeth, fireworks, and an outpour of singing as wins explode on the grid, all whilst delivering a feel-good, Christmas vibe through decorative aesthetics & an upgraded backdrop.
In the base game, Explosivo Wilds are one of the most important symbols in play, due to their multiple abilities on the grid. Not only do they substitute for all paytable symbols as part of a win, but they also explode a 3×3 area even if there’s no winning clusters present. This allows players a type of second-chance event, so that no spin is essentially ‘dead’ (pun intended).
During Free Spins, the Mucho Multiplier continues to impress with its sizable max value of x1,024, made even more achievable with the collection of Explosivo Wilds & its persistent state throughout Free Spins.
All in all, Esqueleto Explosivo: Feliz Navidead is a feel-good, festive addition to Thunderkick’s portfolio, but it doesn’t reinvent the previous instalments.
*The images found in this slot review are currently from Demo Play. On average, our reviews are written prior to the initial release date and before real play is available.
