Esqueleto Explosivo

Esqueleto Explosivo, developed by Thunderkick, is a video slot that immerses players in the vibrant and colorful world of the Mexican Day of the Dead celebration. The game's backdrop features a dark but lively Mexican alleyway, setting the stage for a festive yet slightly macabre atmosphere.

The main characters of the slot are Enrico Mortis and his skeletal mariachi band, known as The Boners. These skeletal musicians, each holding different instruments such as guitars, trumpets, and harps, form the central focus of the game. The symbols are represented by colorful, decorated skulls, each with unique features that tie into the Day of the Dead theme.

Thunderkick released Esqueleto Explosivo in 2014, and it has since become one of their most iconic games. Since then, its popularity has inspired Thunderkick to create a sequel, a similar Day of the Dead themed slot called Esqueleto Explosivo 2 Bonus Buy.

Core Game Mechanics:

Esqueleto Explosivo features a 5×3 grid with 17 fixed paylines. However, it diverges from traditional slot mechanics by employing a unique “Dropping Symbols” feature instead of spinning reels. The game uses five three-headed mariachi skeletons, each holding three skull symbols.

Players can bet between 0.10 and 100 units per spin. Winning combinations are formed by landing three or more matching skull symbols on adjacent reels, starting from the leftmost reel. The highest-paying symbol is the pink skull, which awards 2.5x the bet for five on a payline.

The game boasts a high Return to Player (RTP) of 97.6% and low volatility, offering frequent but smaller wins rather than rare, large payouts. The maximum win potential is 700x the bet.

Bonus Features:

1. Dropping Symbols: This feature activates after each win. Winning symbols explode and disappear, allowing new symbols to drop from above, potentially creating new winning combinations. This process continues as long as new wins occur.
2. Mucho Multiplier: With each consecutive win from the Dropping Symbols feature, a multiplier increases. The multiplier levels are 1x, 2x, 4x, 8x, 16x, and finally 32x. The multiplier resets when no new wins occur.
3. Explosivo Wild: This special wild symbol is represented by a golden skull wearing sunglasses. When it appears, it explodes, removing itself and the eight surrounding symbols. This not only creates space for new symbols to drop but also increases the multiplier by one level. The Explosivo Wild can substitute for all other symbols.

It's worth noting that Esqueleto Explosivo does not feature a traditional free spins bonus round. Instead, the game relies on the combination of Dropping Symbols, Mucho Multiplier, and Explosivo Wild to create an engaging and potentially rewarding base game experience.

Unique Aspect:

A standout feature of Esqueleto Explosivo is its audiovisual presentation. The game incorporates a unique musical element where winning skull symbols sing a short tune before exploding. This can lead to longer “singing sessions” with consecutive wins, creating an auditory experience that complements the visual spectacle of exploding skulls and dropping symbols. This clever integration of music and gameplay mechanics sets Esqueleto Explosivo apart from many other slots, contributing to its enduring popularity despite its relative simplicity in terms of bonus features.