Thunder Hawk

Thunder Hawk: Slot Overview

Armenian software provider Peter & Sons heads out of doors for its Native American-themed online slot Thunder Hawk. First things first was working out what the title means, and when browsing the game info page and cross-referencing the words 'thunder hawk' online, we came across something called a 'Thunderbird', which Wikipedia describes as a 'supernatural being of power and strength.' Thunder Hawk the slot leans towards this mystical concept, and for features, it's got instant cash prizes, free spins with power-ups, Super Free Spins with power-ups, a Golden Bet and bonus buys.

Thunder Hawk might not have the 'pure' Peter & Sons look we used to expect in each and every release, but it remains an attractive game with a distinctive look. For setting, the wood-lashed game board has been placed in an outdoor spot, with tepees to the side and rocky outcroppings in the background. As mentioned, it's a nice view, but for the more money-minded, the most eye-catching part of Thunder Hawk might be the prize ladder displaying 10 different values. This 9 Masks of Fire-style ladder could be the very thing that either turns some players off while it entices others in for a crack.

A highly volatile slot, Thunder Hawk generates a return to player value of 96%, which seems to apply whether betting 20 p/c to $/€50 per spin, when activating the Golden Bet or when buying either free spins option. The Golden Bet ups the stake by 50%, increasing the chance of hitting the bonus game. Played on a 5x3 gaming grid, Thunder Hawk has 20 fixed paylines for landing winning combinations of 3 to 5 OAK across.

Pay symbols in Thunder Hawk are J-A card ranks as the 4 low pays, and 4 Native American characters as the high pay symbols. Lows award a payout of 2.5 to 5 times the bet for landing a line of 5 matching symbols, or 7.5 to 25 times the bet is paid for hitting 5 matching premiums. Skull wilds are present on all reels as well. Wilds can substitute for any pay symbols or award up to 50 times the bet when 5 wilds make a winning line.

Thunder Hawk: Slot Features

Thunder Hawk has two bonus rounds – free spins and super free spins. In both bonuses and in the base game, players are able to win cash from the prize meter.

Thunder Hawk Prize Meter

The Thunderhawk symbol is the key to winning instant cash prizes. When 3-12 Thunderhawk symbols land, they award from 1x up to 10,000x the bet.

Free Spins

Landing 3 scatter symbols triggers the free spins round. On every free spin, a random feature is awarded. Features are:

• Multiplier – multiplies the win amount with an x2 to x4 multiplier.
• Extra free spins – 1 to 3 extra free spins are awarded.
• Additional Thunderhawks – 1 to 3 Thunderhawk symbols are added.

Super Free Spins

Each time the free spins round is unlocked, the meter beneath the reels progresses. When the meter is filled, Super Free Spins are triggered. For this bonus round, 5 free spins are awarded where only Thunderhawk symbols or blanks land. Thunderhawk symbols are sticky, and when spins end, a prize is awarded from the meter depending on how many Thunderhawks are in view. It is possible to receive 1 to 3 additional spins or extra Thunderhawk symbols on every spin.

Bonus Buy

Clicking the Buy button opens up a menu with two bonus options. One is regular free spins round for 50 times the bet, and the second option is Super Free Spins for 150x the bet.

Thunder Hawk: Slot Verdict

Yep, it's another 9 Masks kinda game, but coming from Peter & Sons means it manages to stand out from the crowded bunch to a degree. Being a Peter & Sons production means attractive artwork and pleasing sounds have combined to create a unique-looking slot. Not as striking as some of the studio's memorable works like Monster Blox to give an example, but still, Thunder Hawk looks like little else out there.

The same can't quite be said about the gameplay, though, which revolves mostly around landing Thunderhawk symbols to scoop instant cash wins from the prize ladder. It sometimes feels like you can't move two steps in the online slot biz without tripping over one of these sorts of games sooner or later. Peter & Sons has added features you don't usually find elsewhere, though, such as features on free spins, including win multipliers. Interestingly, during the two bonus rounds, the top prize on the meter was covered over by a piece of red cloth, indicating that perhaps it can only be won in the base game? Or maybe it is altered this way on account of the multipliers to keep the game within its 5,000x the bet max win limit? Either way, 5,000x is Thunder Hawk's top prize. Also, Super Free Spins did not drop a feature on each spin. Either the demo needs a tweak, or the game rules do. Something to keep an eye out for in the future.

So, did the world really need another one of these 9 Masks-style games? Maybe not, but there are arguably loads of things we don't necessarily need that continue to pour forth from the capitalist/consumerist production line on a daily basis. And so, taken from the standpoint that more choices are a positive thing for discerning consumers, then even if Thunder Hawk feels like it's behind the ball, it's a nicely designed scatter symbol/instant prize-win game with a few original touches to potentially entertain players hot on this style.