Mike Collins: “Serializing games allows developers to adapt to evolving player preferences”

Thunderkick is an independent slots studio that specialises in the production of unique, visually immersive games that prioritise the player experience. Following the release of the third title in their iconic Day of the Dead-themedseries, we spoke with Game Product Owner, Mike Collins, to find out what’s new in Esqueleto Explosivo 3, and what the driving force was behind the completion of the trilogy.

Q: Thunderkick is back with Esqueleto Explosivo 3, one of your studio's most memorable game series. Can you tell us what is new in the new version?

The latest instalment in the Esqueleto Explosivo series is bigger and better than ever. For the first time, the popular Cluster Pays mechanic has been introduced, with five matching symbols in adjacent positions forming a win across the expanded 5x5 grid. This adaptation to the payment mechanic breathes new life into the series, ensuring gameplay remains unique and exciting for those who have played the previous iterations.

Similarly to the first two titles, Cascading Wins leave behind Wilds and Explosivo Wilds to help form wins, with every win doubling the Mucho Multiplier. However, the win potential has been greatly enhanced in the latest release by increasing the maximum Mucho Multiplier from 32x to 1,024x, boosting the win potential from 5,000x to 7,500x.

Regarding the visual elements, our design team has done an immaculate job revitalising the graphics, retaining the familiarity and vibrancy loved by players, while also refining them even further to optimise immersion.

Q: Why did you decide to go ahead with a third instalment in the franchise?

We felt there was life left in this Day of the Dead-themed series. The first two releases have consistently performed well, with the game metrics showcasing that the series continues to resonate with players and drive engagement, adding value to our partners’ platforms.

The first two releases also allowed room for growth and development, both from a gameplay and visual perspective. Each new Esqueleto Explosivo game has been bigger than the last. From 32x multipliers and 700x win potential in the initial release to 1,024x multipliers and 7,500x win potential in the third title, we have placed emphasis on continually improving the player experience by adding gameplay elements and increasing maximum wins to promise anticipation and excitement.

Esqueleto Explosivo 3 also aligns with Thunderkick’s global commercial strategy. As we expand our presence in Latin America, the natural evolution of our portfolio was to create another localised game that resonates culturally with a targeted demographic of players. It has been over four and a half years since the launch of Esqueleto Explosivo 2, and following Thunderkick’s growth during that period, it felt like the optimal time to complete our hit series trilogy.

Q: Have you seen the same level of positivereception between the first and second versions of the game, and do you think each next instalment helps boost visibility, awareness and engagement for the product?

It has been close to a decade since we released the original Esqueleto Explosivo, and many players still love it. The same can be said for the sequel, and although we are four years on from its launch, the game performance metrics and direct player feedback are still overwhelmingly positive, highlighting that there remains a strong appetite for these games.

The time between releases in the series is important as it allows us to ensure each new game is distinctive. We have been able to monitor industry trends and adapt gameplay accordingly, while also implementing best-in-class visuals enabled by advancements in technology. The result is a game that is familiar enough to appeal to series fans, but also elevates the Esqueleto Explosivo experience to new heights to drive engagement.

We are also hoping the game will amplify visibility and awareness around the Thunderkick brand, demonstrating that we consistently provide exciting and immersive slots that embrace new features and mechanics to create memorable gaming experiences with the player in mind.

Q: What is the upside of serialising a popular slot game?

As a developer, creating a series from a popular game provides a unique opportunity to take on board direct player feedback and adapt new iterations accordingly. With standalone releases, you could be on the brink of striking gold, but failure to explore a sequel means feedback is essentially redundant, and this can result in a huge amount of undiscovered potential.

Not every game needs to be serialised, but when the opportunity does arrive, it gives developers a chance to adapt a game to align with constantly evolving player preferences. For example, both Esqueleto Explosivo and Esqueleto Explosivo 2 featured classic left-to-right paylines. In the last few years, the popularity of Cluster Pays and Pay Anywhere games have skyrocketed, so it was a natural progression to incorporate the former to evolve the series further.

There is also the added benefit of solidifying brand presence in a target market. If a particular game resonates with players in a market targeted for growth, a sequel can cement a provider’s place as a leading game supplier for that specific jurisdiction, ensuring players associate your brand with compelling content.

Q: Do you think Esqueleto Explosivo has already established itself as a player-favourite franchise? Are there indications that players are actively seeking to play the game?

The Esqueleto Explosivo series is, without doubt, our most successful to date and has garnered a collection of fans across the globe. The impressive performance metrics of both the original and sequel led to the completion of the trilogy, which we hope will be equally successful. We have retained the familiar graphical elements of the game to appeal to existing fans, but have introduced enough fresh features to attract new players too. The overall aim was to enhance the fan-favourite Esqueleto Explosivo brand, while simultaneously diversifying Thunderkick’s product portfolio.

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