Thunderkick casino games

Who makes Thunderkick casino games?

Thunderkick is a slot studio founded in Stockholm in 2012. Unlike many of the names on our providers hub, it hasn't been bought by a larger group: it remains independent. It operates through two companies, Thunderkick AB in Sweden and Thunderkick Malta Ltd, and each holds a Gambling Commission licence, under accounts 40165 and 41752.

To reach more casinos without being owned by anyone, Thunderkick works as a Powered By partner of Relax Gaming. In practice that means Relax's distribution platform carries Thunderkick games to operators, while the studio keeps control of its own designs. You may therefore see Thunderkick listed under its own name in one lobby and alongside Relax content in another.

The catalogue stands at about 110 games on reference listings, and none is based on a film, band or TV licence. Every theme, from dancing skeletons to space-faring pink elephants, is Thunderkick's own creation. Our guide to casino software providers explains how distribution deals like Powered By work.

The Thunderkick style: original art and offbeat themes

Thunderkick's reputation rests on presentation. Its games tend to have a single, strong visual idea and a sense of humour, with animation used to tell a small story rather than to fill the screen with effects. The studio's refusal to use branded content means each game has to stand on its own concept.

The best-known example is Esqueleto Explosivo, a slot built around a mariachi band of skeletons. Its symbols tumble rather than spin, and winning skulls explode to make way for new ones, a variation on cascading reels. A sequel, Esqueleto Explosivo 2, expanded the idea with 99 pay ways and a bigger top prize. Other well-known titles include Pink Elephants 2, Birds On A Wire and 1429 Uncharted Seas.

What 'no branded games' means for you

Branded slots pay licence fees to film or music rights holders, and that cost has to come from somewhere in the business model. Thunderkick avoids it, though we can't say whether that changes RTP settings on any given game. What it does mean is that you can't find a Thunderkick slot by searching for a film or band name; search by game title or studio instead.

Best-known Thunderkick casino games: verified figures

Every figure below comes from our verified slot records. As always, the help screen in the game shows the version your casino runs.

The striking thing is how tightly the RTPs cluster, between 96.0% and 96.13%, while volatility runs the full range. That makes Thunderkick a useful case study: the expected cost of play is nearly identical across these games, but the experience of a session is very different.

Same RTP, different ride: volatility in Thunderkick slots

With RTPs of about 96%, £100 staked on any of these games has an expected cost of roughly £4 in the long run. What changes is how that average is delivered. A low-volatility game like the original Esqueleto Explosivo spreads returns across many small wins and caps the top prize at 700× stake. A high-volatility game like Pink Elephants 2 holds back more of its return for rare, larger outcomes, up to 10,000× stake.

Here's what that means at 20p a spin, where 500 spins equals £100 staked:

The top prize column shows what the max win multiplier would mean at a 20p stake; it's a ceiling, not something to expect. If your budget is small, a lower-volatility game tends to last longer for the same money, but it won't make losses less likely overall. Our guide to slot volatility and the answer to is it better to play high or low volatility go further, and max win explained covers top prizes.

Thunderkick's two UK licence accounts

Thunderkick holds two Gambling Commission accounts: 40165 and 41752, linked to Thunderkick AB and Thunderkick Malta Ltd. Running more than one licensed entity is common for studios with operations in several countries. Each entity has its own register entry, so checking both gives you the full picture.

1. Open the Commission's public register of businesses (opens in a new tab).
2. Search for account number 40165, or for 'Thunderkick'.
3. Read the licence status, which should say Active for a current licence, and the activities listed.
4. Check the regulatory actions section for any history.
5. Repeat the search for account 41752.
6. Separately, confirm the casino you play at holds its own remote casino licence.

The Commission's guide to operating licences (opens in a new tab) explains who needs one to serve British customers. Our own how to check a casino licence guide walks through the register in more detail, and what is a casino licence number explains what the account number represents.

UK rules on Thunderkick slots

Thunderkick games offered at UK-licensed casinos follow the same Gambling Commission rules as every other online slot:

• Stake caps. £5 per spin from age 25, in force since 9 April 2025, and £2 for ages 18–24 since 21 May 2025. See our £5 slot stake limit page.
• Pace. At least 2.5 seconds per spin, no turbo and no slam-stop, since 31 October 2021.
• Manual play. No autoplay; each spin starts with your tap or click.
• Honest feedback. No celebration for a return at or below your stake, covered on our losses disguised as wins page.
• Visibility. Net position and time played stay on screen.

In tumbling games like Esqueleto Explosivo, every cascade after a spin is part of the same game cycle, so a long chain of explosions doesn't count as extra spins against the stake cap. The Commission's stake limit guidance (opens in a new tab) defines the game cycle.

How to find Thunderkick casino games in a UK lobby

Thunderkick titles can sit under the studio's own name or with Relax Gaming content, depending on how a casino imports them. A quick route:

1. Complete age and identity checks at a UK-licensed casino; demo play is locked until you do.
2. In the slots lobby, open the providers filter and look for Thunderkick, then Relax Gaming if needed.
3. Search 'Esqueleto' to find both games in the series at once.
4. Check the help screen for the RTP and paytable before choosing a stake.
5. Set a deposit limit and decide on a session length before starting.

Thunderkick casino games: pros and cons

If you like original art and want to pick a volatility level knowingly, Thunderkick is a sensible studio to explore. Our high RTP slots guide compares it with other studios' figures.

Where to play Thunderkick casino games: three checked offers

Casinos update their game ranges without notice, so we don't claim our partners currently stock any particular Thunderkick game. All three below hold Gambling Commission licences, and their offers were checked on 5 October 2026. At PlayOJO, new UK customers aged 18+ (not Northern Ireland) get 80 free spins on Big Bass Bonanza at 10p each with a first deposit of £10 or more. Winnings are paid in cash with no wagering, and the offer can't be combined with others.

Ladbrokes gives up to 500 free spins at 10p, released as 50 a day for 10 days after a £10 slots spend, and Coral gives 100 free spins at 10p after you deposit and bet £10 on slots. Both use selected games, carry no wagering on spin winnings and exclude methods such as PayPal and prepaid cards. Terms apply. Our Ladbrokes vs PlayOJO comparison sets two of them side by side.

18+. Gambling should be entertainment that costs money, not a way to make it. Set a deposit limit before you play: how to set deposit limits. Free, confidential help: National Gambling Helpline 0808 8020 133.