Thunderkick has done it again with the creation of Babushkas, a seriously unique pokies game that provides a gaming experience unlike any other. Just like the Russian dolls that the game is inspired by, Babushkas is multi-layered and full of surprises. Find out how and where to play Thunderkick’s Babushkas for real money bets online.
Best online casinos with Thunderkick pokies
How to play Babushkas for real money
Babushkas is an instant-play pokies game, which means it can be played directly over your Web browser with no downloads required. Just head to any of our recommended casinos in the table above to start playing for free in practice mode or make a cash deposit to play for real money bets.
It’s a five-reel game with 17 fixed paylines and multiple bonus features. The theoretical return to player (RTP) is 95.8%. As paylines are fixed, all you need to do is select the level of your bet, which you can do so by clicking on the chip button in the bottom right hand side of the reels. Click to choose your wager, with minimum bets starting at $0.10 and maximum bets restricted to $100 per spin. An auto-play function is also available.
Symbols and bonus features
Babushkas (also known as matryoshka dolls or Russian nesting dolls) are little wooden dolls of different sizes who nestle inside one another. They’re a Russian icon and much loved around the world. Thunderkick has taken the idea of the babushka doll and used it to create a very original slot game with innovative bonus features triggered by the nestling nature of the babushkas.
The standard symbols consist of seven different babushka dolls, each in a different traditional dress, with ages ranging from infant to grandmother. The bonus symbols work quite differently to a standard pokies game and may take some getting used to, but are well worth it for some very entertaining gameplay and potentially sweet rewards.
Wild Symbol – the wild symbol is the wooden egg with a ‘W’ printed on it. When it appears anywhere on the third reel it substitutes all other symbols to form a winning combination.
Wild Mystery Feature – if a wild symbol exactly like the one described above appears with the addition of a star on it, the wild mystery feature is triggered. The egg will open to reveal one of three mystery bonuses:
- The Scare Bear – the lowest paying symbols on the reels will increase by one, two or three times their value depending on the size of the bear (small, medium or large).
- The Charm Bear – this cute bear surrounded by love hearts will cause all symbols to increase in value by one level.
- The Dance Bear – reveal the bear playing the accordion and you’ll trigger seven free spins, where a new wild symbol will appear on the third reel during every spin.
Winning Symbol Upgrade – this is where Thunderkick utilises the increasing nature of the babushkas. During the base game, all winning symbols of the same value upgrade to the symbol of the next higher value, creating new or longer winning lines.
Wipe Bonus – if all 15 babushka symbols on the screen are of the same value after the Winning Symbol Upgrade feature has kicked in, all symbols will upgraded one additional time. If all symbols upgrade to the highest possible amount, the babushka ghost symbol will appear and trigger a special reward.
Best online casinos for Thunderkick games
Thunderkick’s range of boutique casino games has become incredibly popular, with many players flocking towards these intricately designed pokies. You’ll find Babushkas along with a selection of other hot Thunderkick slot titles like Esqueleto Explosive, Spectra and Toki Time at the top online casinos recommended in our casino table above.
These recommended casinos offer some exclusive welcome bonuses for new players – just sign up using our links above to take advantage of matched deposit bonuses and free spins.
Why we love Babushkas
Babushkas is a confusing game to get your head around at first, as it’s very different to a standard pokies game. Essentially, the play format is the same in that all you need to do is select the value of your bet and hit the spin button, but the special features really change things up. Thunderkick has put a lot of thought into Babushkas and the result is a genuinely original game that’s packed with exciting bonuses. The Russian music provides a great soundtrack and the Winning Symbol Upgrade ensures every spin has you on the edge of your seat. All up, Babushkas is yet another first-class game from Thunderkick.