If you play online slots for any length of time, you’re likely to encounter Thor, or Þórr in Old Norse, at some point. Thor is the quintessential man’s man—or stereotypical, depending on your perspective. When he’s not drinking and feasting, he’s smashing through foes and beasts with his legendary hammer, Mjolnir. It’s easy to get swept up in the Thor mystique, imagining yourself downing mead from horn cups, growing a beard, and donning an epic cape. With these thoughts in mind, we were excited to give Valhalla Saga: Thunder of Thor a spin, anticipating a game that lived up to the legend.

Developed through a collaboration between Yggdrasil and independent software studio Jelly, our expectations were high, especially considering Jelly’s popular ‘Vikings Go’ series of slots. From the moment we launched Valhalla Saga: Thunder of Thor, the reaction was largely positive. The game features a 5-reel, 30-payline grid set against a moody northern landscape that could represent anywhere from Iceland to Scandinavia—or beyond, considering the Vikings’ voyages to North America nearly 500 years before Columbus. Mjolnir sits on one side of the screen, with the Buy Bonus button on the other, while lightning crashes down on the bleak landscape. So far, so good.

Valhalla Saga: Thunder of Thor can be played on any device, with stakes ranging from 20 p/c to $/€80. The game offers respectable stats, starting with a theoretical return value of 95.9%, and a significant max win waiting for lucky players. Larger wins are attainable through a bonus round that populates frame positions with jackpots or money symbols.

Here are a few key rules: Winning combinations form when at least 3 matching symbols land on one of the 30 paylines, starting from the leftmost reel. The symbols are well-designed, with intricately patterned 10-A royals for the low pays, and cups, axes, longships, and Thors for the high pays, worth 10 to 25 times your stake. Mjolnir appears again as the wild symbol, which can land in any position to replace all symbols except the scatter. Wilds also come with multipliers during the Thunder of Thor modifier, which we will cover next.

Valhalla Saga Thunder of Thor: Slot Features

Thunder of Thor This random extra can trigger on any base game spin. When activated, it adds wild symbols to the reels with win multipliers of x2, x5, x10, x25, x50, or x100. However, Thunder of Thor does not guarantee a win, and wild multipliers are only applied once per win line.

Thor Free Spins Landing 5 or more scatter symbols triggers the Thor Free Spins bonus round, awarding 5 free spins. Known as PowerLinks, wooden frames mark the positions where the triggering scatter symbols hit. During the feature, new scatter symbols landing also mark positions with wooden frames. If scatters land in a position that already has a wooden frame, it upgrades to Bronze, then Silver, Gold, and finally Fire Frame with consecutive scatters. When free spins end, each framed position is filled with a bet multiplier symbol or a jackpot. Depending on the type of frame, these rewards can be:

• Wood – 1x, 2x, 3x, 4x, or 5x the bet.
• Bronze – 10x, 15x, 20x, or Mini jackpot (25x).
• Silver – 30x, 40x, 50x, 75x, or Minor jackpot (100x).
• Gold – 125x, 150x, 175x, 200x, or Major jackpot (250x).
• Fire – 400x, 500x, 600x, 750x, or Mega jackpot (1,000x).

Bonus Respin If players land 4 scatter symbols, a bonus respin may be triggered. This respins the remaining reels to provide a chance for landing the fifth scatter and activating the bonus.

Bonus Buy Alternatively, players can buy free spins, if available. The cost is 60x the total bet and will instantly trigger the free spins game.

Valhalla Saga Thunder of Thor: Slot Verdict

After a playthrough, Valhalla Saga: Thunder of Thor turned out to be a decent way to spend some time in a grim northern realm, without delving too deeply into the mythology. This approach might not fully satisfy players looking for an intense Thor experience. Valhalla Saga: Thunder of Thor doesn’t have the bold, in-your-face attitude of games like Power of Thor Megaways or the classic Thunderstruck II. It also lacks the personal touch found in Yggdrasil’s Vikings Go series.

So what’s left? When compared to its competitors, Valhalla Saga: Thunder of Thor stands as an entertaining game, albeit more subdued than similar slots. It’s akin to a Marvel comic book portraying Thor in a contemplative mood rather than one where he’s charging through realms and knocking heads. This can be appealing for players who prefer a less intense experience and just want to focus on the game, aiming to win more than they wagered.

The best chance of achieving this is during the bonus game, where the PowerLinks system comes into play. This feature is somewhat unique, with random prize values placed in frames at the end of the feature, adding an element of excitement, especially in upgraded positions. It’s like unwrapping gifts since you don’t know what you’ll get. The feature can yield significant rewards, capped at 10,000x your stake.

For a Norse mythology game associated with a company named Yggdrasil, one might expect the makers to pull out all the stops to wow players. To their credit, the studio has put considerable effort into Valhalla Saga: Thunder of Thor, making it a potentially thrilling game. However, it’s unlikely to dethrone any of the ‘Vikings Go’ slots from their place on the Yggdrasil Norse game pedestal.