Esqueleto Explosivo Demo: The Most Famous Skull Slot!

Esqueleto Explosivo is an online slot machine developed by Thunderkick that immerses players in the cheerful atmosphere of the Mexican Day of the Dead celebration. Originally launched in 2014, this slot quickly gained popularity thanks to its unique theme and innovative mechanics. The game features Enrico Mortis and his mariachi band "The Boners", a group of singing skeletons who play traditional instruments and sing with every winning combination. With its mix of colorful graphics, engaging music and original special features, Esqueleto Explosivo has carved out a special place in the online slot landscape, becoming one of Thunderkick's flagship titles also known as the "Skull Slot".

The slot immediately stands out for its unconventional presentation: instead of classic spinning reels, symbols "drop" from above in the form of smiling, colorful skulls. Each win triggers an explosion of the involved symbols and the arrival of new skulls, in a cascade effect that can generate multiple consecutive wins with a single spin. Additionally, with each winning drop the game activates a "Mucho Multiplier", a growing win multiplier that adds extra spice to the gameplay. The result for this skull slot is a dynamic and fun gaming experience, where every spin can transform into a sequence of prizes accompanied by mariachi music and lively animations.

Theme and Graphics of the Skull Slot

The theme of Esqueleto Explosivo is heavily inspired by the Mexican tradition of Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). This holiday, celebrated annually between October and November, is known for its joyful and colorful character, where families and friends honor the deceased with music, dancing, food and the iconic decorated skulls (calaveras). Thunderkick's slot pays homage to this celebration by featuring 5 charming mariachi skeletons as protagonists: each holds a musical instrument (guitar, trumpet, maracas, etc.) and supports a stack of three rotating skulls on their head, which represent the game symbols. The attention to detail is remarkable – each skull has a different color, a funny facial expression and typical decorations like flowers or tribal motifs. When a winning combination is achieved, the involved skulls sing a brief mariachi melody before exploding, adding a perfectly fitting touch of macabre humor.

The graphics of Esqueleto Explosivo are extremely colorful and captivating. The game's background depicts a Mexican village square during a celebration, with paper flags, lit candles and floral decorations creating a lively and festive atmosphere. The skeletal characters and skull models are created in a 3D cartoon style, with smooth and charming animations: for example, when symbols fall from above, the skulls bounce on the mariachis' shoulders; when a win occurs, the skulls sing and make funny faces before crumbling. Even the smallest wins are accompanied by exciting sound effects, like "¡Ay ay ay!" choruses and Spanish-style guitar riffs.

The sound department deserves its own chapter: the soundtrack is a catchy and cheerful mariachi melody, with trumpets and guitars playing in the background during spins. Every time a winning combination forms, the music changes rhythm and intensity, and the band members sing in harmony celebrating the win. This interactive approach to audio makes the gaming experience even more engaging, transforming each spin into a small musical show. Overall, Esqueleto Explosivo's theme and graphics work in synergy to offer a unique atmosphere: macabre but lighthearted, festive but "explosive", perfectly in line with the spirit of the Day of the Dead.

Symbols and Payouts

In Esqueleto Explosivo all game symbols are represented by colored skulls, each with a specific design and value. There are no traditional symbols like playing cards or numbers: the entire paytable is composed of the faces of the five singing skeletons. Below we list the regular symbols and their respective payout for a combination of 5 matching symbols on a payline:

• Pink Skull (most valuable): pays 2.5× the bet for 5 on a line. Has heart-shaped eyes and represents the lead singer (Enrico Mortis).
• Green Skull: pays 1.4× the bet for 5 aligned. Wears a small green sombrero and has a funny grin.
• Blue Skull: pays 1.2× the bet for 5 on a line. Wears glasses and has a bright smile.
• Orange Skull: pays 0.9× the bet for a combination of 5. Has curled mustache and a jovial look.
• Turquoise Skull: pays 0.7× the bet for 5 matching. It's the least rewarding, with gold teeth and star-shaped eyes.

Added to these is a special symbol: the Explosive Wild, represented by a golden skull wearing sunglasses (and according to some, vaguely resembling a young John Travolta!). The Wild doesn't have its own payout as it doesn't offer direct wins, but plays a fundamental role by substituting any other symbol to complete winning combinations. Additionally, as we'll see in the bonus features section, it has an exclusive property: when it appears, it explodes eliminating adjacent symbols.

It's important to note that wins are obtained with 3 or more matching symbols on a payline, from left to right. With no traditional scatter or bonus symbols, the core of the game lies entirely in the colored skulls' payouts and the special mechanics activated by the Wild and Mucho multipliers. Although individual symbol values may seem low (maximum is 2.5× for the pink skull), it's worth considering that thanks to the progressive multipliers wins can grow exponentially during a cascade series, amply compensating for the reduced nominal payouts.

Bonus Features of the Skeleton Slot

Esqueleto Explosivo doesn't offer free spins or separate bonus games, but integrates three special features into the base game that constitute the heart of the gameplay: Dropping Symbols, Mucho Multiplier and Explosivo Wild. Let's look at them in detail:

• Dropping Symbols: instead of traditional spinning reels, this slot uses a cascade mechanic. With each spin, 15 symbols (skulls) fall from above and position themselves on the 5×3 grid, supported by the five skeletons. If no winning combination is obtained, all 15 skulls fall and are removed, making room for a new set of symbols that rains from above (like a free re-spin). If instead there are one or more winning lines, the involved skulls explode and disappear, while the remaining symbols fall down occupying the empty spaces; at that point new skulls drop from above to fill the upper positions. By doing so, after each win the layout "recomposes" with potential new combinations, all without having to make another spin. The Dropping Symbols feature continues as long as consecutive wins keep forming: theoretically, from a single paid spin you can trigger multiple cascades of winning symbols, one after another, as long as luck assists.
• Mucho Multiplier (Progressive Multiplier): is the name given to the multiplier scale that increases with each consecutive winning cascade. At the beginning of each new paid spin, the multiplier is set to 1×. Every time you get a win and the Dropping Symbols feature makes new symbols fall, the multiplier rises one level: after the first win it goes to 2×, then to 4×, 8×, 16× and finally 32×. There are 6 levels in total (1×, 2×, 4×, 8×, 16×, 32×), clearly indicated by a series of icons below the reels – a row of colored skulls with their respective multiplier values. Each new symbol drop potentially increases the multiplier up to the maximum of 32×, which represents a huge boost to wins. It's important to highlight that the active multiplier applies to all winning combinations obtained in that cascade. For example, if during a series of drops you reach level 8×, every win derived from that drop will be multiplied by 8. The multiplier resets to 1× only when no further wins form and the player makes a new paid spin. The presence of the Mucho Multiplier gives the game a growing excitement: small initial wins can transform into much more substantial prizes as the series of consecutive victories increases the multiplier.
• Explosivo Wild: the Wild symbol of Esqueleto Explosivo, represented by a golden skull with sunglasses, has a dual function. The first, common to all wilds, is to substitute any other symbol to help complete winning combinations (remember there are no scatters or bonus symbols, so the wild replaces every paying symbol). The second function is what makes it "explosive": when a Wild appears on the reels, it explodes and destroys up to 8 surrounding symbols. In practice, when the golden skull makes its appearance, it detonates eliminating symbols in adjacent positions (both horizontally and vertically, up to a maximum of eight symbols if it completely surrounds the wild). The symbols eliminated by the Explosivo Wild's range of action are removed just like symbols in a winning combination, and therefore immediately activate the drop of new symbols from above. This means that the explosive Wild generates an additional chance of winning even in cases where initially no paying lines had formed, freeing up space for new symbols that could complete winning combinations. Additionally, the appearance of an Explosive Wild still increases the Mucho multiplier by one level, exactly as if a win had been obtained (even if the explosion itself doesn't pay directly).

In the absence of free spins or external bonuses, these three features constitute the core of Esqueleto Explosivo's action. The combination of cascading symbols of the skull slot, growing multipliers and explosive wilds ensures lively and extraordinary gameplay. Each spin can potentially trigger an exciting chain reaction, where singing and exploding skulls take the multiplier to the stars (up to ×32) and make wins soar. Despite its simple rules, the slot manages to offer moments of great adrenaline without needing separate bonus modes. Thunderkick has focused everything on these original features, and the result is a slot that – thanks to Mucho Multiplier and explosive Wilds – doesn't make you miss the classic Free Spins.

Bets, RTP and Volatility

Esqueleto Explosivo's betting structure is suitable for both more cautious players and those willing to bet high amounts. The minimum bet to start a spin is 0.10€, a very low threshold that allows for long play even with reduced budgets. On the opposite side, the maximum bet reaches 100€ per spin, which means high roller players can risk important amounts on each spin if they wish. Since there's no possibility to select a different number of lines (the 17 paylines are fixed), the betting range is simply adjusted by changing the total bet value per spin. In some casinos, the minimum total bet might be slightly different (for example 0.17€ if the value of 0.01€ is assigned for each of the 17 lines), but generally Thunderkick simplifies everything by presenting round amounts for the total bet. In any case, the betting range of 0.10€ – 100€ guarantees great flexibility, making the game appealing both to those who play a few cents and those who love to dare with high bets.

The theoretical RTP (Return to Player) of Esqueleto Explosivo is around 96%, a value perfectly in line with the average of modern online slots. This means that, in the long run, the slot returns about 96€ in wins for every 100€ wagered. In some cases a slightly higher RTP is reported (some sources indicate about 97%), but this could depend on specific versions of the game or historical updates. Basically we can consider 96.0% RTP as the official reference figure. An RTP of 96% places Esqueleto Explosivo exactly in the average payout range: it's not among the most generous slots ever, but not below the industry average either. For the player, this translates into a decent balance between frequency and value of wins, always keeping in mind that this is a statistical figure calculated over very long periods.

Where the slot clearly characterizes itself is in volatility, which Thunderkick classifies as Low. Low volatility implies that the game tends to pay out wins with greater frequency, but of medium-small amounts. In Esqueleto Explosivo, indeed, winning combinations are often obtained (thanks also to cascades and wilds), but individual symbol payouts are intentionally contained, as we've seen (the highest is 2.5× for 5 pink symbols). This design goes hand in hand with the Mucho multipliers: the idea is to offer many small close wins, which can occasionally add up and multiply during lucky series. For the player, low volatility means typically long and stable gaming sessions, with a flow of frequent prizes that keeps the balance fairly constant (without major drops or exceptional peaks). Esqueleto Explosivo is therefore suitable for those with a limited budget or who prefer not to take too many risks, aiming to have fun longer with frequent small satisfactions. On the contrary, those seeking the thrill of giant jackpots or hits worth thousands of times the bet might find it less attractive – in that case Thunderkick also offers a sequel, Esqueleto Explosivo 2, with higher volatility, but here we focus on the original title.

In summary, the skeleton slot offers flexible bets, average RTP and low volatility: this combination makes the gaming experience balanced and particularly suitable for casual players or beginners. You can enjoy the graphics and special features without seeing your bankroll vanish in a few spins, which is consistent with the light and playful atmosphere of the game.

Game Mechanics

The basic mechanics of Esqueleto Explosivo are simple to understand but decidedly unusual compared to classic slots. The game uses 17 fixed paylines, distributed on a 5×3 layout: this means there are 17 predefined ways in which symbols on adjacent reels (from left to right) can form winning combinations. A win is obtained with at least 3 matching symbols aligned on one of the lines, starting from the leftmost reel and continuing on consecutive reels. Unlike many traditional slots, however, here you won't see the reels spin: as already described, the symbols fall from above and are supported by the skeletons. The image of the five aligned mariachis holding the skulls effectively serves as the game "grid".

Once the Spin button is pressed, 15 new symbols fall and fill the positions. If one or more winning combinations occur, the slot doesn't immediately pay all wins and restart with a new spin; on the contrary, it activates the cascade feature: symbols that are part of winning combinations explode and are removed, while symbols above fall down occupying the empty spaces. At this point, new symbols rain from above completing the grid again. After each cascade, the game checks again if winning combinations have formed: if yes, it proceeds with another explosion and another drop of symbols; if no, the cascade ends and the player, if they want, will have to manually start a new spin. This mechanic strongly resembles that of "Avalanche" or "Tumbling Reels" games, present in other modern slots, and effectively replaces the need for free spins: the player can obtain multiple successive wins paying for only one initial spin, which makes the game action much more fluid and concatenated.

During cascades, the special features illustrated before come into play: the Mucho multiplier and the Explosive Wild. Each winning cascade increases the multiplier to the next level – clearly visible on screen – up to a maximum of 32×. Therefore, if you're lucky and collect wins in series, you'll quickly find yourself with high multipliers that can make even a low payout very substantial. For example, 5 pink skulls pay 2.5×: it doesn't seem like a great win, but with a 32× multiplier it would become 80× the bet. This is how Esqueleto Explosivo balances its low volatility: by encouraging multiple and accumulated wins. The Explosive Wild, for its part, can appear in any cascade (even in the absence of an initial winning line) and, by exploding itself, remove up to 8 symbols and trigger an extra cascade. You could almost say that the wild acts as a joker-bomb: it helps complete combinations and simultaneously "cleans" the area as a win would do, so that new symbols can fall. And let's not forget that each wild still increases the multiplier.

An interesting aspect of Esqueleto Explosivo's mechanics is the perception of dynamism: thanks to cascade and multipliers, the game rarely limits itself to a single result per spin. There's always the feeling that something bigger could spring from a small win with subsequent drops. This keeps the player in suspense, especially when the multiplier rises to high levels – reaching a 16× or 32× always creates a certain degree of suspense, hoping for the big hit. On the other hand, the mechanics are intuitive: even less experienced players will quickly understand that they need to accumulate consecutive wins to increase the multiplier, and that the golden wild skull is their ally. There's no need for particular strategy or activating complex functions: just enjoy the sequence of events.

Jackpot and Maximum Wins

Esqueleto Explosivo does not have a progressive jackpot or special fixed jackpots. The highest win obtainable in the base game is the so-called "Max Exposure", declared by Thunderkick at 700× the bet. This means that, hypothetically, the best possible scenario allows you to multiply your total bet by 700 on a single spin (or rather, on a single sequence of cascades stemming from one spin). In practical terms, playing at the maximum bet of 100€, the theoretical maximum win would be 70,000€ in one lucky spin. These aren't mind-boggling figures like those of some extremely high volatility slots, but it's still a considerable prize considering the low variance nature of the game.

How can this maximum win of 700× be reached? Generally, to reach such bet multipliers it's necessary to maximize the special features: for example getting a screen with multiple lines of high-value symbols (pink or green skulls) perhaps under the effect of the 32× multiplier. Or chaining a long cascade series where each small win contributes to adding up. It should be noted that the 700× figure doesn't correspond to a single combination, since the richest single combination – 5 pink symbols – pays 2.5×. Thus reaching 700× derives from the sum of multiple consecutive wins within the same spin, exploiting high multipliers. For example, a possible path could be obtaining various winning lines in cascade with increasing multiplier, and maybe closing with one or more 5-of-a-kind pink skulls at 32× multiplier. Since there isn't a separate bonus round, everything happens in the normal flow of game, which makes these important wins rare but not impossible during regular play.

In the absence of jackpots, it can still be stated that Esqueleto Explosivo offers decent but not extremely high winning potential. Its 700× cap reflects the game's philosophy: contained prizes but obtained frequently and with "cumulative" mechanisms. Players seeking the big million-dollar hit might be disappointed, while those who prefer a progression of gradual wins will appreciate the possibility of reaching interesting figures through the combination of many small multiplied wins.

Similar Slots to Esqueleto Explosivo

Those who appreciate the skull slot theme can also try the following titles:

• Calaveras by Capecod
• Calacas Cash by Novomatic
• Calaveras Explosivas by Habanero

The other titles in the Thunderkick series are Esqueleto Explosivo 2 and Esqueleto Explosivo 3. Our comparison article shows what makes these games similar and what, instead, makes them unique in their genre and gameplay.

Author's Notes

From a technical and gameplay perspective, Esqueleto Explosivo presents itself as an unusual but well-designed slot that years after its release still manages to entertain and amuse. Among its strengths certainly stand out the originality of the theme and graphical rendering: the idea of singing mariachi skeletons is as bizarre as it is effective in creating a memorable atmosphere. Thunderkick has done an excellent job in taking care of visual and sound details, resulting in a game that graphically doesn't feel dated (considering it's from 2014) and indeed still feels fresh and different from the usual. Also the absence of "filler" symbols (like card suits) in favor of only thematic symbols is an appreciable choice that increases immersion in the slot's world.

On the mechanics front, Esqueleto Explosivo is easy to play but at the same time capable of offering bursts of adrenaline thanks to the Mucho Multipliers. The fact that you can reach 32× multipliers in a few steps always gives the sensation that "something big is about to happen", even though then the low volatility nature of the game generally doses these emotions on a reduced scale. This doesn't take away from the fact that seeing high multipliers appear with a series of winning cascades is extremely satisfying. The choice not to include a traditional free spin bonus might seem risky (given that free spins are often the main attraction of many slots), but in this case it proves coherent: cascades excellently replace free spins, offering consecutive extra spins within the same turn. Moreover, the Explosive Wild adds an extra strategic twist: its ability to blow up surrounding symbols can surprise the player and turn an unlucky spin into a new winning opportunity. In essence, the gameplay flows smoothly and manages to keep interest high without needing a thousand different functions – there's an elegant simplicity in this.

Moving on to weak points, it must be said that Esqueleto Explosivo might not satisfy those seeking very high wins or a great variety of bonuses. The maximum win of 700× the bet, although balanced to the type of game, is rather low compared to other modern slots (where thousands if not tens of thousands times the bet are discussed). This potential limit could discourage high roller players or big win hunters. Similarly, the lack of a separate bonus game or Free Spin modes could make the game feel repetitive in the long run: all games play out in exactly the same way, without changes in scenario or dynamics. Although cascades and multipliers are fun, some players might feel the lack of a different "bonus phase" (like pick-up minigames, wheels of fortune, free spins with special rules, etc.). Another aspect to consider is that the low volatility, while reassuring, also means that most wins are modest in amount. Those who prefer more "risky" and unpredictable slots might find Esqueleto Explosivo too lenient and not exciting enough in the medium term.

From an impartial point of view, therefore, Esqueleto Explosivo is a technically solid and creatively brilliant slot in some elements (theme, graphics, musical cascade), but also limited in terms of game depth and winning potential. It's a great game for beginners or for those who want to spend some carefree moments entertained by singing skeletons and easy wins. It might not be the first choice for veterans looking for complex challenges or for those hoping for the big jackpot. In any case, its historical importance in Thunderkick's portfolio and the fact that it's still remembered fondly by many players testify to the success of this bizarre mix of music, colors and dancing bones.