Valhöl Wild Hammers exclusive interview with Lady Luck Games
The Slot Gods have delivered a gift in the form of an exclusive with Lady Luck Games
2019 was a different time for slot enthusiasts and the landscape of the industry has changed dramatically since then. Many keen slot enthusiasts will know it as a date for iconic online slots such as Valhöll Hall of the Slain. Fast-forward to 2022, the innovative creative team behind this slot decided it was time for a revamp with the upcoming slot Valhöll Wild Hammers.
This Viking slot looks to be one of the best rebooted online slots yet and we had the privilege of speaking with Julian Borg-Barthet, the Chief Commercial Officer at Lady Luck Games, to get an exclusive insight into Valhöll Wild Hammers and what players can expect.
Not only will players get an insight into the creative process behind the upcoming slot but also gain an exciting scoop on what Lady Luck Games has in store for the rest of 2022. This is one interview that you definitely do not want to miss!
Thanks for taking the time to speak to us. Firstly, can you explain why Lady Luck Games chose to reboot the original Valhöll slot from 2019?
Julian Borg-Barthet: We chose to reboot Valhöll Hall of the Slain, as it was a huge hit with players upon release. The graphics, soundtrack and bonuses made it an overnight success in what was and still is a very competitive market. However, iGaming is changing rapidly and the features that were popular three years ago don’t necessarily meet players’ expectations today.
There have been a whole host of studios that have entered the market in that time, and they all want a piece of the iGaming cake. We sat down as a collective and discussed what we could create that would resonate with players, it was clear that there was an appetite for Valholl, so we opted to upgrade the original version.
What makes Valhöll Wild Hammers different from the Valhöll Hall of the Slain?
Julian Borg-Barthet: We’ve made several improvements that make Wild Hammers stand out from the original, some of these major changes include an overhaul of the game’s bonus features, which are completely different to those found in Hall of the Slain. We've also updated the graphics.
- Name:
- Valhöll: Wild Hammers
- Developer:
- Lady Luck Games
- RTP:
- 94.25%
- Max payout:
- 63,123x stake
- Volatility:
- High
- Reels:
- 6
- Win lines:
- 20
- Theme:
- Mythical, Viking
- Release date:
- 27th Jul 2022
Play Valhöll: Wild Hammers here:
In addition to this, we also created a brand-new soundtrack. Initially, Valhöll Hall of the Slain had a heavy metal and orchestral hybrid soundtrack. In Wild Hammers players can expect to hear something much calmer, and more mysterious, which we feel fits the game’s aesthetic better.
There are three unique bonus features in Valhöll Wild Hammers, can you explain what these features are and how they’re triggered?
Julian Borg-Barthet: As the name suggests, two hammers take the leading role in Valhöll Wild Hammers, both of which can trigger one of three lucrative bonus features whenever they appear above the reels. These bonus features are Wild Lightning, Loki’s Mischiefs and Wild Hammer Free Spins.
The Wild Lightning feature occurs whenever these two hammers appear over the same game reel, converting all symbols on the reel into wild symbols. Loki’s Mischief is triggered whenever the hammers land on adjacent reels. Two random symbols are picked from each reel and are converted into wilds or the highest paying symbol of the two.
Finally, the Wild Hammer Free Spins feature is triggered when the hammers land on reels one and six, this will kick-start 10 free spins. During these free spins, the hammers will shoot lighting at the reels, converting between one and two symbols into sticky wilds.
Are there any plans to expand on the Valhöll series of games after this slot?
Julian Borg-Barthet: It’s perhaps too early to say whether we’ll expand on the Valhöll series in the future, however, Lady Luck Games has always been a studio that likes to take an individual approach to game development, not necessarily following conventions. Watch this space!
What's next on the roadmap for Lady Luck Games?
Julian Borg-Barthet: We’re really excited with all the projects that make up the remainder of our 2022 roadmap, and we think players are going to absolutely love what we’re going to be offering them.
You may remember that in December 2021, we signed a three-year co-development agreement with King Features Syndicate, this partnership is now bearing fruit. We are very pleased to announce that after months of hard work, dedication, and collaboration with mathematicians, developers and designers the first game of this exclusive partnership will be released, Beetle Bailey.
This slot, based on the iconic-American comic strip created by cartoonist Mort Walker is set to be released in August and we’re quite certain that this branded game about the Lazy Private Bailey will be well-received by players and industry insiders alike!
Beetle Bailey syndicated by King Features in 1,800 papers in the United States and the rest of the world, has a huge following in Scandanavia which is where Lady Luck Games already has a substantial presence. In Sweden, the strip received a dedicated magazine named "Knasen" in 1970, with a Norwegian version "Billy" being added the following year. Denmark also has a dedicated magazine, named "Basserne", first published in 1973.
We’re hoping that these markets and more will be just as excited about this release as we are, as nostalgia and a fond love for these characters will prevail.