Lightning Link is celebrating its 10th anniversary as a creation, and there’s no signs of it slowing down as a workhorse for casinos and Aristocrat Gaming, the company that introduced it. With that anniversary at hand, here’s a timely question about the game series:
Are all the Dragon Link or Lightning Link games the same within their series, just with different graphics and themes? Is the volatility the same, say, for Chica Bonita and Checkered Flag?
Henry
First off, a good observation by Henry is that each generation is itself a series, and therefore the core features within the series will be similar.
For instance, Chica Bonita and Checkered Flag are part of the Lightning Dollar Link series, which introduced a couple of features not previously seen in the various Link series to that point: The choice of lines, where each denomination has two choices of line counts to pick from, and the ability to get double/triple versions of the Mini, Minor and Major symbol.
As a whole, those core rulesets are the same within each game in the series. But the games themselves are not all identical. Since the game series’ inception the games have been developed in pairs, so there will be two games with an identical feature set within each series, but multiple pairs that do have differences.
The differences will show themselves in the free spin bonuses. Just using the Lightning Dollar Link series as an example, the four games divide into two pairs.
- Chica Bonita and Checkered Flag both have the mystery symbol reveal component in the bonus – each spin any space that has a mystery symbol will reveal with matching symbols. Six or more improves the chances for a Hold & Spin, presuming the Hold & Spin symbols are behind the mystery door. Wilds can also be quite helpful.
- Kung Fu Master and Corrida de Toros both feature replicated reels. The first two reels are replicated and the last two reels are replicated, increasing the potential for line hits when the third reel matches up. With replicated reels it can help the Hold & Spin bonuses come out as well, when they show up on the replicated reels.
So ultimately there are clones within the series, but not all the machines within a series that are clones of each other – there are differences. The overall volatility, to your other question, can differ within a series – the x2 multipliers found on the wilds of some games’ free spins will work differently than the big stacks of wilds.
Each new series features some rule tweaks that evolve the series in some way. Phoenix Link adds in the bonus counters that originated on Buffalo Link, and also add the ability to get a bonus saving element when symbols don’t come out.
Some game series feature the ability to trigger a random Major or Grand progressive jackpot, while others don’t. Dragon Link game series features free spin bonuses that are always starting at six spins, while other series can see more than six spins to start.
Aristocrat savvily keeps the core feel and focus the same, while offering diversity in the free spins, and enough tweaks to the rules over time, to keep players engaged. That’s one of the reasons the series is ubiquitous on casino floors and players continue to gravitate to the games.
The originals still pack a punch, but the newer ones also draw attention, and it’s one of the best managed series on casino floors. Hopefully that helps you understand how they’re similar, yet how they can differ!
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