The Rift pokies review - Thunderkick desktop & mobile video slot

The Rift review

The Rift is a fantastic addition to Thunderkick’s lineup of online pokies games. Its dark, misty theme offers a nice backdrop for the game’s glitzy Wild symbols, while its rewarding gameplay and big payouts mean its an accessible game for all players regardless of bankroll.

Best Thunderkick pokies casinos

Available at a number of our favourite casino sites, The Rift might seem like a shallow pokies game, but it holds enough mystery and reward to be a must-play.

How to play The Rift

The Rift has 17 fixed pay lines, so you won’t be able to alter this figure. You can bet from as low as $0.10 up to $100, so there’s a nice range on offer here. It has an auto-play feature with as many as 5000 automatic spins, and also offers a fantastic single free spin bonus on only two Scatter symbols.

The specifics for the game are as follows:

Coin sizes – 0.10, 0.20, 0.50, 1.00, 1.50, 2.00, 3.00, 5.00, 7.50, 10.00, 20.00, 50.00, 75.00, 100
Minimum bet – $0.10
Maximum bet – $100
Auto-play Option – Yes
Wild – Yes (Pink “Wild” symbol can appear on any reel)
Bonus rounds – Yes (Free spin on two Scatter symbols, additional Free Spins)
Free spins – Yes (10-20 free spins on 3, 4 or 5 Scatter symbols, additional spins with every two Scatter symbols)
Jackpot – 500x bet
Progressive – No
RTP – 96.30%

Audio and graphics

The Rift has to be one of the better pokies games of 2016 on this front. Its horror-meets-fantasy theme is subtle enough to never be a distraction, yet prominent enough to stand out. The symbols, particularly the Wilds and Scatter symbols, have a distinct glow, helping give The Rift a unique and memorable aesthetic. When Free Spins are triggered, the game moves in and out of the bonus feature — more free spins with every three additional Scatter symbols — without any slowdown or detrimental change to the experience. It’s fast and distinct, making The Rift easy to grasp and exciting to play.

The Rift gameplay and bonus features

As with all online pokies games, the objective in The Rift is to land Wilds and Scatter symbols. The former appears often across all reels, and while you’ll certainly win some nice payouts from them, it’s not really where the big money is won. The Scatter symbols earn you as many as 20 free games, while two Scatter symbols will gift you one free spin and a random number of additional sticky Wilds.

The additional free spin is a nice way of complimenting The Rift’s scatter system, as the 20 free games (5 Scatter symbols) is a rarity. You’ll earn the 10 free games (3 Scatter symbols) often, and this still tends to pay out big so long as you can land on at least three additional Scatter symbols for extra free spins. This means on only 10 free spins you could end up with an additional 6 spins, while on 20 free spins (5 Scatter symbols), you could end up with as many as 26 free spins.

Scatters and Wild symbols

Free Spins:
To win the free spins in The Rift, you’ll need to land “The Rift” scatter symbol on at least three reels.

3x Scatter symbol: 10 free spins
4x Scatter symbol: 15 free spins
5x Scatter symbol: 20 free spins

Wild Symbol:
The Wild symbol is a clearly marked pink “Wild”, which replaces other symbols and forms a winning line when combined with at least one other winning symbol.

Sticky Wild:
Sticky Wilds appear during Rift Spins, Bonus Rounds and Free Spins. They stick on the wheel for the duration of the spin or round, or until they form part of a winning line.

Bonus Round:
During Free Spins, sticky Wilds take over reels until the next “round”. You reach the next round by landing additional Scatter “Rift” symbols. One Rift symbol will fill one spot on the Rift seal, and you get two additional free spins with every three Rift symbols. It’s a nice addition to the Free Spins bonus, allowing you to work your way up through the seal bonus, towards extra sticky Wilds and more free games.

Rift Spins:
You’ll earn a free Rift Spins bonus whenever you land two Scatter Rift symbols. During this spin, any Wilds that aren’t sitting on a winning line will stick to the reel for the spin.

Where to play The Rift for real money online

You can play The Rift at many of our recommended sites, which all host Thunderkick online pokies software. All are verified by industry watchdogs like eCOGRA, are safe and regulated for player deposits, and have hundreds more pokies on offer from Thunderkick and other game developers.

The Final Verdict

The Rift is a slick addition to Thunderkick’s impressive lineup of online slots. Joining the likes of Esqueleto Explosivo and Toki Time, The Rift stands alone as a truly unique and incredibly rewarding online slots game. The sticky Wilds keep payouts large during bonus rounds, while the Free Spins offer additional rewards which keep the experience exciting. Its gritty, mysterious vibe is a nice blend of eerie tunes and colourful symbols, helping make The Rift a unique and joyous online slot.