Thunder Empire in the Aristocrat Lineup
Thunder Empire is Aristocrat Gaming's Hold & Spin series, launched on cabinets in Australian pubs and clubs. In 2026 it rolled out to casino floors across North America, and Aristocrat says it brings "a new look and feature to the market". The online version is a separate browser release of that same series.
A spin that lands 6 or more Lightning Bolts starts Hold & Spin with 3 respins. Landing 3, 4 or 5 Bonus scatters awards 8, 15 or 30 Free Games.
Theme & Graphics
Aristocrat describes the Thunder Empire pokie series through pink lightning, thunder and a standout look made to catch the eye on a gaming floor. Online, the reels are framed by red lanterns and temple architecture, and the Thunder Cloud hangs to the right of the grid.
The high-value set is a gold Ox medallion, a white Tiger, a rearing Horse, a Fan and a bronze Pot. Lightning Bolts land as blue tiles with a yellow bolt and an amount, and the Wild shows a gold dragon mask. Firecracker garlands hang from the 9 to A card ranks.
Active Reels in Hold & Spin
Hold & Spin starts when 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 or 13 Lightning Bolts land on one spin. The round opens with 3 respins, and regular paytable wins are not awarded until it ends. Before every respin, 5, 4, 3, 2 or 1 active reels are picked at random and wrapped in electricity, while the others go dim.
Only the electrified reels collect: 1 or more Lightning Bolts on an active reel reset the respins to 3. A bolt that lands on a dimmed reel is not collected and does not reset the count. At 0 respins, every cash prize and jackpot on the grid is paid to the win meter, triggering bolts included.
- Cash-on-reel prizes at minimum bet: 20, 40, 80, 120, 160, 200, 300, 400, 600, 800, 1,200, 2,000 and 4,000 credits.
- Jackpot labels: MINI, MINOR, MAJOR and GRAND.
2x2 and 3x3 Colossal Splits
Colossal symbols land as 2x2 or 3x3 blocks and split into individual symbols, prizes or jackpots once they settle. The Lightning jackpot, Lightning Bolt, Ox, Tiger, Horse, Fan and Pot can all appear in Colossal form. A Colossal Jackpot symbol breaks into several separate jackpots.
In Hold & Spin, Colossal Lightning Bolts can land on any respin, jackpot bolts included. When a block covers an active reel only in part, just the prizes inside active reels are collected. During Free Games any eligible Colossal symbol can appear, on reels 2, 3, 4 and 5 only.
Two-Screen Hold & Spin Again
Lightning Bolts may add to the Thunder Cloud beside the reels on any spin where 1 or more of them land. When collected bolts fill it, Hold & Spin Again triggers with a lightning strike that may drop extra bolts onto the grid. That spin skips regular Hold & Spin, and the stored bolts have no effect on the trigger chance.
Aristocrat calls the round a "feature within a feature", and it plays across two screens with 3 respins to start. The second screen uses the same active reels as the first, and collection, reset, Colossal and payout rules match regular Hold & Spin. Hold & Spin Again can only trigger in the base game.
Bonus Features
Landing Bonus scatters opens Free Games, and Lightning Bolts open Hold & Spin. Bonus Buy skips the trigger and starts one of the two respin rounds straight away.
8, 15 or 30 Free Games
Any free spin can bring a Colossal symbol that splits on landing, and Hold & Spin can also trigger mid-round. After its respins, play returns to the remaining free games. Bonus scatters keep landing during the round, and retriggers come from 3 or 4 Bonus scatters only.
| Bonus scatters | Free Games |
|---|---|
| 3 | 8 |
| 4 | 15 |
| 5 | 30 |
Four-Tier Jackpot Ladder
A MINI, MINOR, MAJOR or GRAND bolt pays its jackpot when it lands on the spin that triggers Hold & Spin. During respins it has to land on an active reel. None of the four jackpots is multiplied by the Bet Multiplier, and the GRAND and MAJOR progressives have no upper limit.
| Jackpot | Type | Contribution | Repeat win in the same round |
|---|---|---|---|
| GRAND | Progressive | 1.5% of each bet; 16.67% of contributions set aside for the next GRAND | Any further GRAND pays 800,000 credits |
| MAJOR | Progressive | 1% of each bet | Any further MAJOR pays 100,000 credits |
| MINOR | Fixed | Fixed prize | Can be won more than once per respin feature |
| MINI | Fixed | Fixed prize | Can be won more than once per respin feature |
Buy Hold & Spin or Hold & Spin Again
Bonus Buy starts the chosen feature at once through two buttons: Buy Hold & Spin and Buy Hold & Spin Again. Each price appears in the game above its button, and the bought feature plays at the current Bet Multiplier. Purchase is offered in selected jurisdictions only, so whether the buttons appear depends on the casino.
Thunder Empire Symbols & 243 Ways
The Thunder Empire slot pays left to right from reel 1, and a combination needs matching symbols on at least reels 1 and 2. There are no fixed lines: only positions holding the winning symbol count, and each symbol is used once per combination. The highest win per combination is paid, and coinciding wins are added.
| Symbol | Group | Rule in Thunder Empire |
|---|---|---|
 |
Low (card rank) | Pays on 243 Ways from reel 1 |
 |
Low (card rank) | Pays on 243 Ways from reel 1 |
 |
Low (card rank) | Pays on 243 Ways from reel 1 |
 |
Low (card rank) | Pays on 243 Ways from reel 1 |
 |
Low (card rank) | Pays on 243 Ways from reel 1 |
 |
Low (card rank) | Pays on 243 Ways from reel 1 |
 |
High (theme icon) | Can land as a Colossal 2x2 or 3x3 block |
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High (theme icon) | Can land as a Colossal 2x2 or 3x3 block |
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High (theme icon) | Can land as a Colossal 2x2 or 3x3 block |
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High (theme icon) | Can land as a Colossal 2x2 or 3x3 block |
 |
High (theme icon) | Can land as a Colossal 2x2 or 3x3 block |
 |
Substitutes for all symbols except Lightning Bolt and Bonus; appears on reels 2, 3, 4 and 5 only | |
 |
Scatter | Starts Free Games from any position |
 |
Scatter | Starts Hold & Spin; carries a credit prize or jackpot label |
95.09% RTP in Thunder Empire
The online release returns a theoretical average of 95.09% at every bet level. Aristocrat sets the online version and the pub or club cabinet of one title to different returns.
How to Start Playing Thunder Empire
Pick an AUD casino
Choose a Thunder Empire casino that accepts Australian players, keeps your balance in AUD and lists Aristocrat titles in its lobby.
Open an account
Register with your details, confirm you are 18+ and complete the identity check before the first deposit.
Choose a deposit method
PayID sends funds straight from an Australian bank account. Neosurf works with a prepaid voucher code.
Deposit AUD
Set a deposit limit in your account before the payment goes through.
Set the Bet Multiplier
Open the bet panel and choose a Bet Multiplier while the reels are idle.
Find the game and spin
Type the title into the lobby search and launch it to play Thunder Empire pokie online. Press spin once the stake on screen looks right.
Choosing a Bet Multiplier for Thunder Empire
Every spin runs on Bet 48, so it costs 48 credits times the Bet Multiplier. All wins are shown at a 1-credit bet and scaled by that multiplier. A higher multiplier buys a better shot at the GRAND and MAJOR, while the MINI and MINOR prizes grow only above 5.
Hold & Spin, Hold & Spin Again and Free Games all play at the bet that triggered them. Changing the multiplier therefore pays off only between base-game spins. A bought feature plays at the Bet Multiplier set when you buy it.
Thunder Empire Demo vs Real Money
The Thunder Empire game in demo mode runs every round rule: active reels, the Thunder Cloud, Colossal splits and Free Games. That lets you watch how often Lightning Bolts land before you deposit.
Progressive jackpots cannot be won in play-for-fun mode. Real-money spins are staked in AUD, and every bet adds to the GRAND and MAJOR pools.
About Aristocrat
Aristocrat was founded in 1953 by Len Ainsworth, has its headquarters in Sydney and trades on the ASX as Aristocrat Leisure Limited.
Its Dragon Link and Lightning Link cabinet series build the hold-and-spin bonus around Minor, Major and Grand jackpot tiers.
FAQ
Any spin that lands 6 to 13 Lightning Bolts starts Hold & Spin with 3 respins. The triggering bolts pay their own values when the respins run out.
It is not collected, and the respin counter stays where it was. Only bolts on the active reels count, and the game picks 1 to 5 active reels before each respin.
No. The build-up of bolts in the Thunder Cloud has no effect on the trigger chance. Hold & Spin Again can only trigger in the base game and opens with 3 respins on two screens.
Yes, 6 to 13 Lightning Bolts on any free spin trigger it. When the respins end, play returns to the remaining free games.
Yes, with 3 or 4 Bonus scatters only. In the base game, 3, 4 or 5 Bonus scatters award 8, 15 or 30 free games.
A higher Bet Multiplier raises the chance of a GRAND or MAJOR, and multipliers above 5 increase the MINI and MINOR prizes. The jackpot amounts themselves are never multiplied by the Bet Multiplier.
No. The GRAND and MAJOR are progressive, and progressive jackpots cannot be won in play-for-fun mode. In real-money play, 1.5% and 1% of each bet feed those two pools.