Behind the Slotlist: Topping a True ‘Fan Favourite’ with Ice Wolf 2

As a Swedish game provider, it was almost inevitable that ELK Studios would eventually create a slot with Nordic themes centred around Norse mythology, Vikings, and ice. And so, in 2019, Ice Wolf was born.

According to Product Owner at ELK Studio, Karl Brunnberg, it quickly became a “fan favourite” at the studio’s offices in Stockholm and it was only a matter of time before murmurs of a sequel eventually snowballed into Ice Wolf 2, which is taking prime position on The Slotlist at PokerStars Casino this month.

Making the Sequel to Ice Wolf

Speaking to PokerStars ahead of its launch, Brunnberg opens up about why ELK Studios believed there was room for a sequel, and also how they could make Ice Wolf 2 stand on its own two (four?) legs following the success of the original.

“While the original Ice Wolf still holds its own as an impressive and entertaining slot, we felt that we could do something even better and more potent with the same core idea given our present-day skillset”, offers Brunnberg, speaking from the studio’s offices in the heart of the Swedish capital.

“We decided to make a sequel, keeping everything that made the original awesome while upping the potential, increasing the action with more features, and polishing the graphics, animations, and sound.”

ELK Studios Cornerstones

At the heart of everything that ELK Studio do is three core tenets that underpin how they produce games, but also how they approach work in general.

“We rely heavily on our cornerstones: quality, innovation and entertainment,” he explains.

“We strive for quality as a solid foundation essential to any successful game. It doesn’t matter how clever or advanced features a game has if the players cannot feel that there’s effort and attention to detail behind the craftsmanship.

“We also always aim to deliver something new and fresh – even when we make sequels like Ice Wolf 2. This includes inventing groundbreaking mechanics while pushing the boundaries of art, animation, and sounds to provide our players with the most premium gaming experience on the market.”

He adds: “In the end, everything we do here at the studio, every design decision made, is with the goal of maximizing the entertainment value of our slots. Since we are players ourselves, we know what it takes to make games entertaining.”

Avoiding Sequel Pitfalls

Making a sequel to an incredibly successful original is an undertaking fraught with danger and also the ever-present fear of repetition. So, with that front and centre of the mind, how did ELK approach creating Ice Wolf 2?

“It was clear from the start that we had to do something extra for the game to stand out next to its predecessor,” admits Brunnberg. “Naturally, the introduction of a Bonus game came to mind. However, the challenge was to nail down the format of the Bonus. To make something special out of it, we tried adding a second feature row, bringing the number of rows up to a whopping eight, divided into 4=four individually spinning reel sections.”

It became clear early on, according to Brunnberg, that going in this direction was a non-runner. Back to the drawing board.

“While this idea was great in theory, it proved to be very difficult to visualize,” Brunnberg recalls. “With four sets of spinning reels, the eyes never knew quite where to look. Some even felt seasick watching the spectacle. Nothing seemed to make this addition work. In the end, we chose to scrap the idea and replace it with the Wolf Den feature, which proved to be a great decision.”

The Team Behind Ice Wolf 2

As he casts his mind back to this period in the game’s gestation, Brunnberg quickly diverts to his team and how they collectively put the shoulder to the wheel and pulled out all the stops to get Ice Wolf 2 over the line.

“It really takes a lot of manpower to perfect a slot like this one,” he explains. “The project began with a brainstorming phase – coming up with ideas for new game mechanics and plans for the artwork. Once an initial plan was settled on, we initiated the development of the actual game. A talented and tight-knit team of graphical artists, animators, and programmers realised the vision of Ice Wolf 2 in an excellent way.”

He adds: “As the pieces started to come together, music and sounds were added to really set the tone. Of course, a lot of other people worked on other aspects of the project, such as marketing, team management – the list is long.”

While the title of the game refers to an animal, Brunnberg explains that a more inanimate core mechanic is the standout for this game series.

“Ice is a core mechanic in Ice Wolf 2”, he says without pause. “Symbols covered by ice are inactive but come into play as soon as the ice is crushed. Since there’s ice, the game has to take place somewhere really cold. The decision to settle on wolves as the central characters stems from this freezing setting. Wolves thrive in the arctic landscape and have many brilliant means of interacting with the ice.”

Technical details of Ice Wolf 2

In Ice Wolf 2, as ice is removed, symbol combinations are formed, unlocking blocked features for the following respin. This causes a ripple effect in which the potential grows the longer the game round carries on. Three wolf characters help to break the ice in unique ways, while creating and upgrading wilds in the meantime.

Getting deeper into the technical and game play detail, what are the other new or improved features that make this game a step up in terms of overall slot experience compared to its predecessor?

“The essence of Ice Wolf 2 is crushing the ice, and there are several standout features that help the player do so,” explains Brunnberg.

“Of course, the Ice Wolf feature that appeared in the original game makes a comeback. It awards a respin in which a wolf runs along the game grid, crushing all ice in a column while placing wilds.

“Ice Wolf 2 also introduces the Howling Wolf, which crushes all ice in a cone shaped area with its powerful howl. Any Wild symbols inside the affected area get an increased multiplier.”

The ELK Studios Product Owner continues: “Then there’s the Golden Wolf. This mythical wolf only appears in the ice-covered feature row on the top of the game grid. When it lands, it immediately sends a pack of golden wolves running downward, crushing ice in three columns and placing wilds in the center.”

Novelty Addition to Ice Wolf 2

Clearly enjoying this particular part of the interview, Brunnberg is off and running again with further standout features.

“Another novelty is the addition of a Bonus game, which is reached by landing a Bonus symbol in the feature row and crushing any ice covering it. The Bonus game awards five Wolf Spins and unlocks the Wolf Den feature, a previously hidden section beneath the game grid.

“Up to four additional running wolves may be activated in each spin during the Bonus, each crushing ice and filling their respective columns with wilds. Crushed ice blocks stay crushed for the duration of the Bonus game, and landing ‘+1 Spin’ symbols in the feature row may extend the game round further.”

Ice Wolf 2 and The Slotlist

Now that the hard work of creating the game is complete, the marketing and launch phase are truly underway. By his own admission, Brunnberg, and ELK Studios, have “high expectations” for the sequel. Expectations that will no doubt be helped by Ice Wolf 2’s addition to PokerStars Casino’s The Slotlist.

“It’s a huge honour, of course”, agrees Brunnberg. “I’m thrilled to know that Ice Wolf 2 will be given its own moment to shine among the hundreds of options out there. It is a special game. Ice Wolf 2, is a premium option for players looking for something extra and should fit perfectly on The Slotlist