Vikings Go To Olympus – Interview with Yggdrasil

Interview with Marcin Tomala

Continuing their legendary world tour, and with the thunder of Olympus echoing on the horizon, we sat down with Marcin Tomala, Senior Game Designer at Yggdrasil Gaming to discuss the long-awaited sequel Vikings Go To Olympus. 

With the Vikings heading on yet another adventure, we’re keen to understand the long-lasting appeal of the Norse-inspired player favourite series.

Here we explore the innovative mechanics awaiting fans in Vikings Go To Olympus and dive into how the team consistently injects fresh energy into this beloved saga.

Vikings Go To Olympus Base Game

Mark: Hi Marcin, thanks for speaking with us! Vikings Go is one of Yggdrasil’s most iconic series. What sparked the decision to bring these fearless Vikings to the realm of Greek mythology?

Marcin: The core of our Vikings Go series has always been the journey of challenges. We always loved the idea of a team of memorable characters facing challenges and risking it all for grand treasures and loot. Since players really liked the idea of Vikings Go to Egypt – our previous, widely successful entry – we decided to lean into it and aim for more classic themes raided by our fearless Vikings.

We knew we needed a strong, memorable, and recognizable challenger, and who’s better than Zeus himself, the protagonist of so many Slot Games nowadays!

Mark: Can you elaborate on the core gameplay mechanics that players can expect, particularly regarding the Wild Fight Respins against Poseidon?

Marcin: Gladly! The Vikings Go series has always been known for its unique WildFight feature, where the Vikings challenge a Villain to become Sticky Wilds. In previous entries, it was a mechanism nearly exclusive to Free Spins.

Now, we are bringing it to the Base Game too – simply land one or two Scatter Symbols to trigger a Wild Fight right away, resulting in an instant Respin with Sticky Wilds. This gives a nice Big Win potential for a boost in overall excitement from the Base Game, but most importantly, it gives us a taste for what’s to come in the Free Spins.

Mark: The Free Spins mode features Zeus unleashing his wrath. What unique elements does this bring to the gameplay, and how does it differ from previous Vikings Go Free Spins features?

Marcin: Here’s the great part about this game. Every spin in Free Spins results in Wild Fight, just like in previous games. But we wanted to improve it even further, so we went crazy and added a potential for unlimited Multipliers on every single Sticky Wild!

Thanks to the RushingWilds Feature, if a new Sticky Wild appears on the reels, all previous ones get +1 to their Multiplier, increasing your win potential substantially. It results in unbelievable walls of Sticky Wilds chock-full of high Multipliers – if you’re lucky to win consecutive WildFights, that is!

Greek Mythology, with its mighty, headstrong Gods, was a perfect fit for a challenge for our Vikings.

Mark: Following on from the success of ‘4 Fantastic Vikings Go Fishing,' is there a heightened sense of pressure for the next sequel to meet expectations? How do you approach the challenge of ‘one-upping' yourselves?

Marcin: Success indeed sets a high bar, but fortunately, here at Yggdrasil, we never create games without proper research. We actually embrace expectations as part of our development process by asking questions like “Would the players like this direction?”, “Does it align with the intended experience?”, “Does it enhance the players’ excitement?”.

We add such questions to the overall market research and players’ feedback, to carefully craft the best possible experience, and always improve upon it in the sequels or spin-offs. 

Mark: It’s rare to see a blend of Norse and Greek mythology. What inspired this cross-cultural blend? How do these two mythic worlds intertwine within the game's narrative and visual design?

Marcin: The unexpected destinations are a part of the Vikings Go series’ DNA. It always excelled at bringing new, exciting, and surprising situations for the players to experience. Of course, we don’t choose the destinations blindly – we always aim to find situations where brawling Vikings could thrive: in challenges to gain legendary glory.

Greek Mythology, with its mighty, headstrong Gods, was a perfect fit for a challenge for our Vikings that we wanted to use for quite some time. But don’t worry, we still have a lot of great ideas for new, adrenaline-pumping adventures of our Vikings – and you’ll never know where they’ll end up next!

Mark: From a design perspective, what is the most exciting or unique feature of Vikings Go To Olympus that you believe players will enjoy?

Marcin: The combination of Rushing Wilds and Wild Fight features in the Free Spins mode stands out as a particularly thrilling innovation.

The progressive nature of multipliers on sticky wilds introduces depth and anticipation that keeps players engaged, as each spin holds the promise of escalating rewards.​ Each Free Spins session is completely different, but all of them are exciting until the very end.

The combination of Rushing Wilds and Wild Fight features in the Free Spins mode stands out as a particularly thrilling innovation.

Mark: Finally, where do the Vikings go from here? What future adventures would you like to see the Vikings embark on?

Marcin: Our Vikings are eternal adventurers, and the world is replete with legends and uncharted territories. While I can't reveal specifics just yet, rest assured that their saga is far from over. We are continually exploring new myths and realms to craft future journeys that will captivate and challenge our players.​

Thank you for your insightful questions and for allowing me to share more about “Vikings Go To Olympus.” We eagerly await players' reactions to this latest chapter in the Vikings' epic saga.