Ways of Athena (Thunderkick) – Review & Demo Play

Ways of Athena - Slot Overview

Thunderkick’s Ways of Athena drops me into sun‑lit Ancient Greece on a 5‑reel, 3‑row setup that starts at 243 ways to win. Matching Mystery symbols can swell the ways to a hefty 43,923, so the compact grid never feels crowded. Stakes run from £0.10 to £100, keeping things flexible. Two RTP variants exist, with a default of 94.21%, and the model is firmly high volatility. It’s a clean, punchy package that mixes mythic vibes with clear mechanics I could pick up at a glance.

Ways of Athena - Symbols and Paytable

Low pays are the 10–A royals wrapped in wreaths, paying 0.7x to 1x for five of a kind. High pays step up through vases, harps, shields, helmets, and Athena herself, returning 2x to 5x for five. Wins land left to right on consecutive reels, starting from the first. The values are tidy, and with ways math, those lines add up quickly when extra symbol instances arrive via the feature. It’s easy to read the paytable at a glance as well.

Wilds appear on all reels, substitute for any paying symbol, and a full line of five wilds pays 5x the bet. Bonus symbols handle entry to free spins when three or more hit, though they don’t show during the bonus itself. I like that the paytable scales with stake, so I can see exact returns for my wager, while the symbol set keeps the Greek theme front and centre without clutter.

Ways of Athena Symbols and Paytable

Symbol	Quantity	Payout
	Wild
	5	x5
	5	x5
	4	x2
	3	x1
	5	x2.5
	4	x1
	3	x0.5
	5	x2.5
	4	x1
	3	x0.5
	5	x2
	4	x0.8
	3	x0.4
	5	x2
	4	x0.8
	3	x0.4
	5	x1
	4	x0.4
	3	x0.2
	5	x1
	4	x0.4
	3	x0.2
	5	x0.7
	4	x0.3
	3	x0.2
	5	x0.7
	4	x0.3
	3	x0.2
	5	x0.7
	4	x0.3
	3	x0.2
	Scatter

Matching Mystery Symbols in Ways of Athena

Matching Mystery symbols can land on reels 2 to 5 on any spin, with up to two per reel. They randomly match the same symbol showing on the leftmost reel, then flip into double symbols of that pick. Each double counts as two instances, so you get two pay ways per symbol position. It’s a neat twist that lifts the hit rate when it turns up, and it lays the groundwork for the upgrade path in the bonus game.

Free Spins in Ways of Athena

Three bonus symbols award 8 free spins, with +2 spins for each extra trigger symbol, up to a ceiling of 44. There’s a clever catch on the way in: if a Matching Mystery symbol lines up with a bonus on the first reel, it becomes a double bonus symbol, which can nudge you into the feature with fewer scatters on display. That interaction keeps base play lively without overcomplicating the entry.

During free spins, orbs attached to Matching Mystery symbols are collected into a meter beneath the reels. Fill the meter once and each Matching Mystery symbol pays as three symbols; fill it a second time and they pay as five. Each meter fill also adds +2 spins to the tally. The upgrade steps are simple but impactful, and when they arrive early, the screen coverage and ways math start to snowball nicely.

Bonus symbols do not appear once the round has begun, so entry is the only moment they matter. The entire focus shifts to landing those Matching Mystery symbols and building the meter. On a good run I’ve seen the board flood with doubled positions, and the ways tally climbs fast; on a cold run, it can be stingy, which fits the stated high volatility. Either turn keeps the risk profile honest and lines up with the 25,000x ceiling.

BET+ and Feature Buy in Ways of Athena

If I want to skip the queue, the feature can be bought for 100x the bet. It takes the luck out of triggering and drops me straight into the free spins with the meter ready to climb. I’ve used it when I’m chasing the upgraded Matching Mystery levels rather than fishing in the base game, and it does the job without any fiddly extras. The price is standard for the studio’s buy‑in features.

Extra bet options are split into three choices. The 1.3x option makes each spin twice as likely to start the bonus. The 2.2x option makes each spin five times as likely. Flames of Athena is the spicy one, guaranteeing one or more Matching Mystery symbols on every spin at a cost of 5x the bet per spin. That setting changes the game flow straight away. I saw more teases turn into entries with those toggled.

RTP, Volatility and Max Win in Ways of Athena

Ways of Athena runs at high volatility with a default RTP of 94.21% and a hit rate around 23% in the spec. Stakes range from £0.10 to £100, and the win cap sits at 25,000x the bet. Base play uses 243 ways, but the Matching Mystery system can push the count up to 43,923 on the right setup. It’s a profile aimed at swingy sessions and occasional chunky payouts when it lands.

Ways of Athena - Slot Verdict

To me, Ways of Athena feels like a classic Thunderkick slot. The package looks lovely, the mechanics are tidy, and there’s a short list of uncomplicated yet forceful features. The ways pay system does its part to keep spins moving, and those Matching Mystery moments hit the spot when they sync. I found base play a touch samey on the plain setting, but flipping on Flames of Athena made a noticeable difference straight away.

Free spins can land flat, even with a hefty number banked, because the matching can tease more than it delivers. When the meter upgrades arrive and the board stacks up, though, the game opens up in a big way. With a 25,000x cap, the ceiling is there for the brave. If you like simple, explosive mechanics wrapped in a Greek theme, this one is worth a session. I’ll be back for more meter chases when I fancy a swing.