Top Lightning Link Games
Playing pokies is designed to be an exciting and rewarding experience, and games like Lightning Link pokies online do this excellently.
While many classic slots only offer wins during the base game, these new hold and win pokies pack a punch, with each title providing extra jackpot prizes to win in exclusive re-spin bonus features.
We’ve looked into the world of lightning link games and found the best titles from this category to play at online casinos today.
What are Lightning Link Pokies?
Aristocrat is one of the biggest gaming suppliers in the world, and holds the majority share of the Australian pokies market. They launched in 1953, and have grown to become an international company with products, services and offices in multiple countries.
They’re based in Sydney, and in 2019 had an annual revenue of over $4.3 billion. Over the years, the company has created many classic pokie machine cabinets, unique games, and specialized pokie game jackpots that local players enjoy trying to win.
One of the flagship products is their Lightning Link series range. This is a series of 16 games that offer four types of progressive jackpots for players to win. There’s a Mini, Minor, Major, and Grand jackpot, providing locals the chance to win big on these machines.
Their range of games are available in local clubs, pubs, and Australian, New Zealand, EU, and USA land based casinos. These games go by a few terms, including Cash On Reels, Hold and Win, Hold and Spin, Lock and Win, Spin To Win, and more.
They all refer to the re-spin style bonus game that takes place in a lightning link bonus feature. Most games award 3 free spins, and 15 slots to land symbols. If a symbol hits the pokie reels, the clock resets to 3, and continues.
This takes place until all reels are filled and a jackpot is won, or until the spin counter reaches 0, and the cash symbol values are added up and awarded to the balance.
Types of LightningLink Games
Aristocrat has a nice line up of games in their Lightning Link Pokies series. There are 16 games covering various themes, each providing a specialized gameplay experience. People love lightning links for their popular Mini, Minor, Major, and Grand progressive jackpots, which start at $10, $50, $500, and $10,000 respectively.
After the recent pokies betting limit caps, these games can be played with a max bet of $5 – $10, depending on the state or territory. We’ve listed the different types of local lightning link casino games available to play.
- Raging Bull: Raging Bull Lightning Link was created with HRG and beholds everyone’s favorite hold and win pokies jackpots, and cash bonus prizes. It’s played on a Helix X Cabinet (dual screen), with 1c – $1 denomination, 50 lines, and symbols that can display in the same position on nearby reels for bigger wins.
- Mine Mine Mine: Joining the popular gold miner pokies theme, Mine Mine Mine Link is played on the Helix X Dual Screen cabinet and has denominations from 1c – $2. Players can spin the reels to try to win extra spins and a bonus win with hold n spin jackpot and cash symbols.
- Dragon’s Riches: Dragon Riches is a popular oriental themed lightning link game available on the Helix X pokie machine cabinet. It has 50 paylines, denominations from 1c – $2, and the chance to land 2x multipliers on wins, with up to 16x wins up for grabs.
- Fire Idol: Fire Idol is an island themed pokies game created with HRG studios and featured on the Helix X. There are free spins and 2x multipliers, as well as hold and spin linked jackpots for players to win. Fire Idol has 50 lines, and denominations ranging from 1c – $2.
- Magic Totem: Magic Totem brings the Native American spirit to life, with an exciting 50 payline game and four jackpot prizes. Wilds can appear on reels 2 – 5 and cover the entire column, providing excellent winning potential. Players can wager with denominations from 1c-10c.
- Eyes of Fortune: Eyes of Fortune is a 25 payline pokies game with a classic oriental theme and the mystical tiger. It’s available with four hold and win jackpots, and wild symbols which expand to cover the whole reel, and connect more lines for lucky punters.
- Bengal Treasures: Take an adventure to the Taj Mahal in India for a wild ride on Bengal Treasures. Players can pick denominations from 1c – 10c, and extra chances to win with stacked symbols in the free spins. Bengal Treasures can be played on pokie machine cabinets, including Helix+, Slant, and Slant Superscreen.
- Wild Chuco: Put on your festive Mexican hat and spin the reels on Wild Chuco. This popular Mexican pokie game had denominations from 1c – 10c, 25 paylines, four hold n win bonus jackpots, and stacked symbols in the bonus feature.
- Tiki Fire: Keeping true to the tropical theme, Tiki Fire takes gamers on a fiery island adventure with 2x multiplier totem symbols boosting wins. Players can wager denominations from 1c-10c across 25 paylines, and get lucky to win one of four jackpots.
- Heart Throb: Heart Throb is a classic Lightning Link game, and was the 7th one on offer. It features many classic slot machine symbols like 10, J, Q, K, A and the desired hearts. Heart Throb offers multiple hold n spin jackpots, and free spins with 2x multipliers that can line up and offer bigger pokie wins.
- Best Bet: Take your Best Bet and head to the derby in this horse racing themed pokie game. Win up to 25 spins, with only top symbols remaining, and hold and win jackpots available across the machines. Best Bet is available on five types of cabinets with denominations from 1c- 10c.
- Moon Race: Just like nations in the past, players can now join the Moon Race and spin this slot for cash credits and one of four jackpot prizes. Receive up to 25 free spins in the bonus feature, with bottom symbols removed providing a higher payout value.
- Happy Lantern: Happy Lantern is a classic lightning link pokies game with multiple denominations from 1c-10c, 25 paylines, cash on reel prizes, plus Mini, Mini, Major, and Grand jackpots. Pick from extra spins with wilds, or cash jackpot bonus games in Happy Lantern.
- Sahara Gold: Sahara Gold is one of the original four titles in the Lightning Link series. It’s available to play on five types of cabinets, with denominations from 1c-10c, and 25 paylines. The dry Sahara Deserts are unlikely to unearth riches, but in this slot four jackpots offer big prizes for punters brave to venture this arid land.
- High Stakes: High Stakes offers pokie players the chance to enjoy a classic Vegas gambling theme that’s perfect for high rollers. Players can spin to win one of four jackpot prizes, cash on reel credits, or spins with reels 2-4 growing in size, and re-spins available.
- Magic Pearl: Magic Pearl is the game that started the craze. The original pokies title from the Lightning Link family takes gamers on an underwater adventure to locate treasure in the form of hold n spin jackpots. Players can win free spins with reels 2- 4 increasing in size, and extra spins when scatters land during the bonus.
Are there Lightning Link Pokies Online?
The range of original lightning link pokies can be played offline, or in some cases in demo mode online. However, most today’s online casino players in AU & NZ can explore 100s of specialized online pokies with unique hold and win jackpots, providing large prizes.
While these titles aren’t called Lightning Link, they provide the exact same jackpot style action we all know and love, with top titles providing maximum wins over $5,000x the stake, and bets up to $100 per spin. They can be found by searching for hold + win at the best online casinos.
What Features Make These Slot Machine Games Unique?
We’ve listed the main reasons we love lightning link pokie games. These are the main features that players can enjoy when playing these games, and why we believe they deliver more value than standard non-jackpot slots.
- High RTP Rates: The best hold and win pokies at Lightning Link casinos feature high RTP rates above the 95% industry average. Many offer payouts above 96%, representing a low casino house edge of 3-4%. This means players can enjoy more wins over the long term, compared to other jackpot slots with much lower payout rates.
- Multiple Jackpot Prizes: Lightning Link slots feature various jackpot prizes for players to try and win. Many games offer Mini, Mini, Major, and Grand jackpot prizes, with top level rewards providing over 5,000x the stake. These jackpots provide gamers the chance to win regular prizes and hope to get lucky for a big pokie win.
- Special Themes: Playing lightning link slots immerses you in the game’s theme. The software developers have created titles to match many classic slot machine games, and players can find themes including Ancient Civilizations, Asian/Oriental, Buffalo, Eagles, Wolves, Sun, Fruit, Dragons, Magic, and other exciting options.
- Re-Spins Bonus Rounds: One of the top features of these type of pokie games is the bonus rounds. Unlike traditional free spins, which have many extra games, hold n win pokies provide re-spin bonuses, with most providing a spin counter which starts at 3. Every time a symbol lands on the reels, the clock resets to 3 spins. This style of bonus game can give players long and exciting gaming sessions.
- Extra Winning Potential: By playing lightning link pokies online, players can win extra prizes. These online pokies provide wins in the base game, free spins, and jackpot bonus game. By picking these titles instead of other slots, players can potentially win a jackpot prize on top of base game pokie wins.
- Wide Betting Limits: Online pokies are suitable for all players over 18, and have wide betting limits, with wagers starting at $0.02 per spin, and reaching over $100. This varied range of bets makes each title ideal for casual players, up to the biggest casino high rollers.
- Simple To Play: Playing a game like lighting link pokies online is actually a simple experience. After selecting the bet size per line, the big button can be pressed to spin the reels and start the game. The rules, symbols, and payout rates can be found in the information and game table section. Players around the world love these hold & win pokies for their unique themes and specialized bonus features.
Best Online Games with Jackpots like Lightning Link Pokies
The range of lightning link pokies online is hard to find, because these games were created to be played via cabinet in local pokie venues and casinos. However, the jackpot system that these pokie games use has become a hit with online slot developers, who have created their own special games to cater to this audience.
These hold and win pokies feature special game themes, multiple bonus rounds, and the classic cash on reels jackpot style that lightning link pokie players know and love.
- Buffalo Power: Playson released the Buffalo Power Hold and Win pokies game in 2020. It has a 95.04% RTP, 5 reels, 20 paylines, and features a classic North American theme with eagles and Bison set in a nice background. Players can review the Buffalo Power real money pokies game for the chance to scoop one of the Mini, Mini, Major, or Grand Jackpot prizes, with big pokie wins reaching up to 1,187x. Players can bet $0.20 – $100 per spin on this game at Lightning Link casinos.
- Elvis Frog in Vegas: Elvis Frog in Vegas is a fun cartoon themed pokie with unique jackpot bonuses and free spins for Australian & New Zealand casino players. Elvis Frog in Vegas from BGaming features a 96% RTP, 5×3 layout, 25 betways, 2,500x max win, high quality graphics, gamble double up feature, 5 free spins, mega jackpot worth 1,000x the spin, coin respins feature with cash values adding up at the end of the bonus feature. Elvis Frog players can wager from $0.25 – $25 per round.
- Big Wild Buffalo: The Belatra pokie game Big Wild Buffalo has become a hit with lightning link pokies online players in AU. The game came out in 2022, unfortunately it has a much lower 91.51% RTP rate, so players should consider this. Big Wild Buffalo provides high paying Buffalo symbols, which is also the wild. These can cover the entire reels, and line up, helping connect all 25 paylines across the 5 reel setup. It has a Mini, Minor, Major, and Grand Jackpot, with the top jackpot paying 1,000x the bet. Bet sizes range from $0.25 – $100+.
- Burning Sun Hold the Jackpot: Burning Sun is a cool pokie game released by Wazdan in 2022. It features stunning visuals, and a unique ‘Pay Anywhere’s mechanic, rewarding lines all ways. The game takes place on a 4×4 grid layout, with a high 96.19% RTP, and the chance to win a jackpot up to 5,000x the stake. Hold the Jackpot has a bonus buy option, allowing players to pay an upfront fee, win entry to the bonus round, and win one of the Mini, Mnor, Major, or Grand jackpots. Players can also choose to gamble/double any win for extra thrills and payouts.
- Hot Slot Magic Bombs: Another game casino players love is Hot Slot: Magic Bombs by Wazdan. It came out in 2022 and is the perfect blend of a classic slot game mixed with the latest advanced features and high payouts. With a high 96.17% RTP rate, traditional 5×3 reel layout, and classic fruit, sevens, and royal symbols. Hot Slot Magic Bombs offers four jackpot prizes, with a top payout up to 6,000x the spin. Their unique sticky to infinity model allows players to stack cash value and jackpot symbols in a hold and win style bonus game.
- Hit More Gold: The Hit More Gold slot is a popular hit from 3 Oaks Gaming (Booongo). This is the perfect game for fans of gold miner pokies, with the chance to adventure underground, search for gold, and win a maximum jackpot prize of 5,000x the bet. It was released in 2022 and offers a high 96.65% RTP, 25 paylines, 5×4 layout, vivid graphics, four hold and win jackpots and bets up to $40 per spin. The free spins bonus provides eight games, with boosts, nuggets and mine scatters providing extra wins. While the jackpot bonus game features a re-spins round with 3 spins to fill the reels and win big.
- 15 Dragon Pearls Hold and Win: 15 Dragon Pearls: Players who love classic oriental slots will love 15 Dragon Pearls. This hold n spin jackpot pokies game was created by Booongo, who recently merged with 3 Oaks Gaming. Gaming Associates Europe Ltd verifies their pokie games, a testing agency in Malta and the UK. Players can spin to win up to 5,000x on 15 Dragon Pearls, with a 95.71% RTP, 25 paylines, and bonus game with cash on reels and Grand Jackpot.
- Eagle Power: Eagle Power is a jackpot pokie game with four fixed prizes up for grabs. Eagle Power Hold and Win is a classic American themed pokie game from Playson. It came out in 2021 and has a 95.06% RTP, 5×3 layout, 20 paylines, and hold n spin respins bonus feature. Players can spin and fill the reels with suns, and eagle power jackpot symbols for the chance to win a top prize of 2,105x.
- Wolf Treasure: Wolf Treasure is a famous game to play at Lightning Link casinos online. It was created by IGTech, and players can enjoy a traditional Native American theme with wolves and canyons. There are three fixed jackpots to win, including the Mini, Minor, Major. The game features a higher maximum win up to 2,000x, 96% RTP, 5×3 reel layout, 25 paylines, special free spins with mega symbols, stacks and wilds.
- African King Hold n Link: African King Hold n Link is a safari themed slot game by NetGame, with a classic 5×3 layout, four jackpot prizes, and the chance to win up to 1,000x the bet. It features a mix of royal symbols like hearts, clubs, and diamonds, with African animals including cheetahs, elephants, and zebra. With a 95.95% RTP, and 50 paylines, players will appreciate the symbol nature, and fun bonus features of African King online.
Best Lightning Link Casinos in 2023
We’ve searched our top-rated gaming sites to see which are the best lightning link casinos for players in 2023. These sites feature a huge collection of varied casino games, including pokie games with hold and win jackpots, table games, scratch cards, and live dealers.
There are regular promotions, including bonus code offers, game wagering competitions, software provider tournaments and other rewarding features that make these sites a blast to play on. Pick a site and click the Play Now button to start playing at the best Lightning Link casinos today.
