Starburst is a popular online casino slot machine developed by NetEnt, a renowned Swedish game developer. This 5-reel, 10-payline video slot has been entertaining players since its release in 2012 and remains one of the most iconic games in the industry. In this review, we will delve into every aspect of Starburst’s gameplay, from its theme and design to payouts, wilds, scatters, bonus features, free spins, RTP (Return To Player), volatility, betting range, max win, and much more.
Theme and Design
Starburst is set against a vibrant cosmic starburstsite.com backdrop, with bright stars and galaxies filling the screen. The game’s design is simple yet effective, with clear typography and intuitive navigation. The reels are surrounded by a sleek, dark frame that complements the celestial theme perfectly. NetEnt has done an excellent job of creating an immersive atmosphere that transports players to outer space.
Symbols
The Starburst slot features seven standard symbols, each with its own unique design inspired by astronomy:
- Seven: A classic symbol often associated with good luck.
- Diamond: Shaped like a stylized star, this gemstone is prized for its rarity and beauty.
- Watermelon: Representing refreshment and rejuvenation in the summer season, watermelons have become synonymous with fun and leisure activities.
- Grapes: These luscious fruits represent abundance and richness in various cultures around the world.
- Orange: A popular citrus fruit known for its health benefits and versatility, oranges evoke feelings of joy and well-being.
Additionally, Starburst features a Wild symbol (a bar-shaped star) that substitutes all regular symbols to create winning combinations. The game also boasts two special symbols:
- Scatter: This icon can trigger free spins when three or more appear anywhere on the reels.
- Expanding Wilds: These are triggered by landing an entire reel filled with Wild icons, resulting in massive payouts.
Payouts
Starburst’s payout structure is simple yet rewarding. Players can win up to 50 times their initial bet for a single line combination of five identical symbols (e.g., the highest-paying Star icon). The game also offers several smaller rewards for shorter combinations and two- or three-symbol matches.
Here are some examples:
- 5 × 7 = 10 x wager
- 4 × Diamond = 2.50 x bet
The maximum payout is capped at £120,000 (or $160,500 USD) when playing with the minimum stake of £1 per spin.
Wilds
Starburst features two types of Wilds:
- Expanding Wild: When all three middle reels fill up completely with Star symbols, this feature becomes activated.
- Standard Wild: The game’s logo (a star) substitutes for any regular symbol in a winning combination.
The addition of these Wild icons greatly enhances the gameplay experience and creates more opportunities to score high-value payouts.
Scatters
Three or more Scatter symbols anywhere on the reels trigger Free Spins, providing an exciting chance for players to increase their winnings. The Scatter icon is the most rewarding element in Starburst’s design.
Bonus Features
Starburst offers several bonus features that work seamlessly together:
- Free Spins : Triggered by three or more Scatters, this feature can award up to 8 free spins.
- Expanding Wilds : As mentioned earlier, filling a complete reel with Star icons will trigger an Expanding Wild mode.
- Wild Reels Respin : After landing on a fully Wild middle reel, the remaining two reels get respun for possible further wins.
RTP and Volatility
Starburst has been optimized to deliver a fair gaming experience. The game’s Return To Player (RTP) stands at 96.09%, significantly higher than average slots online. While this might seem counterintuitive in a casino environment, it allows the slot to provide high-quality entertainment without sacrificing fairness or player satisfaction.
The slot’s volatility is considered medium-high, which means that wins can occur frequently but are often smaller compared to other games on offer at various casinos.
Betting Range and Max Win
Players can adjust their stakes from £0.10 up to a maximum of £100 per spin across all ten available paylines. With such flexibility in betting range, players have plenty of room for experimentation while still enjoying thrilling gameplay.
Regarding the max win potential, we’ve established earlier that it reaches up to £120,000 when using minimal bet amounts ($160,500 USD at standard currency conversion).
Gameplay
Playing Starburst is incredibly simple. Each round features five reels and ten paylines arranged in a 3-4-5 pattern (top-bottom layout). By matching three or more symbols on adjacent columns from left to right, players can create winning combinations.
The slot offers various buttons for managing gameplay:
- Spin : Initiates one rotation of the reels.
- Autoplay : Enables automatic spinning up to 1,000 times per session at custom intervals between rounds (from five seconds to 15 minutes).
- Max Bet : Bets on all ten paylines simultaneously while increasing the stake by fifty percent.
Mobile Play
NetEnt has optimized Starburst for seamless mobile compatibility across devices running iOS and Android operating systems. The game’s design is perfectly adapted for touchscreen navigation, ensuring smooth gaming experiences regardless of whether played on desktop or portable handheld device.
Player Experience
With a user interface that invites exploration, an intuitive controls system, and stunning visuals supporting immersive gameplay, Starburst provides an exceptional player experience:
- Simplistic Navigation : All essential features are presented in simple text at the top-left corner.
- Engaging Gameplay Mechanics : Free spins, expanding Wilds, Respins all add to excitement levels during game sessions.
In summary, this slot shines for its captivating visual style and rich gameplay mechanics. Offering lucrative payouts up to £120,000 ($160,500 USD), Starburst has captivated audiences worldwide with a unique set of features designed specifically to maximize enjoyment and opportunities for players at online casinos featuring the Starburst title.