Developed by NetEnt, Starburst is a classic online casino slot game that has been thrilling players for over a decade. Released in 2012, it was an instant hit among gamblers due to its innovative features and captivating gameplay. In this detailed review, we’ll delve into the theme, design, symbols, payouts, wilds, scatters, bonus features, free spins, Starburst at your fingertips on starburst-site RTP, volatility, betting range, max win, gameplay, mobile play, player experience, and overall analysis of Starburst.
Theme
The game’s theme is space-related, set in a futuristic environment with stars, planets, and spaceships. The game takes place on a celestial body, where players are transported to explore the unknown. While the graphics may seem dated compared to modern games, they still evoke an otherworldly experience that immerses players.
Design
Starburst is designed for 5 reels, featuring 20 fixed paylines. The reel set-up is compact and neat, with each line perfectly aligned to create a seamless gaming experience. NetEnt’s iconic logo is prominently displayed at the top of the game window, while below it lies an information panel that displays key game statistics.
Symbols
The symbols in Starburst are divided into two categories: classic symbols (A, K, Q, J) and thematic symbols (star, moon, comet). These characters bring wins when they form winning combinations. The payouts for these winning combinations can be triggered by the stars expanding on reels 2 to 5.
Payouts
The maximum payout in Starburst is capped at a relatively low figure of 50x per line bet for 5 identical symbols across all paylines combined, with lower winning combinations offering much less. Considering this is not a progressive jackpot or high-roller game, the payouts may appear somewhat disappointing.
Wilds and Scatters
In Starburst, there are no traditional wild or scatter symbols that award free spins when they appear in specific positions on the reels. However, it does have some distinct gameplay mechanics:
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Expanding Wild Symbols : In every winning spin (except for those wins that only contain classic A-9KJQ), one of the following two things will happen: 1) a Star symbol is chosen at random and is allowed to expand horizontally on reels 2,3 or 4. Or 2) if there isn’t any win in an initial game round with wilds participating in that spin (a first-level win); no expansion takes place.
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Stars Symbol : The "stars" act like regular classic symbol wins only – these symbols cannot participate in free spins nor replace other special symbols; unlike the case mentioned above.
Bonus Features and Free Spins
The core gameplay of Starburst is a non-traditional bonus game. Given that wilds do expand after any winning spin, players benefit from their presence within every succeeding round until they are replaced by expanding stars or cleared away via another win (involving only classic symbols). Thus, it does not truly resemble your typical Free Spin games where winning spins unlock additional features. In fact Starburst is built around this system of continuous spinning rounds featuring randomly chosen expanded wilds and their subsequent influence on each successive round – all as part of what can be viewed or defined as "Free Spins".
RTP (Return to Player)
Starburst’s return-to-player percentage (RTP) stands at approximately 96.01%. While not among the highest RTP offerings in the market, this still presents a decent yield for regular players.
Volatility
The volatility of Starburst leans towards medium-high on most betting amounts with average value increases only by adjusting your bet amount – even when that "medium" rate adjusts and becomes more erratic at lower bets, you see it has very little effect. Medium-High does indeed match its payout profile; since those large payoffs have a much longer period to reach, which makes the risk vs reward a tad unbalanced but will be explained below in our overall section.
Betting Range
The game offers various betting options for players, allowing them to adjust their bet level and win potential. Minimum bets start at €0.10, while maximum wagers can go as high as €100 per round, ensuring that Starburst is accessible to both low-rollers and seasoned gamblers alike.
Max Win
Despite the medium-high volatility mentioned earlier, the game’s max theoretical RTP remains a 250000:1 payout (although such huge payouts are extremely rare).
Gameplay Experience
Overall, gameplay in Starburst is straightforward. Players can begin spinning immediately after choosing their preferred bet level and selecting Auto-Play to streamline play or stop on every individual round if desired.
NetEnt’s game comes with all necessary features like Quick Spin and Autoplay that allows you a smooth experience when betting with lower stakes.
Mobile Play
As Starburst was developed using HTML5 technology, it is fully compatible across various mobile platforms including both Android-based smartphones as well iOS devices. The compact design makes the interface extremely user-friendly on smaller screen sizes.
Upon opening the game via mobile, players will notice no discernible changes compared to its desktop counterpart – a true testament to NetEnt’s dedication towards seamless cross-platform compatibility!
Player Experience
Starburst offers an immersive and exciting experience for both casual gamers and experienced bettors. The dynamic wild symbol mechanic creates moments of suspenseful uncertainty and thrilling potential winnings at every spin, keeping the player engaged throughout extended gaming sessions.
NetEnt ensures consistent performance with their HTML5 development. As expected from top-class online casinos they include this high-quality offering to enhance the enjoyment for mobile players as well.
Overall Analysis
The game is engaging due in large part to its expanding wild feature which always seems active regardless of if you got an initial win or not and since that keeps those who experienced bad streaks motivated. However, lower-paying combinations may result from a few spins before getting the larger wins – so with careful play strategy (staying near minimum bets), one can benefit more consistently.
Additionally to providing solid entertainment value Starburst is also relatively safe in terms of losing your bankroll fast since that’s clearly compensated by bigger payouts at longer intervals and, as stated earlier medium-high volatility allows you the possibility for a substantial reward occasionally, making it accessible even when taking such into consideration.