Introduction to Starburst
Starburst is one of the oldest games in the modern era of video slots. It came out in 2012, and since then, it has influenced some of the most popular releases on the market. While it wasn’t the first game to utilize its mechanics or visual style, it was the first to combine them in this way and the first to achieve massive popularity.
It’s created by NetEnt, which has established a reputation as a high-end slot developer. Part of the growth of NetEnt as an industry leader is due to the iconic nature of Starburst.
Quick Facts About Starburst
If you’re looking for an instant breakdown before you play Starburst, our table gives you access to the most important facts:
| Name | Starburst |
| Provider | NetEnt |
| RTP | 96.09% |
| Volatility | Low |
| Reels | 5 |
| Paylines | 10, pays both ways |
| Max Win | 500x |
| Release Year | 2012 |
| Special Features | Expanding wilds, respins |
If this isn’t enough, then continue with our Starburst slot review to find out exactly what’s available at Sportzino social casino.
Theme, Graphics, & Sound
Starburst has a space theme in place, which makes sense considering its name. While the symbols aren’t directly linked to space travel, they feel like shining stars. It adds a sheen to the game that makes it even more exciting.
What adds to the overall theme is that it feels like a classic arcade game. It’s almost like stepping into a neon jungle and playing Space Invaders or Galaxian. It gives retro players a theme they can connect with, while also appealing to modern players with detailed graphics.
The sounds add to the theme, with lots of space-age effects and a theme tune that wouldn’t be out of place in Star Wars. It’s an excellent theme overall and matches up to other top games like Sweet Bonanza.
How to Play Starburst
Starburst uses a 5-reel and 3-row layout. It has 10 paylines, but unlike other sweepstakes casino games, it pays both ways. While normal slots pay from the left of the reels, in Starburst, it works from the left or the right.
It means that there are effectively 20 winlines in place—giving Starburst a novel twist. It operates differently from many other video slots, which is what makes Starburst such an iconic game.
The wild symbol doesn’t have any unique value linked to it, as it only appears on the middle three reels. As a result, it can help to create wins from either side of the grid.
Symbols & Values
If you’re looking for detailed payout information in our Starburst slot machine review, this table gives you every symbol and its potential winnings.
| Symbol | Value |
| Purple Gem | 3, 4, or 5 = 0.5, 1, or 2.5x the coin value |
| Blue Gem | 3, 4, or 5 = 0.5, 1, or 2.5x the coin value |
| Red Gem | 3, 4, or 5 = 0.7, 1.5, or 4x the coin value |
| Green Gem | 3, 4, or 5 = 0.8, 2, or 5x the coin value |
| Yellow Gem | 3, 4, or 5 = 1, 2.5, or 6x the coin value |
| 7 | 3, 4, or 5 = 2.5, 6, or 12x the coin value |
| Bar | 3, 4, or 5 = 5, 20, or 25x the coin value |
| Starburst Wild | Substitutes for symbols and expands |
Special Features & Bonuses
When you play Starburst, you’ll notice that it doesn’t feature a Free Spins round. It’s unique in the modern landscape, as most slots use Free Spins for their bonus feature. For example, in our Sweet Bonanza slot review, you’ll find details on the Free Spins round.
The first main feature in Starburst is the Starburst Wild. Like in most slots, whenever it lands, it can help to create wins by substituting for other symbols. It only appears on the middle three reels, meaning that it doesn’t have its own value and will purely help to create wins with other symbols.
However, there’s an extra bonus or two attached to the wild that make it more appealing. Whenever it lands, it will expand to completely fill the reel, boosting your chances of creating a win.
The fun doesn’t end with the expanding wild, either! After paying out a win, the expanding wild locks into place and awards a respin. Then, if another wild lands on one of the other middle reels, it also expands and locks into place, adding yet another respin. If the final space is filled with a wild, then that too expands, and awards one final respin with all three middle reels completely filled with wilds.
This final respin guarantees a win, and can potentially award the top win of 500x.
RTP & Volatility
The Starburst RTP is 96.09%, which is around the average for slot games. The RTP works by displaying the average return when playing.
For example, for every 10,000 units players use on Starburst, they will get 9,609 back. It doesn’t apply to just a single player; it is calculated on the games of thousands of players, so don’t expect this exact return when you play.
The volatility in Starburst is low. So, it creates wins more often, but they tend to be lower value when they appear. It’s designed to appeal most to casual players, as they don’t have to wait long periods between wins.
Mobile Gameplay
The mobile version of Starburst is excellent. It uses NetEnt Touch technology, which ensures it’s fully optimized for all mobile devices. Whether you play on Android or iOS, the controls are responsive, the graphics look identical to the desktop edition, and it’s easy to control.
Pros & Cons of Starburst
Starburst has plenty going for it, but it’s not a perfect game. Our pros and cons table gives you a breakdown of what to expect when you start playing.
| Pros | Cons |
| A fun respin feature | Only 500x as a maximum win |
| Expanding wilds | |
| Paylines pay both ways |
Similar Slots by NetEnt
NetEnt has put out a range of slots that ended up being trailblazers:
Twin Spin
One of the most exciting games in its catalog is Twin Spin. It uses a unique feature that means on every spin, at least two of the reels are twinned.
They will land the same symbols, which can help to create multiple wins. What adds to the feature is that it can spread to other reels. It’s possible to land all five reels as twinned, which can create lots of wins. There are 243 ways to win, which makes for lots of potential wins if you get a complete Twin Spin.
Gonzo’s Quest
Another iconic slot from NetEnt is Gonzo’s Quest. It was one of the first slots to popularize the cascading reels mechanic, which it calls avalanche reels.
Whenever you create a win here, all winning symbols are removed, and new ones can fall into place. What Gonzo’s Quest adds to the feature is an increasing multiplier. Whenever a cascade creates a win, it boosts the multiplier by 1, up to a maximum of 5 if you get 4 cascades in a row. When cascades stop creating wins, the multiplier returns to 1.
There’s also a Free Spins feature, which gives you 10 spins and triples the multiplier. So, it starts at 3x and can increase up to 15x.
Aloha! Cluster Pays
Aloha! Cluster Pays works exactly as the name suggests. It’s a game that creates wins with cluster pays, giving it a puzzle game feel.
It doesn’t use cascading reels but instead implements a novel update to that feature called Sticky Win Re-Spins. Essentially, whenever you create a win, it locks the winning cluster in place. It then respins the reels, and if you add any extra symbols to the cluster, they also lock and award another respin. It gives you the chance to create much bigger clusters and bigger wins.
Additionally, Aloha! Cluster Pays adds a Free Spins feature to round off what’s on offer.
Final Verdict: Is Starburst Still Worth Playing?
Starburst is absolutely worth playing. It’s a classic and is the catalyst for the modern advancement of video slots. If you want to see where slots came from, then this should be your starting point. It’s not just a classic game, though. Starburst is a fun experience, with an enjoyable bonus feature and an innovative payline mechanic.
While it’s fine for all players to enjoy, Starburst is perfect for beginners and casual players.
That’s because the low volatility and simple gameplay mean there’s a low barrier for entry, and the learning curve isn’t too steep. Anyone can pick up Starburst and understand how it works almost instantly. If you’re a newcomer to slots or just want a casual experience, then loading up Starburst at Sportzino is the right choice.
FAQs
What is Starburst’s RTP?
Starburst has a slightly above-average RTP of 95.09%.
Can you play Starburst for free?
Yes, you can. You can load up Starburst and start playing for free right here at Sportzino.
Does Starburst have free spins?
No, Starburst doesn’t use Free Spins for its bonus round. Instead, it uses a respin feature that’s linked to the wild symbol.
