Top Casinos with Starburst
Overview
In the five years since its launch Starburst has become the flagship title in NetEnt’s games catalogue, which is no mean feat considering the number of gems the software developer has produced over the years. With its space-themed neon graphics and cosmic music, Starburst draws on the retro-futurist aesthetic of the ‘70s and ‘80s, combining classic slot symbols like Sevens and Bars with sparkling emeralds, rubies, and diamonds. Starburst is a game that draws players in with its expertly judged balance between innovation and simplicity, but does it still have what it takes to stay at the top of the pile?
Rating
Gameplay and Features
Starburst features five reels, three rows and multiple paylines (in this case, 10) – just like most other popular online slots. But it carves out its own niche by doing away with many of the complications that companies like NetEnt have added to the basic fruit machine formula over the years.
The biggest change to the mechanics of the game is in the introduction of the Starburst Wild symbol, which replaces the traditional style of Wilds you find in other games.
Here, when a Starburst symbol appears on any of the three middle reels it expands to occupy the entire reel. Once that happens, the wild icon will remain in place and you get three free spins. Even better, collect at least one more wild during this round and you’ll grab up to 5 re-spins. The re-spins end when a wild fails to appear.
In addition, the game offers a unique “Win both ways” feature, meaning you will get more chances to form a winning combination with at least three symbols of the same kind placed on adjacent reels starting from either the left or the right side of the screen.
There is no jackpot, as such, in Starburst. The maximum win possible is 50,000 coins. The value of each coin can be set between £0.01 and £1.00. Five Bar symbols carries the biggest payout, at 250 coins, while blue and purple gems are the least valuable symbols, which pay just 5 coins on a line of three symbols from the left or right.
But beyond that expanding wilds mechanic, there’s nothing much else to report. No bonus round, no traditional free spins feature, and no scatters. This is pure, fast-paced gameplay.
There is no jackpot, as such, in Starburst. The maximum win possible is 50,000 coins. The value of each coin can be set between £0.01 and £1.00. Five Bar symbols carries the biggest payout, at 250 coins, while blue and purple gems are the least valuable symbols, which pay just 5 coins on a line of three symbols from the left or right.
Graphics and Sound
Starburst’s unique appearance, coupled with its compatibility with a wide variety of devices, has surely been one of the main reasons for the success it has enjoyed. There’s nothing quite like it. Well, there is now because every other developer has jumped on to this particular Space Invaders-meets-Classic Fruit Machine bandwagon, but such is the price of success.
Visually, the game looks like the popular arcade game, Bejeweled, while the background music will take you back to the 1970s glam rock era. Symbols are nicely designed and look great on both desktop and mobile, while fans of retro arcade games won’t be disappointed with the audio either. The background music and sound effects will send your nostalgia into overdrive.
Review Summary
Graphically rich and with simple, elegant gameplay, Starburst is a video slot that does a lot with very little. It certainly seems to have captured the hearts of a huge number of players despite the fact that it has far fewer features than NetEnt’s other top titles.
If you’re an experienced slots player who craves the latest innovations and all the bells-and-whistles then this might not be the game for you. But everyone else should give this game a spin at least once. And since it’s so often offered in free spins promotions, you shouldn’t have to wait too long to try it risk-free.
