Starburst game was invented and released by NetEnt in 2012, and it has since left an indelible mark in the hearts of many slot enthusiasts. The arcade-inspired slot comes with a cosmic theme and distinctive intense graphics coupled with mesmerising cosmic music. Since its launch, the slot has become a staple in the online casino industry. In fact, Starburst is NetEnt’s most popular online slot of all time.
Starburst Slot Features
Here are the features that make Starburst among the most popular slots today:
- Win Both Ways: Unlike conventional slot games, Starburst allows you to win both ways—from right to left and from left to right. This increases your winning chances, making Starburst an all-time favourite for most slot enthusiasts.
- Wilds: Being the main symbol in Starburst, wilds usually substitute other paying symbols to allow you to form a winning g combination. They typically expand to cover the whole reel.
- Respins: Every time a wild symbol expands, it triggers the respins feature. In this case, the wild would stay in place while the reels spin. Players can trigger the respins function up to three times, potentially increasing their wins.
Starburst Slot Gameplay
Starburst is a low volatility slot with an RTP of 96.09%. The 5-reel, 3-row slot comes with ten paylines, and you must match three or more symbols to form a winning combination.
To play the game, you should start by adjusting it to the amount you’d like to stake. The options run from 0.10 to 100.
Moreover, you can use the “Autoplay” button to trigger the reels for nonstop spins. To turn it off, simply select the stop button.
Starburst Game Winning Symbols and Payouts
After visiting the Starburst paytable, you will notice the game has relatively fewer special symbols. For example, it lacks the scatter symbol, which it substitutes with the respins feature. That said, here is how the payouts work in Classic Starburst:
| Winning Symbol | 3 Matching Symbols | 4 Matching Symbols | 5 Matching Symbols |
| Traditional Gold Bar | 50x | 200x | 250x |
| Lucky 7 | 25x | 60x | 120x |
| Yellow Gem | 10x | 25x | 60x |
| Green Gem | 8x | 20x | 50x |
| Red Gem | 7x | 15x | 40x |
| Blue Gem | 5x | 10x | 25x |
| Purple Gem | 5x | 10x | 25x |
Are there Variations of the Starburst Casino Game?
Due to its success, NetEnt studios decided to release the sequel of the legendary Starburst Classic game called Starburst XXXtreme slot in 2021. Another game similar to starburst offered in online casinos is Slingo Starburst, which is a combination of Starburst slot and Bingo. Let’s take a look at each game individually.
Starburst XXXtreme
Starburst XXXtreme is a high volatility slot with five reels, three rows and nine paylines. It comes with an RTP of 96.26%, and offers the following special features:
- XXXtreme Spins: In this game, the XXXtreme spins feature allows you to purchase extra spins to get guaranteed Starburst Wilds and possibly increases your RTP to 96.45%. It costs 10 times to activate the XXXtreme spins, with one guaranteed Starburst Wild on each spin, and 95x for 2 guaranteed Starburst Wilds per spin.
- Random Wilds: Usually, this feature is activated randomly after spinning or re-spinning the reels. After landing 2,3, or 4 Wild symbols, you’ll be awarded a random multiplier from 2x up to 150x your bet. Nonetheless, the multiplayer can go beyond 150 times if you land more than one multiplier after a spin or a re-spin.
Berryburst Slot
Released in 2028, Berryburst slot is the “unofficial” follow up of the legendary Starburst game. The low/mild volatility slot was developed by NetEnt, and comes with five reels and three rows. The RTP of this game is 96.56%, and allows players to adjust their bets between 0.1 and 200.
Instead of paylines, this game offers cluster pays, where a group of five or more symbols will get you a win. The more symbols a player can cluster, the higher their wins.
Slingo Starburst
This Slingo genre was created by Gaming Realms in collaboration with NetEnt. It combines the elements of Slingo (slots and bingo) and the Starburst game.
Slingo Starburst comes with a 5×5 grid and each game will last 10 spins. Here the wilds allow you to pick the number to match on the reel with the grid so you can complete Slingos and go up the pay ladder.
Players get extra spins after each game, with the price of every spin dependent on the position of the grid as well as total prizes. In that case, they are allowed to control the number of extra spins and extra prizes.
Conclusion
Starburst is among the most popular slots today, and it’s easy to tell why. Besides electrifying symbols and a cosmic theme, the game has simple gameplay. Moreover, its symbols are very rewarding as they allow you to win both ways.
Most casinos use this game to offer bonuses to new and existing customers. It’s a game worth trying, especially for those who love classic slot games.