NetEnt’s Starburst is a highly popular online slot machine game that has been entertaining players since its release in 2012. Developed by Net Entertainment, a leading software provider for the iGaming industry, this video slot offers play now an exciting experience with its innovative features and rewarding gameplay.
Overview of the Game
Starburst is a 5-reel, 10-payline online slots game that takes place in a mystical setting, transporting players to a far-off world where stars align to create winning combinations. The game’s theme revolves around celestial bodies, cosmic events, and the mysteries of space. Players can choose from various coin denominations, with each bet determining the number of active paylines.
Gameplay Mechanics
To start playing Starburst, users need to select their preferred bet size, which will determine the number of coins per line and the total amount wagered. The minimum and maximum bets for a standard 10-payline spin can range from $0.01 to $100 or more, depending on the casino’s settings.
The game features a unique mechanics system called “Expanding Wilds,” where wild symbols expand to cover entire reels when appearing in specific positions during free spins. This allows players to take advantage of multiple winning combinations with just one spin. Starburst also has a fixed number of paylines (10), which remains active for each spin.
Star Symbol and Free Spins
One of the standout features of Starburst is its use of the star symbol as both a wild and scatter icon. When three or more stars appear on reels 1, 2, and/or 3 during standard spins, they can trigger the free spins feature. However, if no winning combination occurs after each spin with the third reel’s star symbol, a bonus round begins immediately.
Free Spins in Starburst last for up to ten rounds (in some variations) or may have predetermined numbers of rounds awarded by certain bonuses and mini-games within the main game itself. During free spins, symbols can expand across entire reels as mentioned earlier but without further spreading beyond what happens once every 3-4 free plays.
The Wild Symbol Functionality in Starburst
As discussed briefly above about expanding wilds functionality – In the base game one star appears and acts both on its own line paying the maximum amount of that winning line for matching symbols or contributing to combos created via same spin with more stars acting as a multi-symbol scatter allowing free spins.
Return-to-Player (RTP) Rate and Variations
Starburst offers two RTP options – 96.1% regular play mode (default setting) vs a mystery jackpot linked slot that allows for much higher wins if players opt in at the start.
NetEnt has released various themed versions of Starburst, which may offer different bonus features or enhanced gameplay mechanics. These adaptations are designed to cater to specific markets or appeal to particular demographics.
Real-Money Gaming and Free Play
Starburst is available as both a real-money game and in free-play mode on most online casinos that feature NetEnt’s software suite. Players can try out the demo version without placing bets, which allows them to experiment with different coin values, understand the gameplay mechanics, and develop their betting strategies.
In contrast to some other games where player experiences differ greatly between real money modes versus those playing just for fun or no deposit on a game offering cash awards within its demos as seen in many free-to-play (f2p) versions we know.
