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Every now and then, a slot comes along that turns the world on its head. A new mechanic is introduced, and every developer and their mother jumps on the trend. And back in 2013, NetEnt was able to pull this off twice! Today, we look at one of these games – the amazingly popular Starburst!
The core of this slot is very simple. It has a low volatility, which means you will see lots of small, but frequent pays. Starburst’s RTP sits at 96.1%, which is fantastic even by today’s standards. And despite the low variance, it can still produce some big jackpots! The promise of a 50,000 coin win is the reason so many players keep returning to this NetEnt release six years later.
While the symbol designs aren’t anything special, the animations are top notch. Seeing the reels light up with the colour of the gemstone that was part of the win feels fantastic! And thanks to its low variance, you will be treated to a lot of lightshows while you play. And if gameplay ever gets stale, the slot uses expanding Wilds and re-spins to liven it up!
We’re usually not big fans of low volatility, but this game won us over easily. There’s something addictive about the mountain of wins you are constantly buried under. The developers are quite smart about it, and never let you go too far into the green. But it’s just enough to keep you engaged, keep you spinning, until your budgets run out.. or you land a big prize!
As is standard for NetEnt releases, you can set your coin value between ₹1.00 and ₹100.00 per single spin. Separate from the coin value is the bet level, and you can adjust one or both to find your perfect wager! This allows you to set your total bet between ₹10 up to ₹1,000 per spin. This makes for a great betting range, that pleases casuals, high rollers, and everyone in between!
The good news – all icons have unique designs. The downside? They’re all different variations of gem. They differ in colour and size, but that’s about it. The monotony is broken up somewhat with the inclusion of lucky seven and golden bar symbols. However, even they have lost their ‘traditional’ shape and are now spherical in shape. Space does weird things to the body, it seems!
Keep an eye out at that golden bar, since it is the highest paying symbol, worth 250 coins for a five-of-a-kind win. The difference between it and the next most valuable icon is slightly above double! The lowest paying symbol is the purple diamond, rewarding 25 coins for a five-of-a-kind win. But, with enough luck and a dash of skill, you can still land an awesome jackpot worth 50,000 coins!
Wilds and Re-Spins: Wilds only appear on the second, third and fourth reel. When they do land, they will expand to cover the entire reel they are currently occupying. After expanding, a single re-spin is granted. It is possible to play a maximum of three re-spins by having three Wilds appear on the playing field one after the other.
The symbols and background image are not the strong suit of Starburst. But the fluid animations, and way the screen lights up after landing a win? It’s a sensation to die for, and one that NetEnt never quite nailed again in any other game.
And with a great RTP and engaging gameplay, the experience is further enhanced. For the most part, you will see frequent, but small pays. But occasionally, Starburst opens up and reveals a huge 50,000 coin jackpot!
It offers the very best of low volatility gameplay with the occasional massive jackpot prize. This slot was so impactful, it produced numerous clones, and still remains ranked #1 in many indian casinos to this day.