Head to outer space
The Starburst slot is certainly a looker – despite being released in 2012. The reels are covered in shimmering precious stones which are set against a similarly tasteful purple backdrop. Apart from the 5 gemstones, you have a lucky red 7 and a Bar symbol – the latter is the most rewarding giving you 5, 20 or 25 times your stake for 3, 4 or 5 in combination. One thing you’ll notice is the captivating and mesmerising soundtrack – a nice touch from NetEnt.
Win Both Ways technology
Starburst benefits from Win Both Ways technology – it means you can form winning combinations from left to right and right to left. In most slot games, you form wins by getting matching symbols on successive reels starting from reel 1 – you can do this in Starburst but also starting from reel 5 (i.e. a Bar symbol on reels 3, 4 and 5). This doubles your chances of landing a win.
Starburst Wilds feature
Does the gameplay match the great first impressions? The central element of Starburst are the appropriately named Starburst wild symbols which appear on reels 2, 3 and 4 (the 3 middle reels). When 1 or more appears, the Starburst Wilds feature is activated.
The Starburst wild(s) then expand to cover a whole reel to give you a fully wild reel. With the Starburst reel locked securely in place, the other reels spin again, offering ample opportunities for more wins and a very decent payout.
2 further Starburst Wilds can appear after a respin is triggered. 1 extra respin is added for each Starburst wild symbol that appears, up to a maximum of 3 respins (with 3 wild reels in total).
Starburst verdict
If you're lucky enough to find 3 Starburst wild reels in a row, then the results can be as pretty as the precious gemstones on the reels. Maximum payouts can top a dazzling 500 x stake if the Starburst wilds fall nicely – 250 x stake is the max win with the win both ways mechanic applied. The respins continue until no new Starburst wilds appear during a r-spin. If you're lucky enough to get on a roll, the results can be extremely lucrative.
Other slots may offer far more complex feature rounds than what Starburst can deliver. Sometimes keeping things simple is the best policy though and that certainly applies here. The combination of rapid-fire, arcade style action matched with beautiful, colourful graphics and animation make Starburst a real winner.
The gameplay is simple yet superbly effective. It looks like a dream and plays like one. Just like the symbols on its reels, Starburst really is a gem. It’s available to play on mobile and tablet devices and, as a result, Starburst has become the most popular online slot game ever.
This game truly does deserve a sequel though – Play ‘N Go offers you the volatile Crystal Sun which is similar but comes with multipliers which can reward you with 4,000 x stake payouts!