One of the most enduring games in the slot vertical is Starburst. With its cosmic theme and expanding wilds, it is an anomaly in the library of iGaming operators.
In the fast-moving world of gaming, it is rare to see a product that was launched in 2012 retain players, and even rarer to see a title keep its fans in vast numbers. Starburst by NetEnt is a game that has flown under the radar when it comes to this. It is made all the more unique because it lacks many of the advanced mechanics of modern slots, like a free spins round. Yet with a generous RTP and multipliers, it has managed to keep pace and retain its cult fanbase.
Why RTP Matters
For many, the Starburst slot is an attractive prospect because of its solid return to player rating. This has made it a stalwart, placing it in the lobbies of well-established operators and those who are just trying to launch. There are even casinos not on GamStop with Starburst like FortuneJack, which allow people to play the much-loved title with quick onboarding and sign-ups. But just why is RTP so important for its user base?
Return to player ratings (RTP) are a measure of how much a game gives back to players. Provided as a percentage, it is worked out over thousands of spins and is an average. So if you were to play a game that had a 96% RTP, over a long time playing the title, you can expect to get around 96% back.
The Starburst RTP is 96.09%. So if a player wagered $1000 on the game over a prolonged period, on average, they would get $9609 back. There are games that have lower RTPs, but those that are higher are in the minority.
The 500x Ceiling
Another modest approach from Starburst that keeps players coming back is its 500x maximum ceiling. This means that players can not win more than x500 their stake. In the modern world, this is quite low. There are games with progressive jackpots that can change lives with a small deposit, boasting wins that are 50,000x and above. Yet the problem is, they don’t always facilitate great gameplay.
In Starburst’s case, it provides a low amount but an achievable win. Many titles decide to choke the main game, cutting down wins so that money can be given out in huge, volatile attempts. This is not the case, and it explains why it is one of many low volatility slots, which provides wins in frequent, smaller amounts.
Taking Out the Free Spins Round
A free spins round is the backbone of many a slot game. By landing scatters, players are usually thrust into gameplay modes where they don’t have to wager. During this, any other number of mechanics may arrive to amp up the excitement, such as multipliers, cascading reels and more.
Starburst avoids this entirely, instead replacing the feature with expanding wilds. A wild is a symbol that can substitute for any other symbol that forms a winning payline. This rainbow coloured wild expands across the reels, and as you can form winning lines both left to right and vice versa, it provides a different form of excitement. When more wilds appear, you get to re-spin, forming further wins. Innovative slot games like this are a staple at casinos such as FortuneJack, which have spent time curating a perfect library of titles.
How Starburst XXXtreme Builds on the Original
Starburst has had several sequels, such as BerryBurst, which never really emulated the longevity of its predecessor. Yet Starburst XXXtreme has been the one with the most impact, mainly because on the surface it looks almost the same game with its cosmic jewel theme, yet under the hood it is very different.
Firstly, NetEnt does away with winning paylines being able to come from both directions. When you start the game, you are given two betting options. The first gives you one guaranteed wild and increases the stake by x10, while the second gives you two and costs 95x the base bet.
Each of the Starbust wilds now provide a multiplier, which can be x2, x3, x5, x10, x25, x50, x100, or x150. These wilds will add together on the repins if more than one is landed. A random wild can also activate after a spin or repins, adding 1- 3 Starburst wilds to the middle reel.
In essence, you can play this game as an updated variation of the original. You will enjoy yourself, as it’s not a big change to go from one to the other. Yet the XXXtreme spins really crank up the excitement and let the game cater to a whole new audience. These are the people that want big, volatile wins and all their eggs in one basket. All you have to do is decide how you like to play, choose a bet, and let Starburst do the rest.
David Prior
David Prior is the editor of Today News, responsible for the overall editorial strategy. He is an NCTJ-qualified journalist with over 20 years’ experience, and is also editor of the award-winning hyperlocal news title Altrincham Today. His LinkedIn profile is here.
