Starburst slot by NetEnt

Learning how to play Starburst takes about a minute: choose a stake, start the spin and read what the reels leave behind. The stake can be changed between spins at any point, and every Starburst payout moves with it.

To read a result in Starburst, follow the 10 lines from the leftmost reel: the pay is for identical symbols in an unbroken run, and each line pays its best combination only.

Everything above is stated in full inside Starburst itself — the paytable button opens the list of symbols and the rules for Starburst Wild. The numbers there are quoted against the stake you currently have set, which makes them easier to read than any review.

Under the art, Starburst is a straightforward 5 reels, 3 rows and 10 paylines machine. Wins are read left to right from the first reel, and only the highest combination on each line counts, so a second rainbow wild gem further along the same line adds nothing. The paytable is top-heavy. A rainbow wild gem carries the headline number, a red seven the next one, and everything below is filler.

Starburst Wild does the substituting (the rainbow wild on reels two, three or four expands and grants a respin), and it is worth learning what it does not substitute for, which is the scatter. The maximum quoted for Starburst is 500× the total bet, and that figure is reached through the features rather than on a base spin — worth knowing before you judge the game by its first fifty spins.

Everything else on the grid is ordinary; Win both ways is not: lines count in both directions, not only from the left. So the honest way to read Starburst is as two games stacked: the base grid, which ticks over, and the feature, which does not.

Starburst carries two features, and they are where the game earns its place in the lobby rather than on the base grid.

Starburst Wild: the rainbow wild on reels two, three or four expands and grants a respin. Starburst Wild is the part of Starburst most worth having a balance left for.

Win both ways — lines count in both directions, not only from the left. Watch for the Win both ways trigger rather than the reels — on Starburst it is easier to miss than you would expect.

Taken together the set is what separates Starburst from the rest of its shelf. The base grid is common enough across the catalogue; Starburst Wild is not, and it is the reason the game has its own page here.

Starburst is staked per line: pick a line bet, multiply by 10, and that is what a spin costs; every Starburst payout is quoted against that same line bet. That is also why 500× the total bet is written as a multiple rather than an amount — the Starburst ceiling moves with the stake.

Volatility on Starburst is low, which means it pays small amounts often, and a session tends to drift rather than swing. The return printed for Starburst is a setting, not a property of the game. NetEnt ships Starburst in more than one configuration, and each casino picks the one it runs, which is why the figure in the table above is a reference point rather than a promise about a session.

One practical note on staking Starburst: changing the bet between spins changes nothing but the price, and no state carries across — each Starburst spin is settled on its own. If you autoplay Starburst, set it to break on Starburst Wild — the one moment in the game you want to be watching.

Because the swings are small, a modest balance lasts a long time here; treat Starburst as a game to sit with rather than one to attack. Whatever balance you bring to Starburst, decide in advance what leaves with you; the limit tools sit in the account area.

For wagering purposes Starburst counts as a slot, which means it contributes at the full rate, and the conditions are set out on the bonus page. Starburst Wild is what Starburst is built around, and it shows itself in play rather than in a table — a few rounds say more than the specification above.

A dry stretch on Starburst is not a signal. Starburst Wild does not become more likely because it is overdue, and betting as though it does is the fastest way to shorten a session. Our responsible gaming page has the limits, the self-exclusion options and the contacts for independent help — none of it requires talking to support about Starburst or anything else first.

Starburst suits a player who wants a long, quiet session and small regular returns. The natural companion in our lobby is Reactoonz; the theme is close, the feel is not.

Starburst and Reactoonz sit next to each other in the lobby, and the difference is in the pace, not the paytable. Start with Starburst if you want the session to last. Full specifications for Starburst — the 5 reels, 3 rows and 10 paylines, volatility, the top end (500× the total bet), the feature list and the release year — are in the table at the top of this page.

Reactoonz