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Starburst Galaxy Slot Review

4.5

How many of you were old enough to play 2012’s Starburst from the industry veteran NetEnt? I’m sure some of us couldn’t even afford the internet then, let alone a computer or smartphone.

Pros & Cons
Plenty of reel modifiers
The bets are limited
Win with 3+ identical clusters
Some features may be complex
Avalanche & expanding reels
A thrilling outer space theme
Lucrative max win of 25,000x bet

The Starburst Galaxy Slot Game

NetEnt has advanced its Starburst series, including a bingo game called Slingo Starburst. But this new game follows a traditional slot setup, with a 5 by 5 layout. It’s yet another chance for players to elevate their gameplay to astronomical heights, where the galaxy’s secrets remain hidden.

The Starburst Galaxy has a transparent gameboard floating in the dark, deep space. It lets you admire the red planet in the pinkish outer space and several bright stars pasted against the purple expanse.

Although it takes place in the same region as its predecessors, its graphics appear updated. Further, a mysterious trance melody helps set an intergalactic tone for the game, making it more immersive.

Try other versions of Starburst slot game:

Symbols and Payouts

The same symbols from before are making another appearance in this slot. It has seven standard-paying symbols that award wins when 3 to 7 of the same symbols appear in vertical or horizontal lines without gaps anywhere on the reels.

The winning combos and payouts happen according to the dynamic paytable, which changes based on the selected stake!

Since the Starburst Galaxy symbols are few, I’ll list them as follows:

  • Purple & Blue Gems - 0.25x to 10x the bet.
  • Orange Gem - 0.5x to 20x the stake.
  • Green Gem - 0.5x to 30x the bet.
  • Yellow Gem - 0.75x to 40x the stake.
  • Lucky 7 - 0.75x to 50x the bet.
  • BAR - 1x to a whopping 250x the stake!

Any win or 3 scatters that disappear from the reels start an avalanche, where the symbols in paying combos disappear while the remaining icons move down to complete the empty positions. The wins are re-evaluated after all positions are complete, and the process repeats until no more wins happen.   

The game also has a wild and a scatter, but I’ll uncover their functions below!

Starburst Galaxy slot symbol payouts

Starburst Galaxy Slot Bonus Features

As mentioned, this online slot is jammed with several modern features, thereby elevating your outer space experience. Let’s have a look at them.

Wild Symbols

Wilds typically substitute for all symbols in Starburst Galaxy except for the scatter. When a win combination without a wild disappears from the reels, you’ll receive a wild in the position that was central to the disappearing paying sequence.

However, in the event of a disappearing even-numbered combination, the wild appears on the centre position to the left in a horizontal combo and on the central higher position in a vertical combo. If two combos intersect, you’ll receive a wild for each combo, but only one wild appears if two win combinations intersect with their centres.

Feature Generator

Each winning combination in the base game contributes to the Feature Generator, triggering one of these random features after every 5 consecutive win combinations:

  • Destroy - ejects one or more random symbol types from the reels.
  • Random Wilds replace 3-9 payout symbols on the reels.
  • Expanding Wilds - converts all wilds on screen into 3 vertically stacked wilds.
  • Line Transform - completes a row or a reel with a random paying symbol.
  • Upgrade - improves one or more random identical symbols to another with a higher payout.

When no wins are on the Starburst Galaxy reels, the awarded features will activate sequentially until a new win occurs.

Galaxy Star Feature & Galaxy Meter

The Galaxy Star feature starts after the 5th modifier in the Feature Generator has begun. The gameboard expands to 7 reels and 7 rows, and a 3x3 wild randomly appears. After the win evaluations, all the paying symbols vanish, and then 4 to 8 regular wilds appear. All the awarded features remaining in the Feature Generator are awarded when no more wins happen.

The Galaxy Meter starts when the 3x3 wild appears, and each win combination progresses the meter. The Galaxy Star feature starts whenever the meter hits 50, but only when there are no wins. The meter resets to the beginning, recharging with every win combination.

Starburst Galaxy Galaxy Star Feature

Mega Star Feature & Multiplier Collect Meter

This Starburst Galaxy feature starts whenever 3 scatters simultaneously appear on the grid and after the avalanche when there are no wins. It randomly places a 2x2 wild on the reel positions without any wilds. All the win symbols disappear after the win evaluations and 2-5 regular wilds randomly appear on the reels in the following cascade. 

After the Mega Star is activated, one or more scatters may get x2, x3, x5, x10, or x25 multipliers. The awarded multipliers start the Multiplier Collect Meter, showing all the added multipliers applicable to all paying combos until the game round ends.

Starburst Galaxy Mega Star Feature

Elevate Feature

It’s the buy option, which can start one of these in-game features per game round:

  • Bonus Boost - increases the odds of reaching the Galaxy Star Feature for 3x the bet.
  • Mega Star for 10x the bet. One free main game spin will have 3 scatters.
  • Boosted Mega Star for 50x the stake. Activates the Mega Star and Multiplier Collect Meter. At least two of the three guaranteed scatters in the free main game spin will have multipliers.
  • Galaxy Star for 100x the bet. It guarantees to reach the Galaxy Star feature.
  • Galaxy Star Bonanza for 500x the stake. It starts the Galaxy Star with 5 awarded features in the Feature Generator and x2-x75 random multiplier.

Starburst Galaxy Bonus Buy

How to Win at Starburst Galaxy Slot

The 5 reels, 5 rows platform, which uses a Cluster Win technique is straightforward. However, the reels gameboard grows to 7 reels and 7 rows during the Galaxy Star feature, as explained above.

Unlike most cluster slots, which need 5+ connected identical symbols, you need 3 or more matching symbols attached horizontally or vertically to form a winning combination in this slot. So, it gives a relatively faster approach to generating wins.

To play Starburst Galaxy, set between €0.20 and €28 bets, and then press Spin to unleash the cosmic gems on the reels for a single round. Alternatively, you can use the Autoplay feature to trigger several game rounds.

A lucky launch into space could unlock prizes worth up to 25,000x bet! You can spin the reels at standard, fast, and faster speeds using the Quickspin function. Further, the tools and help options unlock the settings and game rules/paytable, respectively!

Starburst Galaxy Slot RTP & Volatility

An average RTP of 96% makes the game attractive. Furthermore, its medium to high volatility enhances its appeal to a broader audience.

The Final Thoughts          

Have you ever watched a film and found it so lean and not worth the minutes spent? Then, you encounter its sequel months or years later, and it’s action-packed yet exciting in every way possible! If you’re wondering, that precisely explains the original Starburst and this new sequel, which has come 12 years later.

Starburst Galaxy is like the new boyfriend you didn’t think you’d ever meet, especially mechanically, since it adopts loads of modern features.

First off, the cluster pays technique requires 3+ identical connected symbols to generate a win. So, it’s exciting since it’s a relatively more straightforward approach to forming winning combinations than usual cluster slots that need 5+ or 6+ OAK. Further, it has much more, including in-game modifiers for an enhanced space adventure.

But the gameplay had limitations, too. It had a shallow betting range, which may not suit low and high-spending players. Further, its features were somewhat technical, and you’d need some time to grasp them. Regardless, it’s a solid improvement from when the original was released!

Slot type
Video Slots
Bonus Buy
Slot bonus features
Avalanche
Expanding Reels
Colossal Symbols
Special Wild
Slot details
Theme:
Space & Aliens · Gems & Jewels
Provider: 
NetEnt
RTP: 
96%
Volatility: 
High
Paylines: 
Cluster pays
Release date:
2024-11-26
Nerijus Grenda
Nerijus Grenda
Last Update: 05 Nov 2024
Nerijus Grenda is a prolific contributor to the GoodLuckMate site. With a deep understanding of the online casino industry, gained from his own experience as an avid player, he offers valuable insights on what sets the best casinos apart from the rest. As a writer, Nerijus shares his expertise through expert analysis and thoughtful commentary on various topics related to online gambling, including casino reviews, game guides and industry trends.
Emma Sjökvist This article has been Quality Assured by Emma Sjökvist
Q: 

What is the RTP of Starburst Galaxy?

A: Starburst Galaxy has an RTP of 96%, providing fair returns with an average payout percentage for online slots.
Q: 

How do you win in Starburst Galaxy?

A: You win by forming clusters of 3 or more identical symbols, which can connect horizontally or vertically on the 5x5 grid. The Galaxy Star feature expands the grid to 7x7 for even more winning opportunities.
Q: 

Is Starburst Galaxy a high-volatility slot?

A: Yes, Starburst Galaxy is a high-volatility slot, meaning wins may be less frequent but potentially higher in value.
Q: 

What is the maximum payout in Starburst Galaxy?

A: The maximum win in Starburst Galaxy is 25,000x your bet, achievable through the various multipliers and bonus features.
Q: 

Can I play Starburst Galaxy for free?

A: Yes, you can try Starburst Galaxy for free with the demo version available, allowing you to experience the gameplay without real money.
Q: 

Is there a buy feature in Starburst Galaxy?

A: Yes, the Elevate feature allows players to buy into specific bonus rounds for a set cost, starting various bonus events directly.
Q: 

What is the betting range in Starburst Galaxy?

A: You can set your bets between €0.20 and €28 per spin, catering to different types of players.
Q: 

Are there cluster pays in Starburst Galaxy?

A: Yes, Starburst Galaxy uses a cluster pays mechanic, where wins are achieved by matching clusters of 3 or more symbols instead of traditional paylines.

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