NetEnt’s Starburst Review of the Internet’s Favorite Slot

Written by: Joseph Skelker

Last Updated: Jun 05, 2026

Now, you may think, with thousands of slots out there, that’s a bit bold of a statement. But if you’ve ever visited an online casino or searched for online slots, you will know it does Starburst justice. Since being released in 2012, this game has stood the test the time to become the most popular NetEnt slot that has been featured by almost every top online casino. You will still find it included in the promotions of some big operators, which is a clear sign that this comet isn’t going out of sight anytime soon.

Players love its sparkling visuals and hype-inducing soundtrack, but it’s the gameplay features that make Starburst a slam dunk. If you wish, you can scroll down and try it out for yourself right now. However, to truly understand this game and find the best place to play it, make sure to check out our review as well.

Starburst Slot Game Features Analysis

Before we start discussing the special mechanics and how they interact with each other, let’s take a quick look at how the Starburst slot machine is constructed. The title has five reels and three rows, which is a standard layout for a game of this type.

The 10 fixed paylines are not too uncommon either, but there’s a subtle difference which makes things a lot more interesting. Most reel games only consider combinations as “winning” when you align three or more symbols in a payline from the first reel on the left to the right. In contrast, Starburst gives payouts from right to left as well, which doubles the playing excitement.

The “win both ways” mechanic is perfectly complemented by the dazzling Starburst Wild. These appear only on the middle three reels. Whenever you land one, it expands vertically to substitute two more symbols. You might or might not get a win after the expansion, but to give you an extra chance, the Wild will prompt a re-spin. The cool thing is that during re-spins, up to two more wilds can appear on the other reels, which repeats the process and increases your chance of getting a big payout. If you’re lucky, you can chain several successful spins together. Such a combo can reward up to 50,000 coins!

Name – Starburst

Type – Video Slot

Release year – 2012

Supported Platforms:

🖥 💻 📱 📲

Excellent

95%

📦

Provider

🎰

Rows

3

🎡

Reels

5

💹

RTP

96.09%

🔄

Free Spins

Yes

🔢

Paylines

10

Adjustable paylines:

No

Themes:

Space, Jewels

Min/Max Bet:

0.1 – 100

Sights and Sounds That Send You into Hyperspace

While you play the Starburst slot, you might feel like you’re on a high-octane space gem mining operation. Several shades of purple dominate the dark background of the game. At the bottom left, you’ll see the contours of a planet glistening in the distance. Between the paylines and the outermost reels, multiple firefly-like lights float weightlessly and give out a cool ambiance.

The sparkling pay symbols are layered on top. Most of them are gemstones of different colors and shapes. The Bar and the 7 – the two most valuable tokens – are inspired by the classic fruit machines. Every element is visually pleasing and has its own little shimmer. The gameplay is incredibly swift and fluid.

When you get a successful spin, you’ll see flashing text, numbers, and small explosions that show how much you’ve raked in. Arcs of lightning will run between the symbols to trace the winning payline. During re-spins, the cosmic soundtrack picks up to generate additional buzz.

How to Play the Starburst Online Slot

Our Starburst slot review wouldn’t be complete without a few words on how to play the game your way. The title has the layout of a standard NetEnt slot, with every clickable button being located at the bottom of the screen. At the right corner, there’s an area that shows how much coins you have. Tweaking the coin value will alter your balance as the bets increase or decrease proportionally.

In the middle, you have a big green circle that you press to activate the reels. If you don’t want to tap it constantly, click on “Autoplay,” tweak the options, and set up a session without interruptions. Pressing “Max Bet” will increase your wager to the maximum level and start the game with the current coin value. The “Level” section allows you to manually adjust it between 1-10. The 10 paylines are always active in Starburst. Slot payouts in the paytable are a multiplier that’s enhanced by the betting level.

Several icons are clumped close to each other in the left corner. You can find information about the paytable, expanding Wilds, and paylines by pressing the “i” button. The little wrench opens up a menu from where you can make spins even quicker, remove the intro screen, and bind the spin button to the spacebar of your keyboard. The audio settings and the “Help” section are also nearby.

Try a Demo before You Head out to Starburst Slot Sites

The best way to know if you’d enjoy the dazzle of Starburst is to you test it for yourself. Here, you can do it freely, without the need to stake real money or download extra software. Get a few spins in and see what landing several wilds in a row will do for you.

Play Demo

x

Where to Enjoy Starburst – Slot Casino Sites That Are Licensed and Fair

If you decide to put some skin in the game, you won’t have to search much to find a casino that offers Starburst. It’s on the front page of every major operator that works with NetEnt. We’ve taken the time to find the best gaming sites and recommend them to you. They are all regulated and offer great bonuses to extend your play.

Some like Mr Green and Royal Panda offer Starburst free spins and bonus incentives. 888 Casino gives out a no deposit bonus that you can utilize for this slot and many others.

Starburst: Slot RTP, Payouts, and Variance

The Starburst video slot has an RTP rate of 96.1%. It might not be astronomically high, but it’s not low either. 68.7% of that comes from wins during regular spins, while the rest of the return is generated by the Wild symbols and the re-spins they trigger.

The game is considered to have low variance. If you look at the table below, you’ll see that there’s not a colossal difference in payouts between getting four and five symbols on a winning line. On average, you’ll hit a successful spin about 23% of the time. However, the combos that Wilds can create have enormous potential, so winning big here is a real possibility despite the low volatility. The top combo jackpot is worth 50,000 coins.

←

2 Symbols – 0.00

3 Symbols – 5

4 Symbols – 10

2 Symbols – 0.00

3 Symbols – 5

4 Symbols – 10

2 Symbols – 0.00

3 Symbols – 7

4 Symbols – 15

2 Symbols – 0.00

3 Symbols – 8

4 Symbols – 20

2 Symbols – 0.00

3 Symbols – 10

4 Symbols – 25

2 Symbols – 0.00

3 Symbols – 25

4 Symbols – 60

2 Symbols – 0.00

3 Symbols – 50

4 Symbols – 200

→

Min Bet Max Bet

Tips for When You Play the Starburst Slot

Even though the Starburst slot has low volatility, we still recommend that you spread your budget to get more spins in. You’d ideally want to play at least 50 games per session with predetermined money you can afford to lose. The task of every player should be to land a combo win that comes off of multiple wilds, so give yourself the best chance to do it. When and if that happens, we advise you to count your lucky stars and collect.

Category Is: Dripping in Diamonds

Name: "Cleopatra's Gold"

Software:

Rows: 3

Reels: 5

Paylines: 20 adjustable

Theme: Ancient Egypt

RTP: 97.5%

▶ Autospin ▣ Mobile ★ Bonus Game

Read Review

Name: "Mega Moolah"

Software:

Rows: 3

Reels: 5

Paylines: 25

Theme: Animals / Africa

RTP: 88.12%

▶ Autospin ▣ Mobile ★ Bonus Game

Read Review

Name: "Age of the Gods"

Software:

Rows: 3

Reels: 5

Paylines: 20 adjustable

Theme: Greek Mythology

RTP: 94.03%

▶ Autospin ▣ Mobile ★ Bonus Game

Read Review

Starburst Slot: Review of Mobile Compatibility

It’s a joy to play the mobile version of Starburst. Slot casino sites with a good mobile platform have this game on their “Featured” list, as the title is perfectly optimized for portable devices. NetEnt is a premium software developer, always ensuring that its products run seamlessly on iOS and Android in addition to desktop.

The Wrap-Up of Our Starburst Slot Review

Many people are still wondering what makes Starburst the sun around which online casinos have revolved for so long. The enigmatic game has a mysterious allure that’s tough to explain. While everyone has a different opinion, we believe that NetEnt has managed to find the right balance between simplicity and excitement.

Its reels spin quickly, the Wilds can take you on a thrilling ride, and the glistening graphics and energetic soundtrack immerse you in the atmosphere like nothing else. Starburst can put a twinkle in the eye of any player, so feel free to play the demo here or give the real thing a go at one of our recommended casinos.

Author: Joseph Skelker / Expertise: Online casinos, Game tester

Joseph Skelker is a UK-based iGaming specialist with over 17 years of experience covering regulated gambling markets, including the UK, Canada, Ontario, US social casinos and Philippines casinos. His work is based on first-hand testing of online casinos, regulatory research, and CasinoReviews.net’s AceRank™️ evaluation methodology, and he is responsible for ensuring the accuracy and compliance of the information presented on this page.

Email: joseph.skelker@casinoreviews.net LinkedIn