Here at STARBURST, we love a classic game. Whether it’s Horizon: Zero Dawn, Magic the Gathering or Star Wars: Armada, we’re always ready and willing to have a play around with games that appeal to our sense of cult culture. So, imagine our surprise when we found out that there is a cult casino game named after our site!
OK, so the online slot might not be named after us, but it is called Starburst and, in an industry full of options, it’s known as a classic. Now, for those who don’t know, online slots often take inspiration from some of our best love cult hits. From Space Invaders and Batman to the Green Lantern and even Kiss, the industry is full of spinners that would appeal to almost anyone who enjoys alternative entertainment.
An Industry Icon with a Name we Love
However, when it comes to industry icons, Starburst is one of the top slots (and not just because it shares a name with us). That fact on its own is good going considering the industry as a whole is now worth $50 billion+ and the average online casino has hundreds of games to choose. In fact, if you were to browse the slots lobby at Guts.com, you’d find Starburst was listed as one of the “hot” slots among a list of more than 200 options.
Given that the game was first released back in 2012 (which is almost an eternity in the fast-moving slots world), it’s impressive that Starburst is still as loved today as it ever was. So, what makes the famous video slot game Starburst popular in the UK? Well, the first thing it has is options. Unlike the one-armed bandits you’d find in bars or live casinos, the game doesn’t have a single win line in the centre of the reels. Instead, it has 10 win lines.
Beyond that, you’ll be able to unlock expanding wilds and free spins. Although the latter is something you may have seen before when you’re playing a physical slot machine, expanding wilds are a concept made popular by the iGaming industry.
Wild Reels with a Sci-Fi Twist
.@NetEntOfficial‘s Starburst continues dominance of iGaming Tracker’s monthly slot rankings https://t.co/Uxb0nCKXZg pic.twitter.com/bK2ILOxNBV
— EGR Intel (@EGRIntel) March 8, 2017
In simple terms, a wild symbol is one that can substitute for almost any other symbol in the game and an expanding wild is one that (unsurprisingly) expands to cover an entire reel. When you’re playing Starburst, three wilds on reels 2, 3, and 4 will activate the bonus round where the symbols will expand as the reels spin for free. As well as giving you a better chance to win, this feature can be re-triggered which basically means you’ll get another go if the wilds roll in again.
Of course, most players play online slots to win some money and with an RTP (return to player) of 96.1%, Starburst is one of the most consistent payers in the game. However, thanks to software expertise of NetEnt (the developer of Starburst) and the accessibility of the online casino industry, you can also play for free. For example, at Guts Casino you can get $5,000 in “play money” credits, hit the “play now” button and play without staking any of your own money.
In fact, if you choose to give this game a try, you’ll no doubt appreciate the space theme that’s clearly borrowed ideas and sound effects from movie classics like Star Wars and Battlestar Galactica. Although online slot machines might not be the first thing you think of when you say the words “cult classic games”, Starburst is clearly worthy of a place in this category. Indeed, for taking inspiration from the sci-fi world and standing the test of time in a competitive industry, we have to take our hats off to our namesake.
